In India law against domestic violence promulgated, CBCI Commission for Women welcomes
it
(26 Oct. 2006) : A landmark new law seeking to protect women from domestic violence
has come into effect in India on Thursday. The law bans harassment by way of dowry
demands and gives sweeping powers to a magistrate to issue protection orders where
needed. The law provides protection to the wife or live-in partner from violence at
the hands of the husband or live-in partner or his relatives. Besides physical violence,
the law also covers forcing a wife or partner to look at pornography. A statement
from the federal ministry of women and child development said, “Domestic violence,
under the new law, includes "actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical,
sexual, emotional or economic". Punishment for the convicts could range from a jail
term of up to one year and/or a fine of up to 20,000 rupees ($450). According to India's
National Crime Records Bureau, every six hours, a young married woman is burned, beaten
to death or driven to commit suicide. Commenting on the new Act the Chairman of
the CBCI Commission for Women, Bishop JB Thakur of Muzaffarpur in North Indian State
of Bihar, said, it is a right step in the right direction! “A large section of the
women of India are poor and illiterate. Consequently, they are most vulnerable and
the worst victims of domestic violence. To make the things worst, some of the customs
and traditions such as dowry system are discriminatory against women. The new law,
if enforced properly will go a long way in restoring women’s rights and dignity,”
Bishop Thakur said.