REPORT ON FACT FINDING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE AT LATAGURI, JALPAIGURI WEST BENGAL
The phenomenon of violence against women within the family in India is
complex and deeply embedded. Women are subject to violence not only from
husbands but also from members of both the natal and the marital home. Girls
and women in India are usually less privileged than boys in terms of their
position in the family and society and in terms of access to material resources.
Marriage continues to be regarded as essential for a girl; control over a
woman’s sexuality and its safe transfer into the hands of husbands who are
assumed to “own” their wives is of primary importance. Systematic
discrimination and neglect toward female children is evident in a declining sex
ratio of 940 women to 1000 males (2011 census). Nevertheless, there are
regional and community variations. Women in the north have relatively less
autonomy than their counterparts in the south, and experience fewer
opportunities for control over economic resources (Karve 1965). A small
segment of urban upper class women enjoy some of the benefits of education,
careers, and economic independence.
Violence against women is a serious problem in India. Overall, one-third of
women age 15-49 have experienced physical violence and about 1 in 10 have
experienced sexual violence. In total, 35 percent have experienced physical or
sexual violence.
In Gender Inequality Index Rank : India stands at 125 whereas and in Global Gender
Gap Index Rank : 87. Over 2,300 domestic violence complaints were filed with
the National Commission for Women between January and May in 2021, the
highest for any year since 2000. Most complaints were received from U.P.,
while the highest complaint rate was recorded in Delhi. However, according to
NFHS-5 DATA, 70% of women in the major States who faced physical violence
did not inforn anyone about it. Even among those who sought help, very few
reached out to the relevant authorities.