26 Mar 2024
Many women experience violence at the hands of their husbands and sometimes also their in-laws (it is usual for wives to live with the husband’s family.)
The low level of education means that the general cultural acceptance of violence is rarely challenged, and this combines with men’s growing use of alcohol and drugs to make domestic violence commonplace.
Specific gender issues also contribute to the high level of domestic violence. Dowry demands often escalate from demands to threats, and lead to violence. Under-age marriage sometimes occurs, with young girls being married to much older men, and then are afraid to report their experiences of domestic violence.
Over time, as women’s self-help groups have raised awareness about domestic violence, there has been a change in the type of violence that is reported. In the past, public beatings and displays of verbal abuse were common, but now neighbours are more likely to intervene and the police become involved. Nowadays, violence is more likely to be inflicted in private, and involve mental abuse such as threats to abandon women or throw them out of the family home.
Our partners have set up Violence Against Women committees in many villages. The committees monitor cases of domestic violence and members are trained to intervene and counsel both husband and wife. They also refer cases to the police and social workers when appropriate. Most importantly, they follow up on all cases, as recurring domestic violence is common.