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Bengaluru: Karnataka recorded 17,813 domestic violence cases in 2024, revealed data presented at a research and policy forum titled "Addressing Domestic Violence: Phase 2", hosted by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, and Deakin University, Australia.
Experts said lingering effects of Covid, poor parenting, and weak law enforcement have contributed to persistent domestic violence.
The forum aimed to encourage evidence-based discussions and collaborations among researchers, policymakers, NGOs, government departments, and the wider community to develop strategies to prevent and address domestic violence in India.
Dr Lata Satyen of Deakin University presented United Nations Women 2025 data, which showed that 60% of female homicides are committed by intimate partners or family members, and 11% of male homicides occur within the family.
Reena Suvarna, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Whitefield Division, said, “Among the cases we receive, the woman’s situation does not matter. Women may be educated or financially independent, but abuse would still occur.”
“During counselling, we find that 90% of cases are from broken families,” she added, highlighting the role of parenting.
Dr VS Elizabeth, Professor of History at National Law School of India University, said, “Boys need to be raised (in such a way that) they do not think women can be abused. Why do they think it is acceptable to drink and abuse their wife or children? Children often grow up to become abusers rather than breaking the cycle.”
Dr Elizabeth noted that while the law contains many provisions, enforcement is lacking, and offenders exploit loopholes to escape punishment.
Dr Ashok Dalwai, Chairman of ISEC, said, "Gender stereotypes must be broken as they are used by the patriarchal system. Women should be change agents and stop tolerating abuse from male relatives, including fathers, brothers, and husbands.”
Dr Channamma Kambhar, Assistant Professor at ISEC, suggested the use of AI to help victims of domestic violence. “Help is just a click away, yet most cases go unreported. With advancing technology, AI should be adopted to address domestic violence cases.”