Domestic Violence on men in India

Introduction:

The term “domestic violence” is used loosely in society. The term is mentioned in society in the context of male-to-female abuse. Billboards, radio, and television advertisements across the country proclaim that “every fifteen seconds a woman is beaten by a man. “Violence against women is clearly a national problem, but has anyone ever wondered how often women beat up men? No, because of the male-dominated or patriarchal society in India and the preconceived notion that men should be strong and powerful and should never express their feelings. Moreover, it must be understood that domestic violence is not gender-specific.

Domestic violence against men generally goes unreported because of the patriarchal thinking of Indian society that men can be abused as they should be dominating, and it will be shameful for them and for their families to even talk about the abuse, and these can be considered main reasons of the above problem. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), intimate partner violence is a major risk/issue for men who can also be a victim of domestic violence, like female victims. Every 9 out of 1 man faces physical violence from their intimate partner in their everyday life. The pain and humiliation of being abused by a woman, and not being able to talk about it in public, causes them to continue to be a victim and hide their situation, eventually which ends up being in depression, suicidal thoughts, lack of trust, problems in relationships, HIV/AIDS, etc. According to the 2002 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), women think of committing suicide more often than men, while men die more frequently.

Laws relating to violence against men:

Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 where only a man can be held responsible for cruelty against his wife. There is not any subsection or provision given in the statute that will make a woman liable for domestic violence. Because of these biased laws in the Indian Constitution which favor only women, there are false cases reported by women against men allegedly accusing them of domestic violence, rape, etc. and for this reason, society can never accept that men can also be victims of domestic violence.

In addition, criminality against men is also increasing day by day and the necessary changes and laws to protect the male section of society are necessary as human rights and gender equality belong to both men and women. In recent times, modernization and Westernization have brought about major changes in social values, culture, and norms. Men used to be considered the protectors of their families, but today both men and women work, raise, and run their households with equal contributions to their income. Men now have opened up about the domestic violence they are subjected to and have now begun to openly share their pain, anguish, and struggles. Men's are no longer stronger than women.

It's high time that government should recognize the problem of domestic violence against men as a social problem. There must be effective changes in the laws of the Indian Constitution by creating awareness and by breaking preconceived notions. 

You can refer to our other articles also for more and other information.