Module on ‘Violence at the Public places and Work place (Rape, Sexual Harassment, Street Sexual Abuse’, Subject: Sociology, P 10 Sociology of Gender, M 08. @ e-PG Pathshala (original) (raw)
Related papers
Violence Against Women in India: A Case for Research in Tackling the Menace
Social Science Research Network, 2013
Violence against women has long been a problem, in times of peace and war. This violence ranges from very mild teasing to rape and murder, and takes place at home, in the streets, at work places, jails, in short everywhere. Few crimes against women are reported, fewer still prosecuted, and a negligent number of accused are actually punished. In the absence of detailed studies on incidence, it is difficult to come up with suggestions to reduce if not abolish such violence. There is an urgent need for more studies on this violence so that the psychology of the violators is better understood. Instances of violence need to be thoroughly investigated, and ways and means devised to reduce their incidence. There is need for quick and severe punishment for the accused, which would act as a deterrent too. Any society, in which half the population is not assured of safety, needs to reconsider its claim to being civilised.
Violence against women in India: A literature review
2000
Nations declaration, 1993, defined violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to a woman, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life". (Cited by Gomez, 1996) Radhika Coomaraswamy identifies different kinds of violence against women, in the United Nation's special report, 1995, on Violence Against Women; a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non spousal violence and violence related to exploitation. b) Physical sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution. c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, wherever it occurs. This definition added 'violence perpetrated or condoned by the State', to the definition by United Nations in 1993. Coomaraswamy (1992) points out that women are vulnerable to various forms of violent treatment for several reasons, all based on gender.
Outline of Violence against Women in 21st Century India
Violence against women (VAW) is the key topic of this paper. The questions are here two: what the basic reasons are there behind violence against women and how to check this tendency. We can try to analyze this whole issue from a different perspective and that is sexuality. We will also bring in points like mode of production, young generation, institution of education, present day politics and role of religion behind such type of psychic problem and criminal offence.
A Critical Evaluation of Violence against Women in India
International journal of criminology and sociological theory, 2014
The increasing intolerance towards women is supported by the latest annual data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) New Delhi. Analyzing the major crime trend over the years, the NCRB comes up with an alarming feature, which is that crime against women has seen 873 per cent rise since the last 40 years. The Bureau arrived at this statistic after comparing the data on number of cases registered in 1971 (2,487) with those in 2011 (24,206). This is more than three times of the total crimes that were taken cognizance of by the authorities. The present paper tries to critically evaluate the seriousness of shameful crime against women in India in the present Law and Order scenario of the country with suggestions.
" Women's Rights and Gender Based Violence in India ---Issues and Challenges "
Denial of women's rights means denial of human rights of half of humanity. Gender based violence is one of the worst forms of violation of woman's basic human rights. Gender Violence is highly pervasive and the increasing number of cases reported confirms this point. The growing concern of the women's movement has placed violence against women (VAW) on the global agenda. At the same time efforts are being made by various groups to eliminate VAW by not only reaching out to the victims but also addressing violence prevention. The present paper discusses women's rights and the nature of gender based violence in India and shares a model of preventing violence by generating community participation. Women's Rights 1974 is a landmark year in the history of women's movement in India. " Towards Equality —Report on the Committee for Status of Women in India (CSWI) " was released in this year which gave a comprehensive view of the status of women in independent India. The report revealed startling facts which showed that even after 25 years of the country's Independence, women continued to be without any rights despite the many legislative enactments in their favour—they suffered in terms of education, health, political decision making, and careers. Six decades later we in India still are engaged in improving the status of women in the aforesaid areas—education etc…It is not that the Indian government is not gender sensitive, in fact we have one of the most gender sensitive Constitutions framed way back in 1949. We have gender sensitive laws, ratified CEDAW (1993), schemes, programmes and a National policy on women's empowerment. Despite all this the national sex ratio continues to be adversely biased against women who are excluded from benefits of basic human rights and development. International Scenario: Violation of women's rights is not one country specific but is found prevalent world over with variations in nature of violation. Though it is unfortunate that even in the 21 st century we have to propagate women's rights but the fact is that women all over the world have fought for and continue to fight for equality, dignity and freedom. The UN Document Women (Women 1991) lists at least six areas of common concern to women all over the world. These include legal literacy, health, education, work, politics and violence. The only difference is that while in the developed world gender discrimination takes the form of inequality in employment opportunities and in wages, in the developing countries the discrimination is more broad based ranging from not only in employment
Violence against Women in India an Issue of Gender Inequality
Violence against women one of the growing crime in India and a pervasive issue, constitutes one of the most serious forms of human rights violation. The violations force women to keep out of the social and economical life. Violence against women is not only a crime; it is also violates women's human rights. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women provided a consensus definition of violence against women as "Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life" (Fried, S. T, 2003). There are many types of violence against women exist in our society, the most common among them is by intimate partners. Article 2 of the UN declaration states some forms of violence as "Violence against women should encompass, but not be limit to acts of physical, sexual, and physiological violence in the family and the community. This acts include spousal battering, sexual abuse of female children, dowry related violence, rape, including marital rape, and traditional practices harmful to women; such as female genital mutilation, non-spousal violence, sexual harassment and intimidation at work and educational institutions, trafficking of women, forced prostitution, and violence perpetrated and condoned by the state such as rape in war" (UNFPA, 2004). Initiatives have taken to stop violence against women across the countries in all ways irrespective of status, class, and region. Despite great deal of progress and policies to end violence against women obstacles remain strong and gaps in legislation process and implementation of policies.. In order to identify the causes that lead to gender inequality we need to identify the structure of the system that creates or help to sustain gender inequality strong ever. The latest U.N. Gender Equality Index, indicates India has one of the worst gender differentials ranking 132 out of 148 nations, It's important to state this ranking because India one of the developing countries have a written constitution that assures equality for all citizens irrespective of caste, color and sex. After independence, India has taken many steps to empower women and provisions to develop the condition of women in society. Despite all this laws and developmental programs situation of women in India continues to be worse. Society has created different gender roles and behaviors for males and females and this reinforced within the society through customs. This gendered behavior for men and women making one section inferior for others and it creates inequalities and forming condition for gender based violence. The roots of gender inequality and it's sustain factors in India can be identify in the social institutions that promotes gender roles and identification. Religion has provided the platform for the male supremacy and marginalization of women in the society. The traditional patterns of male preference, gender roles in family, inheritance, marriage systems, everything has contributed to the development of social perception of women as inferior and submissive. Social and culture boundaries plays an important role in developing masculine and feminine roles, what is to be done by whom and which role is suitable to whom. Despite several policies and programs to eradicate gender inequality gender gap remains the same. Domestic violence in Indian family is one of the pervasive problem facing women in our society, most of the cases gone unreported. Beating wife is justified in Indian family system, as it is a custom to being subjugated to husband. It says if husband hit wife it should be the responsibility of wife to accept that for the happiness of family. In IPC S. 498A states that "Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty-Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine" (Law Commission of India Report, 2012). However, the law has made to end up domestic violence. Many women prefer to stay with husband even after subject to violence is mainly because of the stigma of divorced women are not welcomed in Indian society. It is difficult for divorced women to live in society, as going back to her family treated as giving burden for family and living alone difficult due to societal rules. Psychological effect is the most danger consequence of domestic violence among victims who forced to living with the assailant with fear and stress. Domestic violence makes negative impact on children, it cause increase aggressiveness in children (Sharon, 2014). Women are being treated as inferior to men. Concept of "good women" who fulfill her "first duty" as a mother to take care of children, as a wife to be obedient and loyal to husband has been treated as the good qualities, and duty of a women. Being beaten by husband is not treated as a crime in our society instead of that it considered as symbol of love and duty of women to obey the husband despite of violence; this situation often
Gender Based Violence and Interventions by Law in India: A Critical Appraisal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2021
Violence based on gender identity has been prevalent in the world since time times immemorial. Gender based violence are the result of existing asymmetrical relationship exists between men and women in the society from ancient times onwards. Depending upon the relationship and the situations, the gender based violence's takes many forms including domestic violence, sexual harassment at workplace, sexual and other violence's against women, etc. Every form of these violence's would amount to violation of fundamental human rights of women and is an obstacle which limits women's participation in various spheres in the society. Thus it can be seen that gender based violence is an impediment to achieve the solemn gaol of empowerment of woman. Considering the need to prevent gender based violence several human rights instruments guarantees different types of protection to women at international level.
2008
Domestic violence and violence against women have been issues of the women's liberation movement in India since their rise during 1974-75. This essay focused on the writings of Sharad Patil, Sharad Joshi, and Vandana Shiva, activists who incorporate women's issues into India's anti-caste, farmers', and ecology movements, respectively. The Patna Conference in February 1988 identified social forms of violence against women and economic exploitation. Violence may take different forms among castes, such as the practice of "purdah," the cultural seclusion of women in the home; sati, the ancient practice of coercing widows into Amar Jesani: WHD/WHO, Section on Violence 14 sharing their husbands' funeral pyres; dowry deaths, the burning to death of wives over dowry disputes; female infanticide or selective abortions; and external violence in the threat of rape. Several cultural traditions may provide resources for women's struggle: the tradition of "v...
2019
Gender based violence is a human rights violation, both the causes and impacts of which crosses personal, societal and cultural boundaries. Various initiatives to address the problem of genderbased violence have resulted in many countries attempting to quantify the extent of such crimes. The purpose of this present study is to examine nature and extent of GBV in India for prevention policy actions. The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) of India publishes a consolidated list of reported crime happenings in the country every year. Recognizing gendered aspect of certain crimes, the NCRB maintains a separate chapter on incidences of crimes against women reported to the police in India since 1992. Using case study design, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the NCRB data understanding – the various categories of crimes against women in India over the past 25 years. The findings are highly relevant in thinking about the appropriate social and situational prevention measures ...