Representative image of 'Domestic Violence'
Credit: iStock photo
Bengaluru: According to the last data available on domestic violence in Karnataka, 17,813 cases were reported in 2024. This data was during a research and policy forum on "Addressing Domestic Violence: Phase 2", hosted by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru and Deakin University, Australia.
The experts opined that the after COVID effects, parenting and the absence of strong law enforcement has resulted in continuing domestic violence.
This forum is to initiate evidence-based discussions and collaborations between researchers, policy makers, NGOs, government departments and the broader community to examine and develop strategies to prevent and address domestic violence in India.
The United Nations Women 2025 data shows that 60% of the female homicides are committed by intimate partners or other family members and 11% of male homicides are perpetrated within the family presented by Dr Lata Satyen, Deakin University.
Speaking about the reality of domestic violence, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Whitefield Division, Reena Suvarna said, “Among the cases we receive, the situation of women does not matter, women might be educated or financially independent but still the abuse would have taken place.” “During counselling, we understand that 90% of them are from broken families,” she said, stressing the importance of good parenting.
Dr VS Elizabeth, Professor of History at National Law School of India University, said, “Boys also need to be parented in a way that they do not think women can be abused. Why do they think it is okay to be drunk and abuse their wife and children? The children grow up and become abusers instead of breaking the cycle.”
Focusing on the justice aspect of the violence, Dr VS Elizabeth said the provisions in the law are aplenty, but the problem lies in the enforcement. The criminals use the loopholes in the system to get away.
Dr Ashok Dalwai, Chairman of ISEC, said, “The gender stereotypical roles need to be broken as they are being leveraged by the patriarchal system. The change agents should be women, they should stop taking nonsense from male family members, including fathers, brothers and husbands.”
Dr Channamma Kambhar, Assistant Professor, ISEC, suggested the usage of AI in helping the victims of domestic violence. “Help can be awaited using just one click these days and still most of the cases are not reported. With the growing technology AI should be adapted in solving domestic violence cases.”