BY SHYAM ZAMBAULIKER | NT

MARGAO: Headlines that cause alarm are pretty frequent in the media these days. Newly married woman tortured to death for dowry by husband, maid raped, wife sets self ablaze over harassment succumbs, woman consumes poison, women killed over property dispute are just a few examples that point to the evil of domestic violence.

In south Goa, there are several cases of domestic violence against women, registered as cognisable and non-cognisable offences. Most of these cases are investigates and brought to their logical conclusion. The past week saw a 40-year-old railways employee being convicted to three years imprisonment by the Sessions Court in a case of domestic violence.

Unfortunately, the number of incidences of domestic violence is much more than the cases registered. Women are still being harassed under some pretext or the other and many women bear this violence, behind closed doors. Domestic violence has no geographical boundaries and is common in rural areas, towns and cities as well. It crosses all social classes, genders, racial lines and age groups. This type of violence spares no one and wives and husband, sons and daughters, parents and other family members are also subjected to this. It can be perpetrated either by a male or a female towards another male or female person. Anyone can be a victim and a victimizer. This violence has a tendency to take various forms, physical, sexual, mental and emotional. Ms Manda Torasker, a social activist said that cases come into the open when they are reported, however, she said many cases go unreported. She pointed an alarming fact that women of social standing, who have proved their mettle in a man’s world, are victims of domestic violence. She said the number of such women is more than the docile housewives. She said one of the reasons could be that women are physically weaker than the males.

Mr Santosh Dessai, police inspector, who has investigated a few such cases, felt that the most common cause for domestic violence is dissatisfaction with the dowry and an attempt to get more from the family of the wife.

However, he also pointed that there are other reasons that lead to the woman being tortured, like, arguments that turn violent, leaving the home without informing, not being able to cook well or delay in serving meals, extra marital affairs, not taking proper care of the in-laws, etc. He however reiterated that the greed for dowry and the desire for property are major factors of domestic violence.

In cases where the spouse has died or committed suicide, within 7 years of marriage, are investigated by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, who then submits the report of the inquiry to the police officer, and then registers the offence as per the rules laid down.

Ms Neeta B Naik, another social worker said that there have been cases of molestation and rape, by other family members or by persons in the neighbourhood. She said that there are even cases where husbands have forcefully coerced their wives to the sexual act, against their will. She said physical abuse takes the form of slapping, punching, manhandling roughly, burdening them with drudgery, public humiliation and neglect.

A retired police officer said that domestic violence against women is a serious and bigger problem than is seen publicly. He however said that even men are not spared in this regard, as many of them too are victims. He further said that even children are not spared from the evil of domestic violence, and often become unsuspecting victims. Very often they even become the cause of violence between parents, when they disobey, poor academic performance or not being at par with their peers. He also pointed that there is also a lot of violence directed towards the old persons in the home.

Another form of domestic violence is the ill-treatment of housemaids and servants in households. Servants are often deprived of salary and basic necessities. Maids are molested and raped by the males in the family. Other forms of violence against domestic servants include, scalding with hot implements, confinement, beatings and denying proper food. Advocate Rajiv Gomes said that Section 304 B was introduced in the Indian Penal Code in order to deal with and punish the offence of dowry death. This section was created on November 19, 1986, to provide more stringent punishment, than provided by Section 498A of the same Act, which deals with punishment for cruelty by husband and his relatives. The criteria necessary for the application of Section 304 B are death of a woman by burns or bodily injury, that occurs under unusual circumstances. And the aforesaid two facts spring within 7 years of the girl's marriage, and if just before her death, she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relative. This however is in connection with the demand for dowry. He said that if these conditions exist, it would constitute a dowry death, and the husband and/or his relatives shall be deemed to have caused her death. Section 304 B also provides that whoever commits a dowry death shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 7 years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life. In cases of dowry deaths and suicides, circumstantial evidence plays an important role and inferences can be drawn on the basis of direct or indirect evidence, he said.