MALES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: THE FORGOTTEN VICTIMS IN INDIA’S LEGAL SYSTEM: A HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE
Keywords:
Domestic Violence, Men, Women, Human Rights, Gender Equality, justice system.Abstract
“He said nothing, not because he was at fault, but since no one would have believed him if he yelled.”– Shisheer Kumar, 2022
The legislation known as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 was enacted in India to shield women from domestic abuse, yet it completely ignores the men who might be victimized in homes of their own. Additionally, there exists no law that guarantees the safety of a man if he is subjected to bodily, psychological or financial mistreatment. This is violative of the Constitution’s right to gender parity & right to life & individual freedom.
A study conducted in 2020 published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare concluded that 51.5% of men reported experiencing abuse, with 77% reporting emotional abuse and 23% reporting physical abuse. But society generally wants men to be silent. Additionally the cops make fun of them. Evidently aren't any shelters, governmental helplines or official organizations to back them up. The effect is brutal. Information provided by the NCRB shows over ninety thousand men die by choosing to commit suicide every year, almost double the proportion of women. The majority of these deaths are related to household issues. Additionally, there are also instances of the justice system being taken advantage of towards men.
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