Violence against women is one of the most extreme manifestations of an entrenched patriarchal mindset. The first systematic study of data on the prevalence of violence against women from across the world revealed that 35 percent of women experience some form of violence.
The study estimated that 30 percent of women globally have suffered violence at the hands of their partners. But data from India presents a mixed picture.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, crimes against women rose unambiguously in all states between 1995 and 1999 and 2010 and 2014. The average crimes against women in India also increased from 94,600 during 1995 to 1999 to 211,400 during 2010 to 2014.
On the other hand, the National Family Health Survey-4 revealed some good news. There was a 4 percent decline in the proportion of women (15 to 49 years) who reported physical or sexual violence by their spouses at the national level. Significant inter-state disparities, however, exist. There was significant reduction in spousal violence in states like Rajasthan, Tripura, Bihar, Assam, and Uttarakhand, whereas it remained the same in other states like Meghalaya, Manipur, Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh.
So, Where To From Here?
First, the data should be separated into different kinds of violence faced by women in the country. This is crucial in the context of understanding the violence. An initial step could be to conduct an all-India survey; however, we also need an institutional mechanism for ensuring that the data is available on a regular basis. While designing the surveys, special attention must be paid to women living in particularly vulnerable circumstances, eg, those belonging to Dalit and tribal communities, women with disabilities, etc. This will enable the development of targeted policy interventions.
Second, we already have several laws and programmes in place for tackling violence against women. Constant monitoring and course correction can ensure that these initiatives get implemented in a robust manner. For instance – under the Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet earlier this week – it is envisaged that One Stop Centres will be established in 150 additional districts during 2017-18 to 2019-20 for providing comprehensive support to women affected by violence. Eventually, we need to work towards establishing one such centre in every district of the country. However, simply setting up new centres will not help us achieve desired outcomes. The emphasis needs to shift towards ensuring that all centres are fully staffed and functional.
Similarly, efforts should be made to establish units for crime against women in all police stations. Over time, the presence of at least one female officer in every police station should be ensured. Various other provisions that have been made under women safety initiatives – including the installation of CCTV cameras in buses and trains – need to be rigorously implemented. A recent meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary to initiate the formulation of a comprehensive safety plan for women in eight metropolitan cities in the country, is a noteworthy step in this direction.
Third, officials who are involved in the prevention or management of crimes against women should be sensitised through standardised training modules. While many more women are now reporting cases of violence, the societal mindset of shaming the victim instead of the perpetrator still persists in many parts of the country. The problem is compounded by the fact that those who subject women to violence are often known to them.
In this scenario, it is especially vital that a woman who does come forward to report an incident does not then encounter an insensitive system.
Fourth, and perhaps the most hard-to-control challenge, is catalysing a change in mindset. Schools across the country must make gender sensitisation an integral part of the curriculum. This is a long-term approach perhaps, but one that can reap very rich dividends in the future as children are among the most powerful agents of change.
A study showed that the tolerance for gender-based violence is at times higher among women than men. One of the reasons for this is practical considerations. For instance, women who give birth to a son often enjoy an elevated status in the household. Another important reason, however, is that after several years of living in a patriarchal society, women can stop believing that equality is even a possibility.
We, therefore, need to create more identifiable role models who can give ordinary women the confidence that equality is not an unrealistic dream.
Mass media can play a critical role in accomplishing this goal, even if that is not the prime objective of the medium.
For instance, the show Laado 2, currently airing on Colours Television, depicts a strong female character as the lead who takes on various social evils in her village against all odds. Media can also be leveraged for creating awareness among women about their legal rights.
Elimination of violence against women is a lofty goal and one that can seem unattainable at the best of times. However, when it comes to ensuring that half the country’s population is not living in a state of apprehension and unease, there is no room for pessimism. By defining our priorities as outlined above and reviewing progress at regular intervals, we can certainly make a sizeable dent in this deep-rooted scourge.
(Urvashi Prasad is a Public Policy Specialist with NITI Aayog. She can be reached at @urvashi01. The views expressed in the article are the author’s alone. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)