Smriti Irani debunks claims that coronavirus lockdown leading to increase in domestic violence

Union Minister Smriti Irani has debunked claims that the coronavirus-induced lockdown led to an increase in cases of domestic violence against women.

Replying to a question that the lockdown has increased domestic violence and women are not being able to even lodge complaints, Irani retorted: "It is false. Every state has a police line functioning. We have one stop crisis centres across every district of every state".

"I without revealing the faces and names of women that we have rescued, have state by state, district by district rescue rehabilitation details of every individual victim," she said on Sunday.

Read | Implement steps to curb domestic violence during coronavirus lockdown: HC to Centre, Delhi govt

The minister for Women and Child Development and Textiles said there was some "scaremongering done especially with some development partners who are in the NGO sector that 80 per cent of women who are now at homes in India or across the world will be getting beaten up".

She said every man is not beating up the woman in his house in India.

Also Read | Domestic violence on rise in lockdown period: NCW

"Our police lines have been functional throughout the lockdown. Our crisis centres have been functional throughout the lockdown," said the minister.

Irani said rescue and rehabilitation facilities have been provided not only for women but also children.

"In fact, so far as the numbers go, I have 35 helpline numbers across all states apart from a central number that has been functioning fully throughout the lockdown period," said the minister.

She was addressing a TiE talk event hosted through a virtual platform on Sunday night.