Bihar: ‘759 domestic violence cases registered in 3 months’

PATNA: Nearly 759 domestic violence cases were registered in the state from April to June, stated a report released by the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) in Patna on Friday.
According to experts, domestic abuse is often witnessed in low-income rural households, but women living in urban areas are no exception. The Bihar State Women Commission (BSWC) has registered more than 1,000 such complaints since May.
“With the closure of offices and schools amid the lockdown, many couples are going through difficulties in their relationships, which escalate to verbal abuse and physical violence. We have, therefore, reopened our office and are in the process of disposing of the registered cases,” BSWC chairman Dilmani Mishra told this newspaper on Saturday.
23-year-old Phulwarisharif resident, Sunita (name changed), who is a housemaid, got married to an auto driver in September last year, but moved back to her parents’ house in June. She rued, “Due to financial crunch during the lockdown, my husband was so frustrated that he began hurling abuses and assaulting me physically.”
A victim of verbal abuse, Bhavna Singh (name changed), claimed that she was subjected to mistreatment by her husband and in-laws on several occasions.
“The lockdown took a toll on my health because my family expected me to cook, clean and look after them in every possible way. When I did not fulfil their demands, they passed nasty comments,” said Bhavna, who wants to move to her brother’s place for a while.
Sandeep Ojha, state head of an NGO based in Patliputra Colony, pointed out that women suffered the most — emotionally and physically — amid any crisis.
“The Covid crisis has led to a lot of tension in many households due to job losses, bankruptcy and family disputes. As a result, many men are venting out their frustration on the women in the family,” he said and added that the pandemic had highlighted the importance of uplifting women at the grass-roots level.
Sandeep’s NGO is working with nearly 4,500 elected panchayat-level women representatives of 14 districts in Bihar. They conduct cluster meetings at the block level and spread awareness about the menace of domestic violence.
Besides, the Women Development Corporation runs 38 helplines in different districts in close coordination with the district magistrates.