Violence against women and girls is a hidden global crisis which knows no boundaries of geography or culture. However, marginalized women, such as poor women and girls, are most likely to experience it, most often at the hands of their husbands or partners. Violence by men, typically against women is a longstanding problem and remains widespread. Violence against women and girls takes many different forms, including domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment, child, early and forced marriage, sex trafficking, so called ‘honour’ crimes and female genital mutilation.

Many perpetrators have believed that violence toward women and girls is normal or appropriate behaviour, supported by society. They feel that they can commit violence without disapproval.
It is one of the most widespread violations of human rights and has long-term devastating effects on the lives of women, their communities and wider society.

Violence against women typically include the crimes committed against women of any age, caste, and creed. The crimes can be of any kind; usually, they include murders, abuse, molestation, rape, and infanticide. The number of crimes committed against women in India keeps rising every year. In 2012, the crimes against women in India accounted for around 6.4%, which meant in an average within three minutes, a woman fell victim to violence.

The crimes against women in India take several forms. Mostly, these crimes result in lifelong trauma or even death. Dowry deaths are one such example of a crime committed against Indian women. According to an age-old Indian tradition, the bride’s family is supposed to reward the groom with a considerable sum of money; this is the concept of dowry.

In rural areas, the bride, usually belonging to a poor household, is unable to meet the groom’s high demand for the dowry money or materialistic things . They fail to fulfil and pay the amount the groom asks for. In such cases, often, the bride falls victim to verbal and physical abuse of the groom. The woman is then beaten, abused, and regularly molested, for her family’s incapability to fulfil the stated dowry. Dowry deaths are mostly seen in the rural parts of India and form an accountable part of the crimes committed against women.

Rapes and non-consensual sexual activities also form a large portion of the violence committed against Indian women. Statistics reveal that women are the most prone to rare in the Indian subcontinent; it is the most dangerous country as far as the number of rape cases is concerned. Rape is typically the sexual intercourse carried on with the woman without her consent. As of 2016, 10.9% of the crimes committed against women were for rape. It is indeed very true that women are now becoming more aware and open about the topic of rape; they are opening up about their own stories of sexual assault etc. However, the numbers in India keep rising. The perpetrators often go unpunished.

Marital rape is another prominent example of violence against women. Marital rape is the non-consensual sexual intercourse carried on between a married couple. Husbands often impose and force themselves upon their wives without their consent. This leads to a great deal of abuse and physical molestation committed upon the female body. Women trafficking and forced prostitution are also two other kinds of violence to which Indian women victims. Other forms of violence committed against Indian women include – child marriage, domestic abuse, sex trafficking, and abduction.

Men perpetrate nine out of every ten crimes committed against women. This proves how the origin of crimes against women stems from the deep-rooted patriarchal ideology in the minds of the Indian men. Their belief is that the male is physically superior to the female and leads them to force themselves on their female counterparts and inflict pain on the female community
The matter of violence committed against women in India is still massive and widespread. It requires more attention and adherence than what it already deserves. A decade back, the concern was discussed in elitist groups and beyond the ordinary people’s grasp. However, in the recent years, the matter is being addressed more openly due to the advent of technology and widespread education. India is not safe at all for women. Delhi accounts for the highest number of cases of violence against women in India. Although policies and schemes are being carried out to mitigate the matter, the concern seems to grow and double itself with every passing year.

Prevention of these crimes –
A wider social movement of educating the women of their rights, to conquer the menace, is needed more particularly in rural areas where women are still largely uneducated and less aware of their rights and hence fall an easy prey to their exploitation.

The courts are expected to be sensitive in cases involving crime against women.
Violence against women can be prevented via the strict implementation of the laws. The judicial system needs to become more and more active and effective in bringing justice to the sufferers and victims. Violence is a part of the background to many legal disputes, even though it is less frequently the central issue before a court or tribunal. The examples above are merely illustrations. Many others could have been chosen to make the same point.

Aishwarya Says:

I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.

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We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.

We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge