Over two fold rise in domestic violence cases: NCW

There is also a threefold increase in police apathy towards women’s plaints

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The first week of the nationwide lockdown, which has left many facing job losses, uncertainty over salaries, forced isolation and stressed households, has resulted in a steep rise in violence against women. The National Commission for Women (NCW), which receives complaints from across the country, has recorded more than a two fold rise in gender-based violence.

The total complaints from women rose from 116 in the first week of March (March 2- 8), to 257 in the final week of March (March 23-April 1). Complaints of rape or attempted rape have risen sharply from two to 13, while cases of domestic violence have increased from 30 to 69 over the same comparative period. Simultaneously, there has been an almost three fold increase in police apathy towards women’s complaints, with the NCW receiving 16 complaints on the issue as compared to six earlier.

Similarly, complaints relating to the “right to live with dignity” too have doubled, rising from 35 cases to 77.

Such cases could pertain to discrimination on the basis of gender, class or caste or all three of them combined.

Activists believe that these may only be the tip of the iceberg, as many women will not be able to reach out because of restrictions on movement and lack of privacy inside homes.

Jagori, a Delhi-based NGO, which runs helplines for women victims of violence, has, in fact, experienced a 50% drop in calls.

“Women need to be at ease to make calls for help,” said Jaya Velankar, director, Jagori. “They need privacy, when they are certain that they will not be discovered by their family. But when the entire family is at home, it is difficult for them to call the helpline,” she added.

“Lockdown can’t mean that you save me from a virus, but you expose me to other forms of violence,” said Senior advocate and women’s rights activist Vrinda Grover. She said that groups will be making a representation to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issue.