Reproduced from Telegraph
India's abusive husbands cower from new laws
Amrit Dhillon in New Delhi
Last Updated: 12:18am GMT 12/11/2006
Like many Indian husbands, Sanjay Kumar never saw himself as a wife-beater. The punches he landed on his long-suffering spouse were, he insisted, nothing more than routine marital discipline.
Now, two weeks after India introduced its first laws against domestic violence, he sees himself as the victim.
"It's a noose around my neck and the end of the rope is in her hands, to pull or not to pull," he complained, as he and his wife, Maheshwari – still badly bruised – attended a compulsory marriage counselling clinic in Delhi. "Men have no power left. At this rate, we'll be wearing bangles."
advertisementThe new Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act gives courts sweeping powers to help abused wives. Yet such is the culture shock to India's male-dominated society it has galvanised new recruits for a counter-lobby group – the All-India Harassed Husbands Association.
"The law is so lopsided that a future generation of men might not get married for fear of losing their property and income," said one member, Akhil Gupta.
The new law recognises physical violence, marital rape and all kinds of abuse — emotional and verbal – as crimes. It also prevents men forcing wives to watch pornography, refusing to let them work or banishing them from their houses.
"I didn't want to file a case against him but it was becoming unbearable," said Maheshwari, 28, who has two daughters. "The last time he almost strangled me. This law will let me live at home and stop him torturing me."
Hundreds of wives are now registering cases under the new law – the product of a decade of campaigning by women's groups.
A 2005 UN Population Fund report found that 70 per cent of married women in India were victims of beatings, rape, or forced sex. Even trivial "misdemeanours" such as burning the dinner, can provoke male violence.
Yet many men fear the law will be prone to the same misuse as India's stringent anti-dowry laws. The regulations are meant to protect women from husbands and in-laws who torture them for more dowry after marriage but are sometimes used by women to harass innocent husbands.
Mahesh Tiwari, 35, a New Delhi lawyer, began fighting for husbands when a client hanged himself in jail after being falsely accused by his wife of demanding more dowry. "He was a gentle person married to a witch," he said. "No evidence is required under the law."
Since the new law on domestic violence was passed, about 20 anxious husbands a day have sought the advice of the Save Indian Family Foundation, which campaigns for reform of the anti-dowry laws.
"Women are using psychological violence with this law as a new weapon," said Swarup Sarkar, a foundation member.
The All-India Democratic Women's Association has little time for this. "Why don't they be honest?" asked Brinda Karat, the general secretary. "They want to hold on to their birthright to beat up women."
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From India, Delhi
174India's abusive husbands cower from new laws
Amrit Dhillon in New Delhi
Last Updated: 12:18am GMT 12/11/2006
Like many Indian husbands, Sanjay Kumar never saw himself as a wife-beater. The punches he landed on his long-suffering spouse were, he insisted, nothing more than routine marital discipline.
Now, two weeks after India introduced its first laws against domestic violence, he sees himself as the victim.
"It's a noose around my neck and the end of the rope is in her hands, to pull or not to pull," he complained, as he and his wife, Maheshwari – still badly bruised – attended a compulsory marriage counselling clinic in Delhi. "Men have no power left. At this rate, we'll be wearing bangles."
advertisementThe new Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act gives courts sweeping powers to help abused wives. Yet such is the culture shock to India's male-dominated society it has galvanised new recruits for a counter-lobby group – the All-India Harassed Husbands Association.
"The law is so lopsided that a future generation of men might not get married for fear of losing their property and income," said one member, Akhil Gupta.
The new law recognises physical violence, marital rape and all kinds of abuse — emotional and verbal – as crimes. It also prevents men forcing wives to watch pornography, refusing to let them work or banishing them from their houses.
"I didn't want to file a case against him but it was becoming unbearable," said Maheshwari, 28, who has two daughters. "The last time he almost strangled me. This law will let me live at home and stop him torturing me."
Hundreds of wives are now registering cases under the new law – the product of a decade of campaigning by women's groups.
A 2005 UN Population Fund report found that 70 per cent of married women in India were victims of beatings, rape, or forced sex. Even trivial "misdemeanours" such as burning the dinner, can provoke male violence.
Yet many men fear the law will be prone to the same misuse as India's stringent anti-dowry laws. The regulations are meant to protect women from husbands and in-laws who torture them for more dowry after marriage but are sometimes used by women to harass innocent husbands.
Mahesh Tiwari, 35, a New Delhi lawyer, began fighting for husbands when a client hanged himself in jail after being falsely accused by his wife of demanding more dowry. "He was a gentle person married to a witch," he said. "No evidence is required under the law."
Since the new law on domestic violence was passed, about 20 anxious husbands a day have sought the advice of the Save Indian Family Foundation, which campaigns for reform of the anti-dowry laws.
"Women are using psychological violence with this law as a new weapon," said Swarup Sarkar, a foundation member.
The All-India Democratic Women's Association has little time for this. "Why don't they be honest?" asked Brinda Karat, the general secretary. "They want to hold on to their birthright to beat up women."
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From India, Delhi
Hello Dr Saab,
I think that firstly we should divide indian society in some categories and we may discuss the issue.
We may divide indian societies as:
1) BPL (below poverty line)
2) APL ( Just above poverty line)
3) MCS(middle class society)
4) HCS(High class society)
5) EHCS(Extremly high class society)
Now saab you think where is problem??????
First decide in which class there is problem with women and why???? In which class, such issue will go to court???? in which class relation will spoil????
Regards
Sidheshwar
From India, Bangalore
I think that firstly we should divide indian society in some categories and we may discuss the issue.
We may divide indian societies as:
1) BPL (below poverty line)
2) APL ( Just above poverty line)
3) MCS(middle class society)
4) HCS(High class society)
5) EHCS(Extremly high class society)
Now saab you think where is problem??????
First decide in which class there is problem with women and why???? In which class, such issue will go to court???? in which class relation will spoil????
Regards
Sidheshwar
From India, Bangalore
Dear Sidhehswar, At the moment I do not think we can get class wise statististics. Can we get? Please see, not a single woman member of this thread has responded in this thread so far. regards
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
So dear, Please go through the the thread" How to Make women happy !!! " in this forum before we proceed further in this thread. regards
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
Dear friends, Now it is time to review whether it was a good or bad news for Indian women. regards
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
Sidheshwar,
You seem to be quite confident about yourself. Alright. Please read each and every word very carefully.
"
Do you agree that the principles of judiciary is to "punish crime and deliver justice"?
I hope you have no doubts on this.
Now, why do you think that in DV Act, the crime committed by a woman of subjecting a man of domestic violence (in the form of verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, insult, name-calling, humiliation, sexual abuse) is "not" considered a crime?
I hope you will agree that any action/deed committed, which can be declared a crime according to IPC and various other legal provisions, is a punishable crime, and any action/deed excluded from the IPC and other legal provisions is 'not' a crime.
Men are not protect under DV Act. According to the Article 14 of Constitution of India, every citizen of the country has the 'rights' to have equal protection from law. Do you think DV Act has not violated this article 14?
It does not matter whether the Government has ever funded a survey to find out the number of men subjected to domestic violence or an Government funded men's organisation to address men's issue that will give statistical reports on male victims. The question is, "Why the crime committed by a woman is not considered a crime under DV Act?"
By saying that the female victims outnumbers the male victims in domestic violence is like saying that, "We should not punish those women who subject their husband to domestic violence just because the number of male victims is less." Is this equality or a way to let those women subject their husband to domestic violence?
Yes, this is equality. How this is equality? You have to answer that.
From India, Mumbai
You seem to be quite confident about yourself. Alright. Please read each and every word very carefully.
"
Do you agree that the principles of judiciary is to "punish crime and deliver justice"?
I hope you have no doubts on this.
Now, why do you think that in DV Act, the crime committed by a woman of subjecting a man of domestic violence (in the form of verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, insult, name-calling, humiliation, sexual abuse) is "not" considered a crime?
I hope you will agree that any action/deed committed, which can be declared a crime according to IPC and various other legal provisions, is a punishable crime, and any action/deed excluded from the IPC and other legal provisions is 'not' a crime.
Men are not protect under DV Act. According to the Article 14 of Constitution of India, every citizen of the country has the 'rights' to have equal protection from law. Do you think DV Act has not violated this article 14?
It does not matter whether the Government has ever funded a survey to find out the number of men subjected to domestic violence or an Government funded men's organisation to address men's issue that will give statistical reports on male victims. The question is, "Why the crime committed by a woman is not considered a crime under DV Act?"
By saying that the female victims outnumbers the male victims in domestic violence is like saying that, "We should not punish those women who subject their husband to domestic violence just because the number of male victims is less." Is this equality or a way to let those women subject their husband to domestic violence?
Yes, this is equality. How this is equality? You have to answer that.
From India, Mumbai
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