Domestic Violence Act to get a facelift: men crying foul

In almost everywhere in this world howsoever tough and complicated the law we make; it is misused in one or other way, similarly Domestic Violence Act (DVA) 2005 was a measure to curb various atrocities on women but then it too got misused on the way. Through this law violence against women was explicitly defined which is not only physical but is psychological, verbal and economical too.

Many organisations complaints against this law and termed it as a draconian law, meant to punish only males of our society. Many groups and organisations demanded the DVA to be scrapped from the law book as it is one-sided which on the other side is praised by women's association.

So a major concern has been shown to address the grievances and Women and Child Development Ministry, which have decided to amend the law very soon to give it a more humane and practical, touch.

The Ministry has decided to hear men's perspective of it hence organising various conferences and discussions to incorporate men's view that are at the receiving end due to the legal barriers.

DVA laws assumed that it is women who are abused and thus absolve them from all the crime, but there are reports of husband being harassed by women under this law who takes undue advantage under it.

Gender conflicts seem to be on rise with this law coming into existence, but it is also true that crimes against women are always higher than crimes against men. For the first time men seems to be tied and tried but facing the same story of abuse and assault against themselves, sorry to sound as a sadist but it is a nice way to poke their conscience to feel the amount of atrocities inflicted on women.

But with this step it is for sure that they remain the luckier as in a very short span of time they have got to get heard from the lawmakers, though before DVA many husbands association and their parents have complaint against the misuse of Dowry Prohibition Act by the wives.

But with all these complaints and adulations a big question remain to be answered that what percentage of women comes to lodge the complaint, a great chunk of such people remain outside the ambit of such laws because of lack of awareness and education and values which has taught them to internalise that a woman is bound to be thrashed and abused by their husbands.

Where is the solution?

A concerted effort by academicians, social scientist and policy makers to look and identify the major problem associated with domestic violence.

Programme to create awareness so that the law reaches out to masses and make sense of its existence.

More important is to pursue the law than mere having it; hence implementation becomes a prime issue.

Need of self-introspection by the society that teaches a woman to internalize violence against her, to build strong social fabric.

Last but not the least, if a woman is victim and victimizer, ‘same' holds true for a man.