Study Report - Women Victims of Crimes in Kerala - Kerala Police

Women Victims of Crimes in Kerala
2012-13
Report of the study conducted by
Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
for
The State Police Chief
Police Headquarters, Government of Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram
Report prepared by
Dr. L. Thara Bhai
Research Coordinator
Institute of Social Sciences
8 Nelson Mandela Road, New Delhi
Tel: 91-11-43158800, 43158801 Fax: 91-11-43158850, 43158823
e-mail: issnd@issin.org Website: www.issin.org
July, 2013

C O N T E N T S
Foreword
Preface
List of Tables
Executive Summary
i
iii
iv
vi
Chapter I
Crime against women in Kerala: 1
An evaluative study
Chapter II
Literature review on crime against women and methodology 19
Chapter III
Socio-economic background of victims 56
Chapter IV
Nature and causes of crimes 66
Chapter V
Victims and their legal rights 80
Chapter VI
Women after the crime: social isolation, loss of 96
independence and curtailment of freedom
Chapter VII
Summary and Conclusions 116

C
FOREWORD
rimes against women are increasing alarmingly at local, regional, national and
global levels. Despite modern crime surveillance technologies and access to
information and networking, guaranteeing the safety and security of women has
become a serious challenge for all. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women (1993) states that "violence against women is a
manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which
have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the
prevention of the full advancement of women.” It goes on to state that “violence
against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced
into a subordinate position compared with men.” On the one hand, India is trying to
bring all women into the mainstream of social and political life but on the other, its
women are subjected to inhuman treatment and the threat of violence thus marring the
progress of both women and the country. It is a well known fact that the incidence of
crimes against women is a negative indicator of development and India now faces a
serious problem on this front. It is therefore necessary to analyse the nature, causes
and types of crime against women and find solutions to the problem. The present
study tries to do this in a scientific manner.
Kerala, one of the most developed states of the country in terms of human
development indices, is unfortunately no exception in the matter of crimes against
women. It was therefore most timely that the office of the State Police Chief, Kerala,
took the initiative to conduct a study on women victims of crimes in the State during
the period 2012-2013. Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, acknowledges with
gratitude the confidence of the Police Department of Government of Kerala in
entrusting the study to it. The findings show that crimes against women in Kerala are
found in all the regions, among all religions and among women of all age groups in
proportion. All the crimes which were reported in earlier times still occur, while new
ones are coming to light due to the technological advances. This holistic study points
out that many crimes are committed against women by men known to them, mainly
under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Other causes, which are commonly seen in
cases of domestic violence, eve teasing, cyber crimes, etc. are also noted
Kerala is taking measures to stop the crimes against women and one of the
important breakthroughs is the changing attitude of the police department towards the
victims and the complainants. The study shows that there is a tremendous attitudinal
change on the part of the public as the fear complex of ordinary citizens towards the
police has considerably come down in the last 10 years. One unique feature of this
study is that it gathered information regarding the victims’ status after the crime was
committed on them and the long process of coming back to normalcy.

It was specially gratifying and encouraging to work with Mr. Manoj Abraham,
IPS, Inspector General of Police, Kerala and Dr. Srinivas A, IPS, Superintendent of
Police (HQ), Thiruvananthapuram.
The valuable suggestions and guidance we received in the beginning of the
research project from Prof. M A Oommen, Mr. Jacob Punnoose and Dr. P. M. Nair
also need special mention here.
Dr. L. Thara Bhai, Sr. Professor and Head (Retd.), Department of Sociology,
Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, coordinated the study with the assistance of a
research investigation team. The Institute is grateful to Dr. Thara Bhai for successfully
completing this study on time.
The research findings of the study assume special significance as they are being
conducted at a time when the nation is facing the burning issue of crime against
women. This multi-dimensional study suggests solutions for crimes against women
from the point of view of victims, police officers, social workers and the general
public before giving the recommendations from the investigators’ point of view with
respect to those findings of the study that will help concerned agencies and the public
to reduce crimes against women. After all, as Gandhiji once said, if a woman could
walk in the street at midnight, wearing her jewels, without the fear of being
intimidated, that is “Ram Rajya”.
I am confident that the report will help in framing new guidelines to arrest the
accelerating rate of crimes against women in Kerala and for the women victims of
crime committed in the State.
George Mathew
Chairman
Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
ii

T
Preface
he position of women in India has historically been inferior to that of men, which
is the main cause of her sufferings throughout history. These sufferings of women
are seen in different ways according to the cultural, social, economic and political
scenario of the society.
It is unfortunate that crimes against women have become part of the culture of
our society. Written and unwritten rules and regulations are there to prevent crimes
against women but such crimes are increasing and are operational on their own ways.
The best symptom of this is seen in the increasing number of crimes and emergence of
new forms and patterns of crimes. It is our duty to see that the crimes against women
are totally wiped out so that they may lead a peaceful life. In order to do this, we
should know the quantity and type of crimes being perpetrated and find solutions to
reduce and even arrest the crime rates. It is with this aim that the police department of
Government of Kerala initiated this study.
I take this opportunity to thank Dr. George Mathew in giving me the
opportunity to understand the various types of crimes against women in Kerala.
Mr. Manoj Abraham IPS, IG of Trivandrum and Dr Srinivas A, IPS, SP (PHQ)
of Trivandrum, who were responsible for this study, provided all manner of support
throughout the study period. Many staff of the Police Head Quarters helped at various
stages of the study enabling me to complete the study on time.
Police officers of the selected police stations gave their full cooperation in
conducting the field work and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) which delivered
fruitful results. Our team – Ms. Regitha, Dr. Mirium Joseph, Mr. George Daniel, Mr.
Joseph Varheese, Mr. Joseph Kottooran and Dr. Rakhi, worked hard to complete the
data collection in time and I express many thanks to them. Dr. Saju Nair and Ms.
Lekshmi V. Nair, together, processed the data in record time. Ms. S.N. Sandhya
prepared the review of literature on the subject presented in chapter II. I also take this
opportunity to thank all the respondents who spared their valuable time with our
investigators. Local people, social workers and police officials all helped us to
conduct successful FGDs for this study.
Let me also thank my family members without whose support I would not have
completed this work.
L. Thara Bhai*
Research Coordinator
Thiruvananthapuram Women Victims of Crimes in Kerala 2012-13
July, 2013
Institute of Social Sciences
*Dr. L. Thara Bhai, former Sr. Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology, Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu.

List of Tables
Table. No Title P. No
1. Growth rate of crime – general 56
2. Growth rate of crime - responses from general public,
police officials & social workers 57
3. Age distribution of the victims 58
4. Age distribution among the older victims according to police officials,
social workers and public. 59
5. Religious background of the victims 60
6. Caste background of the victims 61
7. Educational background of the victims 61
8. Economic background of the victims 62
9. Marital Status of the victims 63
10. Occupational background of victims 65
11. Common crimes committed against women 67
12. Age of the women vulnerable to crime against them, according to
police officials, social workers and general public 68
13. Age group vulnerable to old age crimes 68
14. General public, police officials & social workers’ views on
age of victims who face domestic violence 69
15. General public, police officials & social workers’ views on victims’
age and sexual assaults 70
16. Types of crimes in the station areas 70
17. Crimes registered in the police stations 71
18. Registering cases in the police stations 72
19. The way the police officers reach the victims 72
20. Relationship between crimes against women and income 75
21. Relationship with crimes against women and family background 75
22. Relationship between crimes against women and alcohol 76
23. Relationship between crimes against women and drugs 76
24. Relationship between crimes against women and education 77
25 Relationship between crimes against women and region 78
26. Respondents views on finding the background of the victims. 81
27 Registration of cases in the police station 81
28. General public’s, police officials’ & social workers’ views on
registration of cases 82
29. Whether the general public, police officials & social workers tell the
Victim/complainant about the laws available to protect them 83
30 Successful completion of registered cases 84
31. Financial support to the victims 85
32. Victims’ awareness about intimating the authorities 86
33. Victims’ awareness about intimating the authorities 87
34. Problems for victims in informing the police 88
35 Problems for victims in informing the police 88
36 The person who informed the police (Age as the variable) 89
37 The person who informed the police (Education as the variable) 89
38 Victims’ awareness about the right to be protected 90
39 Sources of physical protection for the victims 91
40 Threat to victims 91
41 Sources of threat 92
42 Victims awareness about state’s role in giving legal assistance 92
43 Victims awareness about the existence of laws to protect women 93

44 Victims awareness about the existence of KELSA 93
45 Victims awareness about the existence of KELSA 94
46 Counselling for the victims 97
47 Coming back to normalcy 98
48 Immediate reaction of the victims to the incident 99
49 Real situation after the incident 100
50 Person responsible for social isolation 101
51 The ways through which victims came out of isolation 102
52 Denial of freedom for the victim 103
53 Denial of freedom-Forced to Leave Home 104
54 Denial of freedom-not permitted to come in front of others 105
55 Denial of freedom-food 105
56 Denial of freedom-education 106
57 Denial of freedom-basic freedom to move around 106
58 Denial of freedom-not permitted to attend auspicious occasions 107
59 Denial of freedom:-not given due share of parental property 107
60 Denial of freedom-right to employment 108
61 Employment at the time of crime 109
62 Difficulties at the work place 109
63 Denial of freedom-marriage 110
64 Denial of freedom-forceful marriage 110
65 Feeling of victims in continuing the life 111
66 Members of the victims’ family faced any difficulty because of the crime 111
67 Changing status of the victim after the crime 112
68 Changing status of the victim’ family after the crime 113
69 The direction of change of the victims family 113
70 Victims’ response on the feeling of guilt that they have a case
registered in their name 114
71 Victims response on powerlessness of women in society 114
v

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
K
erala, one of the highly developed states in terms of literacy, and low infant and
maternal mortality rate has been witnessing an increase in the rate of crime
against women over a period of time. Government and voluntary agencies are doing
their level best to protect women and wipe out this negative indicator of development
yet it continues to increase day by day. Newspapers daily report at least two to three
rape cases and child abuse cases apart from other milder crimes against women.
Attempting to stop the crimes against women and to establish a peaceful life for
women folk, the Police Department of Government of Kerala has initiated this study
with the following objectives.
To study
1. Socio-economic background of the women who faced crime on them
2. Typography of crimes against women in Kerala
3. The extent of victims’ legal awareness on crime against women
4. The social isolation victims face or the freedom they enjoy in society
5. Life after the incident – economic, social and emotional
6. The main factors responsible for committing the crime against women
7. To examine possible solutions to reduce crimes against women
A cross section of the population of Kerala is included in the sample who
comprised mainly of the victims and police officials, apart from a a small sample size
of social workers and general public, in order to form a holistic picture of the issue of
crime against women. Data were collected from 181 victims, 197 police officers, 40
social workers and 44 general public amounting to a total sample size of 462. Data
were collected from ten police station areas across Kerala to get a representative
sample of the people associated with the crimes.
The results of the study show that the crime against women is universal,
irrespective of the socio economic background of the victims. However, among the
victims of the registered cases, majority of the respondents of this study are from the

lower socioeconomic background, as the middle and upper classes do not come
forward to register cases. Violence or crime is seen in all age categories but the
maximum violence is found in the age group of 18-40 years, as per this study. A
considerable incidence of crimes is seen among girls who are below 18 years, which is
to be taken seriously as most of these girls are innocent regarding crimes and its
consequences. The study showed that there is no impact of religion on the crime
against women, as it is found in all religions in equal proportions. There is a
correlation between crime and education as crime is seen more among the less
educated women. Occupational background shows that majority of the victims are
daily wage labourers followed by housewives. 47.27% of the victims have a monthly
earning of 1000-5000 rupees and 16.36% of the victims belong to the income group of
above 10000 rupees category. 73.9% of the victims are married and 15.9% of the
victims are single. There are a few widows and separated women.
Domestic violence dominate among the crimes against women and this study
shows that 51.4% of the crimes are related to domestic crimes which are more
common among the women who are between 26 to 40 years (44.9%). One can see
both direct and indirect domestic violence in Kerala. Various types of sexual assaults,
ranging from eve teasing to rape, come under the category of crime against women.
Modernisation has added many new crimes to the old ones. Poverty coupled with
alcoholism is the root cause for crime against women. But there are other causes
among which the most vulnerable ones are social media and modern ICT tools.
Strong legal system to protect women, creation of KELSA, the friendly and
helpful nature of the police towards women, and presence of Janamaithry police
stations have neither brought the crime rate down nor increased the registration of
actual cases in the police stations. This phenomenon can be attributed to the extant
value system in the society. As per the police department statistics, not even 40% of
the cases are registered while according to the social workers, only 30% are
registered. Political parties’ interference in the cases is a big issue for the victim,
accused and the police, and is undesirable for the smooth proceeding of the case. The
victims as well as the police say in one voice that one will not be able to predict the
vii

direction of the case due to unnecessary involvement of ‘some’ people. Many women
withdraw their cases due to interference of the politicians.
After facing the crime, women may pass through several stages before
returning to normalcy, like immediate stage of fear towards herself and society,
transitional stage where support system plays an important role and the final stage of
returning to normalcy. Interestingly, most of the crimes are committed by known
people and among them the most dangerous are neighbours and relatives. The other
category of the population who the girls and women fear most are private bus
conductors, bus cleaners, auto drivers, tutorial college staff, shop owners etc. Apart
from the victims’ houses, and the places mentioned above, other places of crimes are
bus stations, moving trains, schools, college campuses and the premises of educational
institutions and beverage outlets.
We need a holistic approach in order to find solutions for the issue of crimes
against women, for which the state, civil society and the people have to work together.
This joint effort have to be taken in the backdrop of existing institutions, while
heeding to suggestions and recommendations of experts and the public, so that
protection of women is ensured, women feel safe, secure and empowered and live life
to its fullest.
viii

CHAPTER I
CRIME AGAINST WOMEN IN KERALA
AN EVALUATIVE STUDY
Introduction
Male violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon and can be understood as
the consequence of characteristics of societal structures like class, gender, etc. Gender
is not a natural fact (sex is) but a complex social, historical and cultural product. It is
related to, but not simply derived from, biological sex difference and reproductive
capacities. Crime against women is the by-product of gender imbalance which has
been a part of the culture of society for centuries.
Women are more likely to be victimized than men as they have a secondary
position in society. Though there were several attempts to upgrade the status of
women, the condition of women remains the same but for a few changes among some
sections of women. Women suffer from various forms of discrimination, oppression,
exploitation, degradation, aggression, humiliation etc. Exploitation of women is near
universal. Women of all ages irrespective of their socioeconomic background become
victims, though the nature of crimes committed against them vary according to age
and background. There are many cases of victimisation which are invisible and
unnoticed due to several reasons.
Today there are mechanisms in the form of laws to protect women but women
are often reluctant to use them especially when they do not want to see themselves
labelled as culprits. In addition, social conditioning of women and men is so
entrenched that desirable changes in the society, with respect to status of women, that
are sought to be brought about through laws and other measures, do not reflect easily
in behavioural or mental attitude of men and women.
Representation of women in the Indian society, if at all a monolithic idea of an
Indian society can be conceptualised, is ambiguous and on several occasions,
confusing. . She is represented in several ways; at times she is glorified and given a
status above Gods but at the same time, she is uprooted and thrown to the deepest pit
1

of neglect and powerlessness imaginable, for no fault of hers. It is in this backdrop,
that one has to analyse the status of women. Nor should one forget that Indian women
have generally been subjected to patriarchal rule in a patriarchal society except for a
few instances at sometimes of history, which are practically and academically
insignificant. It is this trend which continues today irrespective of the introduction of
legislations and other attempts, arising from various sectors, to change the position of
women in the society.
History shows that women have never had an opportunity to express their
individuality, since their freedom has always been suppressed by their immediate
society. Indian women remained subjugated and oppressed because society believed
in clinging on to orthodox beliefs, consequently subjecting them to the brunt of
violence—domestic, physical, emotional and mental. However, socialisation and
internalisation of patriarchal values made it such that women, in general, failed to
achieve the necessary consciousness that they were being oppressed and harassed in a
male dominated society.. Till the time of independence, women were confined to the
four walls of society and were made to strictly follow the code of conduct of the
varnashrama system. Women were not seen as individuals but as objects to serve men
in various capacities. During this period, violence against women reached near
universal levels prevalence. As the society progressed the nature of violence against
women also changed in its form and content.
Crime and Women
Historians believe that the history of violence against women is tied to the history of
women being viewed as property and women being assigned a gender role subservient
to men. 1 The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993)
states that "violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power
relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and
discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement
of women, and that violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms
by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men.” 2
2

Crimes against women vary in nature and type. Crimes are committed irrespective
of the age of the victim; two years olds and 85 year olds are all equally vulnerable to
the attrocities that can be committed against them.. Newspaper reports carry news of
atleast one crime against women, on a daily basis. Inspite of the ostensible acceptance
of the idea of women being equal to men, and the prevalence of a plethora of laws and
human rights guarantees, violence against women (VAW), which is also referred to as
gender-based violence (GBV), is a reality that has assumed huge proportions. Not
only does violence against women exist, but has taken on insidious forms that are
often justified in the name of faith, community and, some times, even development. 3
A cursory examination of daily newspapers will give us an idea of the epic
proportions the phenomenon has adopted in recent times.
• According to a study based on 50 surveys from around the world At least one
out of three women has been beaten, forced into sex, or abused during her
lifetime. On most occasions, the abuser was a member of the woman’s family
or someone known to her.
• One woman in four has been abused during pregnancy.
• “According to an estimate, more than 60 million women worldwide are
considered ‘missing’ as a result of sex-selective abortions and female
infanticide”, says Amartya Sen.
• The World Health Organisation has reported that up to 70% of female murder
victims are killed by their male partners.
• Interpersonal violence was the 10th leading cause of death among women
between the ages of 15 and 44, in 1998.
• Population-based studies report that between 12 and 25% of women have
experienced attempted or completed forced sex by an intimate partner or expartner
at some point in their lives. 4
When we are talking about crime, we are concerned here only about the crimes
against women. Studies show that no country is an exception for crimes against
women. Crimes committed by women are also increasing these days but are much less
in number when compared to the crimes committed by men. Before going into the
details of the crimes against women, let us understand the concept of crime. In simple
3

terms, we can say that ‘crime against women’ refers to direct or indirect physical or
mental cruelty committed against women or an action or omission on women that
constitutes an offence that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law.
There are many types of violence against women but the most common ones are eveteasing,
molestation, bigamy, fraudulent marriage, adultery and enticement of married
women, abduction and kidnapping, rape, harassment of women at work place, wife
beating, dowry death, female child abuse, abuse of elderly female etc. Cheating is
another crime which is widespread among crimes against women. But cheating is not
mentioned as a crime in legal documents and therefore goes unnoticed many times..
Women are cheated much more easily than men. Crimes against women are not
visible always. In many cases, crimes are not reported for various reasons like status
of the families, fear of registering the case, fear of going to the police stations and fear
of losing the ‘honour’ of women victims.
When we analyse crime against women, we can see that most of the crimes
committed against women are committed by people known to the victims. World
Health Organisation, in 2007, reports that women are more likely to be victimized by
someone who they are intimate with, commonly called "Intimate Partner
Violence"(IPV). Studies have shown that violence is not always perpetrated as
physical violence but can also be psychological and verbal. 5 News paper reports
supports this argument as well by reporting studies that state that 80% of the crime on
women are committed by known people. Domestic violence comes under this
category. It is understood that even sexual assaults are largely committed by known
people.
Global statistics on crime against women give an alarming picture. According
to UN reports, in a scaled down world of 1000 people, only 500 are women, whereas
it would have been 510 had 10 been born and not subjected to gender-selective
abortion or faced death in infancy due to neglect. Among them 300 are Asian women.
Statistics show that 167 of the women would be beaten up or in some other way
exposed to violence during their lifetime and at least 100 women would be victims of
rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.
4

60 million girls who are otherwise expected to be alive are "missing" from
various populations as a result of sex-selective abortions or inadequate care as they are
seen less important than boys (E, Joni Seager, 2003) 6 . As mentioned earlier, violence
in the family is universal and takes different forms - from physical aggression, such
as slapping, hitting, kicking and beating to psychological abuse, such as intimidation,
constant belittling and humiliation, including various controlling behaviours, such as
isolating a person from their family and friends, monitoring and restricting their
movements, and restricting access to information or assistance. At least one in every
three women, or up to one billion women, have been beaten up, coerced into sex, or
otherwise abused in their lifetimes. Usually, the abuser is a member of her own family
or someone known to her (L Heise, M Ellsberg, M Gottemoeller, 1999) 7 . Rape is the
most violent form of sexual violence. Rape is also associated with unwanted
pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. However, rape is
greatly under reported because of the stigma attached to it, and even more rarely is it
punished and there is evidence that one in five women will be a victim of rape or
attempted rape in her lifetime (WHO 1997). Women are suffer during periods of
conflict since rape is seen as a wide spread phenomenon during this time. Violence
against women during conflict has reached epidemic proportions. Mass rape is
frequently used systematically, as a weapon of war. On top of this, during conflict
women are physically and economically forced to do sex work, sometimes in order to
secure the basic necessities for their families. Women and children are also the
majority of refugees and internally displaced persons. 80% of the refugees are women
and children (UNHCR, 2001). Many of the cultural practices around the world make
women vulnerable and among them, female genital mutilation (FGM) continues to be
one of the widely prevalent act of violence. More than 135 million girls and women
have undergone female genital mutilation and an additional two million girls and
women are at risk each year (6,000 every day) (UN, 2002). FGM is practised in more
than 28 countries in Africa (Amnesty International, 1997). In Niger, 76% of the
poorest young women marry before the age of 18 (UNFPA 2003). 97% of married
women in Egypt, aged 15 to 49, have undergone female genital mutilation (WHO
survey, 1996). In Iran, 45 women under the age of 20 have been murdered in so-called
5

"honour" killings by close relatives in Iran's majority ethnic Arab province of
Khuzestan, during a two-month period in 2003 (Middle East Times, 31 October
2003). Female genital mutilation has been reported in Asian countries such as India,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, as well as among immigrant communities in
Australia (UN 2002). In India, it is estimated that there are close to 15,000 dowry
deaths per year. It is reported that in most cases, kitchen fires are designed to look like
accidents (Injustices Studies. Vol. 1, November 1997). FGM is performed amongst
immigrant communities in Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UN 2002). UN reports that violence against
women goes widely unreported for various reasons like fear of retribution, lack of
economic means, emotional dependence, concern for children and lack of access to
redressal. Around 20-70% of abused women did not tell another person about the
abuse until they were interviewed for the study by WHO (WHO, Geneva, 2002). In
South Africa, the conviction rate for rape remains low at an average of 7%. A third of
the estimated number of rapes were reported in 2003 (Police Annual Report for the
year ending March, 2003). In Egypt, 47% of the physically abused women did not tell
anyone (WHO2002). In Chile, only 3% of all raped women reported the incident to
the police (WHO 2002). In the USA, 16% of women reported rapes to the police; out
of those who did not, nearly 50 per cent said that they would report if they were
assured that their names and private details would not be released publicly (National
Victim Centre/Crime Victims Research and Treatment Centre, USA 1992). In
Australia, 18% of women who were physically assaulted during a period of 12 months
did not report to any one (Population-based study, 1999). In Bangladesh, 68% of
women did not tell anyone about being beaten up (WHO 2002). In Austria, 20% of
reported rape cases ended in convictions in the 1990s. In Ireland, 20% of physically
abused women contacted the police (WHO 2002). In the Russian Federation, 40% of
women victims of violence within the family did not seek help from law enforcement
officials (International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Women 2000: Russia).
In the United Kingdom, 13% of all raped women reported the assault to the police. 8
6

Violence can affect woman's reproductive health as well as other aspects of her
physical and mental well being. Sexual violence against women has led to a higher
rate of HIV/AIDS infection among women than among men of the same age group.
Almost all the countries have laws to protect women but there are also
countries/states that do not have such laws at all, and some have only flawed laws
which may punish some forms of violence but exempt others. Even with the
appropriate legislation in place, many states fail to implement the law fully. In 2003,
at least 54 countries had discriminatory laws against women (based on a report by the
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women). In 1994-2003 review, the UN
Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women highlighted problems of law
enforcement in almost all of the reviewed states. 79 countries have no (or unknown)
legislation against domestic violence 9 (UNIFEM, 2003). Marital rape is recognized,
specifically, as a crime in only 51 countries (UNIFEM, 2003). Only 16 nations have
legislation specifically referring to sexual assault, while as few as three - Bangladesh,
Sweden and USA - have legislation that specifically addresses violence against
women as a category of criminal activity in itself (UNIFEM 2003). So called "honour"
defences (partial or complete) are found in the penal codes of Peru, Bangladesh,
Argentina, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey,
the West Bank and Venezuela (UN 2002).
Crime against Women in India
Although Women may be victims of any of the general crimes including murder,
robbery and cheating, only the crimes which are directed specifically against women
are categorised under ‘Crimes Against Women’. The National Crime Records Bureau
reported that by 2020, growth in the rate of crimes against women would exceed the
population growth rate. Earlier, many crimes against women were not reported to
police due to the social stigma attached, especially rape and molestation. Official
statistics show a dramatic increase in the number of reported crimes against women. 10
Women belonging to any class, caste, creed or religion can be victims of violence. It is
seen from the reported cases that the most vulnerable section among the women are
dalits, especially those who do not have strong support from the community and
7

society where they live in. Domestic violence is very common in India. Suppression
of women by all castes and religions is ‘approved’ by Indian culture, and is treated as
normal. Unwritten rules of the Hindu social system gives men an upper hand from
birth to death and women are only given the role to serve men without questioning.
Accordingly, women are 'used’ as per the whims of men.
Indian women, through out the history, remained subjugated and oppressed
because society believed in clinging on to orthodox beliefs. In a society like India
where women are always perceived in relation to man, her position is always
subordinate. Moreover, this perception has given birth to various customs and
practices in which women are given subordinate status with respect to men and the
arrangement is legitimised by religion.. Thus violence as a feature of man-woman
relationship is embedded in the culture itself. Violence against women, both inside
and outside their home, has been a crucial issue in contemporary Indian society.
Before going into the types of crimes in India we will see the two main categories of
crimes against women. Legislations handling crimes against women can be grouped
into two categories; laws related to crimes under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and laws
related to crimes under the Special and local Laws (SLL)- gender specific laws.
The Crime under Indian Penal Code (IPC)
i. Rape (Section 376 IPC)
ii. Kidnapping and abduction for specified purpose (Section 363-373 IPC)
iii. Homicide for dowry, Dowry death or their attempts. (Sec. 302/304-B IPC)
iv. Torture, both mental and physical (Sec.498-A –IPC)
v. Sexual Harassment (Sec. 509 IPC)
vi. Importation of girls (Up to 21 years of age) (Sec. 366-B IPC)
The Crimes under the Special and local Laws (SLL) - Gender specific laws
i. Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
ii. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
iii. Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
iv. Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987.
8

Police records in India show a high incidence of crimes against women. As per
the National Crime Record Bureau (2011) crime rate trend analysis of crimes against
women in India shows sharp increase in crime rate from (8.2%) in 2006 to (9.6 %) in
2010.
The most common crimes against women in India are sexual harassment, rape,
dowry, child marriage, female infanticide and sex-selective abortion, domestic
violence and trafficking. These crimes take diversified forms as they are very
contextual in nature. Sexual harassment is bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or
the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favours. 11
Sexual offence refers to a statutory offense that provides that it is a crime to
knowingly cause another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or
threat. Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual
behaviour by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short
duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a
sexual abuser or, often pejoratively, molester. 12 The term also covers any behaviour
by any adult towards a child to stimulate either the adult or child sexually. When the
victim is younger than the age of consent, it is referred to as child sexual abuse. 13
The most heinous form of sexual assault is rape. Rape can be defined as
the unlawful compelling of a person through physical force to have sexual intercours.
More than 20000 rapes are reported from several parts of the country during 2010
though there are stringent laws available to curtail it. Small girls and foreigners are
victims of rape in India. Apart from the rapes of unusual nature including ones that
involve con-sanguineous relatives like father- daughter, brother-sister etc, children as
small as 2 or 3 year olds and foreigners are subjected to heinous incidents of rape.
Among reported rapes Maharashtra stands first followed by Delhi. Increased violence
against women is seen during war.. War rapes are common throughout history. Even
in contemporary society, it is understood that girls and women are not spared during
periods of conflict.
9

CRIME RATE (RAPE) IN INDIA
CRIME
HEAD
Rape
(Section 376
IPC)
2001 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
16075 19348 20737 21467 21397 22172
(1.6%) (1.7%) (1.8%) (1.9%) (1.8%) (1.9%)
Source: Crimes in India, National Crime record Bureau, GOI, 2011, 2
“In 2010, there were 22,193 victims of rape out of 22,172 reported cases in the
country. 8.9% (1,975) of the total victims of rape were girls under 14 years of age,
while 16.1% (3,570) were teenage girls (14-18 years). 57.4% (12,749) were women in
the age-group 18-30 years and 17.0% ( 3,763)(were in the age-group of 30-50 years
while 0.6% (136) were over 50 years of age”. 14 An increasing trend in cases of rape
has been observed during 2006 - 2008. A mixed trend in the incidence of rape has
been observed during 2008 - 2010. Reports reveal an increase of 7.2% in 2007 over
2006, an increase of 3.5% in 2008 over 2007, a decline of 0.3% in 2009 over 2008 and
an increase of 3.6% in 2010 over 2009.Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest
number of rape cases (3,135) accounting for 14.1% of total such cases reported in the
country.
Eve teasing, another form of sexual harassment is a euphemism used in India
for sexual harassment or molestation of women by men. This is a common
phenomenon in work places and education institutions and and goes mostly unnoticed
and unreported. Despite existing provisions for legal protection for girls and women
fight against eve teasing, it is still widely prevalent.
HEAD-WISE INCIDENTS OF CRIME AGAINST WOMEN DURING 2006 - 2010
S. No Crime Head 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
1 Rape 19,348 20,737 21,467 21,397 22,172
2 Kidnapping and Abduction 17,414 20,416 22,939 25,741 29,795
3 Dowry Death 7,618 8,093 8,172 8,383 8,391
4 Torture 63,128 75,930 81,344 89,546 94,041
5 Molestation 36,617 38,734 40,413 38,711 40,613
6 Sexual Harassment 9,9666 10,950 12,214 11,009 9,961
7 Importation of Girls 67 61 67 48 36
8 Sati 0 0 1 0 0
9 Immoral Traffic (Prevention) 4,541 3,568 2,659 2,474 2,499
10 Indecent Representation of Women 1,562 1,200 1,025 845 895
11 Dowry 4504 5623 5555 5,650 5182
Total 1,64,765 1,85,312 1,95,856 2,03,804 2,13,585
10

Molestation is a sexual crime committed against children up to the age of 18.
Media reports say that at least 25 girls are abused in India everyday. Even 3 year old
children are sexually abused. Other forms of sexual harassments are committed
verbally or by using sign language etc, which are sometimes neglected and sometimes
ignored by the victims. Only on rare occasions are these reported.
Dowry is another menace. In the name of dowry, women are so harassed that
many times either the victim herself commits suicide or those who are around her kill
her. Dowry refers to material assets such as money or property that is provided by a
bride to her husband at the time of her marriage. Dowry becomes a problem when the
bride is forced to give it. Although it is one of the most hated systems, surprisingly, it
is growing day by day. Dowry is so vicious that it leads to many other crimes against
women including female infanticide, late marriage or no marriage, forced marriages,
unsuitable matches, unhappy married life, breakdown of marriage and dowry deaths.
According to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of
2,276 female suicides due to dowry disputes were reported in 2006 that is six a day on
an average. The figure was 2,305 in 2005. In 2004, at least 2,585 such cases were
registered across the country. Statistics suggest that Madhya Pradesh topped the list
for the fourth time with 585 cases, accounting for one-fourth of the total number of
such suicides in the country. West Bengal was second with 445 cases and Uttar
Pradesh, third, with 314 cases. The national capital was seventh with 69 cases. In
2010, 8391 dowry death cases were reported across India, implying that a bride was
burned every 90 minutes, by statistics recently released by the National Crime
Records Bureau. Prevalence of dowry deaths in Kerala is lower than the national
average. In 1985, the Dowry Prohibition (maintenance of lists of presents to the bride
and bridegroom) Rules were framed. According to the rules, a signed list should be
maintained, of presents given at the time of marriage to the bride and the bridegroom.
The list should contain a brief description of each present, its approximate value, the
name of the presenter, and his/her relationship with the recipient. However, these rules
are rarely enforced. 15
11

Child marriage is another crime committed against women in India. Though the
law says that a girl’s marriageable age is 18, many girls are ‘given in’ marriage before
this age. According to UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children-2009” report, 47%
of India's women aged 20–24 were married before the legal age of 18, rising to 56% in
rural areas. The report also showed that 40% of the world's child marriages occur in
India.
Female infanticide (killing of girl infants) is still prevalent in India both in
urban as well as in some parts of rural areas. Sometimes this is infanticide by neglect,
for example families may not spend money on critical medicines or withhold care for
a sick girl. Mostly girls are killed immediately after birth because of fear for the
difficulties a girl child has to undergo during her life time. In some communities
dowry is given from ‘birth to death’ and this is the main cause of female infanticide.
In cities, female infanticide takes place in the form of female foeticide. Research and
reports indicate the increasing use of prenatal sex selection in some regions. In India,
preference for sons appears to be undiminished despite socio-economic development,
exposing cultural sources of male bias.
“During 2001- 2011, the share of children to total population declined and the
decline was sharper for female children than male children, in the age group 0—6
years,” said the study “Children in India 2012- A Statistical Appraisal”, conducted by
the Central Statistical Organisation. “Though the overall sex ratio of the country is
showing improvement, the child sex ratio is declining, which is a matter of concern,”
the study said. According to the report, female child population in the age group of 0-
6 years was 78.83 million in 2001 which declined to 75.84 million in 2011. The
population of girl child was 15.88 per cent of the total female population of 496.5
million in 2001, which declined to 12.9 per cent of total number of 586.47 million
women in 2011. Similarly the population of male children has also declined from
85.01 million in 2001 to 82.95 per cent in 2011. During 1991-2011, the child sex ratio
declined from 945 to 914, whereas the overall sex ratio showed an improvement from
927 to 940. “Though the child sex ratio in rural India is 919 which is 17 points higher
than that of urban India, the decline in child sex ratio during 2001—2011, in rural
12

areas, is more than three times as compared to the drop in urban India, which is a
matter of grave concern”. 16
Domestic abuse, also known as spousal abuse, can happen to anyone, yet the
problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied. This is especially true when the
nature of abuse is psychological rather than physical. Even physical assaults are often
hid by families. Only in extreme cases like wife beating do victims seek help.
Domestic Violence can be described as the misuse of power by an adult in a
relationship to control his partner. It is the establishment of control and fear in a
relationship by means of violence and other forms of abuse. Violence may involve
physical abuse, sexual assault and threats. Sometimes it’s more subtle by making
someone feel worthless or not letting the other person have any money, or not
allowing the individual to leave home. Social isolation and emotional abuse can have
long-lasting effects, as much as physical violence can. Children are particularly
vulnerable by being victims themselves or as witnesses to domestic violence. Children
exposed to violence are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs, or run away from
home. Men exposed to domestic violence during their childhood, are twice as likely to
abuse their own partners and children. 17 According to a study by the International
Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) in 2000, as many as four out of 10 women in
India experienced violence at home. 44% of women interviewed reported at least one
incident of physical or psychological violence in their lifetimes.
Till 2005, there was no single comprehensive law on domestic violence in
India. Till then, a Section inserted in the IPC in 1983, 498-A, dealt with protection
from domestic violence. This Section dealt with acts of cruelty by a husband or his
family to a married woman. Four types of cruelty are dealt with by this law.
UN defines trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring,
or receipt of persons, by means of threat, force or other forms of coercion, abduction,
fraud, deception, the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability or giving or
receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control
over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include forced
prostitution, different forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery
or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. India is a source,
13

destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
purpose of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation. India is also a
destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked for the purpose
of commercial sexual exploitation. The United Nations says that an estimated 50
million women and girls are missing in India because of illegal yet widespread
practice of female foeticide and infanticide.
Crimes against Women in Kerala
Kerala is the most crime-prone state, ahead of Uttar Pradesh and even Delhi. The
latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures comparing incidents of crime
across states, note that Kerala is the most crime affected state and Kochi the most
dangerous city. Figures compiled on a yearly basis till 2010 show that Kerala has a
crime rate of 424.1, more than double the national average of 187.6. Of the 2,41,986
incidents of violent crime in the country, Kerala accounted for 11,756, more than
much larger states like Rajasthan (10,577) and comparable to its bigger neighbours
such as Tamil Nadu (12,333) and Andhra Pradesh (12,491).
However NCRB's "Crime in India 2011" report has ranked Kerala next to
Assam with 33.8 per cent rate of crimes committed against woman. Andhra Pradesh
and West Bengal were placed at fourth and fifth positions respectively. Andhra
Pradesh has registered 33.4 per cent of crimes against women last year while West
Bengal stood at 31.9 per cent. The NCRB report further stated: "There were 2, 28, 650
incidents of crimes against women in the country out of which Assam registered 11,
503 incidents. Nagaland has the lowest rate of crimes against women among the north
eastern states with only 1.9 percent.” NCRB registered only 38 cases of crime against
women in 2011.
14

Sl.
No
Districts
CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN-2012
Reported cases on Crimes against Women for the year 2012 up to September
Rap
e
Molestation
Kidnapping
Eve-
Teasing
Dowry
Death
Cruelty
by
Husband/
Relatives
Other
Offences
Total
1 Trivandrum City 25 169 12 14 1 125 36 382
2 Trivandrum 66 415 7 26 6 308 30 858
Rural
3 Pathanamthitta 26 111 11 7 1 125 21 302
4 Kollam City 34 121 14 23 3 250 31 476
5 Kollam Rural 35 206 6 16 0 256 10 529
6 Alappuzha 27 183 8 8 1 222 14 463
7 Idukki 42 138 9 6 1 182 14 392
8 Kottayam 38 204 15 37 0 214 65 573
9 Ernakulam City 17 77 4 14 0 91 75 278
10 Ernakulam Rural 41 115 6 18 0 175 98 453
11 Thrissur City 24 85 5 16 0 118 175 423
12 Thrissur Rural 37 177 8 24 2 289 128 665
13 Palakkad 50 101 6 7 2 315 19 500
14 Malappuram 70 170 2 18 2 508 192 962
15 Kozhikode City 12 73 2 61 0 114 130 392
16 Kozhikode Rural 29 107 10 11 0 236 59 452
17 Wyanad 24 54 3 12 1 78 152 324
18 Kannur 50 136 7 9 0 292 248 742
19 Kasaragod 66 121 6 9 3 152 172 529
20 Railways 0 35 0 7 0 0 19 61
21 CBCID 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
TOTAL 715 2798 141 343 23 4050 1688 9758
State Crime Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
15

According to the Home Minister, a large number of IPC cases registered in the
state are for petty crimes like negligent and rash driving and unlawful assembly and
obstruction of public roads which are highly incident in the state of Kerala, known for
its political vibrancy. The Kochi Police has issued a table which shows that out of
25,715 IPC cases registered in Kochi, 24,227 were for rash driving, traffic obstruction,
traffic accidents etc. Compared to this, Delhi has registered only 7093 cases under
these heads. Kochi Police has also issued a table which shows cities like Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru reporting much higher numbers compared
to Kochi when it came to violent crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping, theft etc. 18
There are many reasons for the high rate of crime in the state; the first and the
foremost being literacy level. High degree of awareness among citizens, about their
rights and privileges make them fight for the cases in court or at least register the
cases in police stations. Kerala is a popular tourist destination and many tourists come
to Kerala through out the year. The annual count of foreign tourists to Kerala during
the year 2011 is 7,32,985. It shows an increase of 11.18 % over the previous year’s
figure of 6,59,265. Domestic tourist arrival to Kerala during the year 2011 is
93,81,455. It shows an increase of 9.15 % over the previous year’s figure of
85,95,075. 19
Incidence of crimes committed against tourist women is very high in
Trivandrum compared to many cities in other states. State Crime Record Bureau
statistics show high rate of incidence of crimes against women in Malappuram,
followed by rural Trivandrum. Ernakulam city registered lowest crime rate in Kerala,
followed by Pathanamthitta. As far as rape cases are concerned, Malappuram topped
with 70 cases, followed by rural Trivandrum with 66 cases. The Hindu reports:
“Crime statistics with the Kozhikode police show that instances of offences
committed against women are reported more from the rural areas than from the city.
Senior police officials say that while this trend shows a rise in rural Kozhikode, it also
reflects that citizens are approaching the police to officially lodge complaints when it
comes to crime in which women are the victims. A total of 452 cases of crime against
women were reported with the Kozhikode rural police while only 392 cases were filed
with the city police as on September 2012. The highest number of cases is under the
16

head ‘cruelty by husbands and relatives.’ A total of 236 cases of cruelty were lodged
by women with the rural police against their own husbands and family, while 114
were filed with the city police. These statistics correspond with those released by the
Kerala State Women’s Commission, which shows that in cases of crime against
women, the aggressor is often a relative, and crime is usually committed at home. Of
the 309 cases received from Kozhikode by the commission in 2011, 152 deal with
domestic violence and harassment at home. Again in 2012, of the 253 cases received
till November 30, 94 relate to violence at home. Incidentally, the police statistics clock
zero cases of dowry deaths in rural and city police stations. Again, while 107 instances
of molestation were reported with the rural police stations in the district, 73 were
reported with the Kozhikode city police. While 29 cases of rape were reported from
the rural side, only 12 complaints found its way into the case diaries of the city police.
Here again, the police statistics are similar to the Women Commission’s. While 50
cases of heinous offences committed against women were filed in 2011, 37 were filed
in 2012. These offences include rape, attempt to rape, threat to life, cases of suspicious
deaths of women and battery.” 20
Kerala is a rapidly changing society and with the present consumerist culture,
the value system is being eroded, which has resulted in a cancerous growth in Kerala’s
once golden culture. In nearly every home, there is purposeful, ostentatious display of
consumerism, paving the way for an unhappy, highly criminalized society with
increasing levels of sexual harassment and violence against women. Domestic
violence is a menace in Kerala. Assertion of one's individuality and rising awareness
among women is the main reason for this. Domestic violence is rarely reported. One
way to measure domestic violence is by looking at the divorce rate in Kerala. The 18
family courts of the State had a total of 38,231 cases filed last year.
Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts account for nearly one-third of the total
cases. A total of 10,243 cases have been filed in the four family courts in the two
districts. Violence against women can be reduced by the collective effort of law
enforcing agents, the public and women themselves. The present study is to search for
answers and to find solutions. The main question which comes to the mind is as to
why the incidence of crime against women is very high in Kerala inspite of being a
17

highly literate society. The second question for which we have to find an answer is as
to why the crime rate is high in the state despite relatively high levels of
empowerment and status of women in Kerala, in comparison with the other states of
India. While answering these questions we attempt at finding solutions to reduce the
crime rate in the state.
Notes:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Penelope Harvey & Peter Gow. Sex and violence : issues in representation and experience (1994)
pg36 Routledge
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. United Nations.
Oishik Sircar and Nalini Bhanot
Ibid
"Intimate Partner Violence". World Health Organization. 2002
Joni Seager. (2003) The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. Penguin Books
L Heise, M Ellsberg, M Gottemoeller, (1999) Violence against women. International Center for
Research on Women (ICRW) USA.
(Joni Seager, 2003) The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. Penguin Books USA
UNIFEM, Not a Minute More : Violence against women, 2003
National Records Bureau N Delhi 1998
Paludi, Michele Antoinette; Barickman, (1991). Academic and Workplace Sexual Harassment. SUNY
Press. pp. 2–5.
United Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993)
Ibid
Crimes In India , National Crime record Bureau, GOI, 2011, 2
State Crime Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram,
The Hindu. October 9 2012
Strauss et al (1990) Who owns domestic Abuse The Local politics of a social problem. University of
Toronto Press
India Today, March 29 2013
Report on Tourism Statistics 2011
The Hindu Feb 11 2013
18

Part A
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW ON CRIME AGAINST
WOMEN AND METHODOLOGY
Literature Review
Violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic and widespread human
rights violations. It is rooted in gendered social structures rather than individual and
random acts; it cuts across age, socio-economic, educational and geographic boundaries;
affects all societies; and is a major obstacle to ending gender inequality and
discrimination globally.(UN General Assembly, 2006)
Definitions
The Declaration on Elimination of Violence Against Women adopted by the UN General
Assembly in 1993, defines Violence Against Women as “any act of gender based violence
against women that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological
harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private spaces”
Beijing Platform for Action (1995) states the term "violence against women"
means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical,
sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts,
coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
In 1979, the UN General Assembly adopted the CEDAW. Since it entered into
force in September 1981, the CEDAW has served as an international Bill of Rights for
women. The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...any distinction,
exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of
impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of
their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."
(CEDAW, 1981).
19

The Convention guarantees women equal rights with men in all spheres of life,
including education, employment, healthcare, enfranchisement, nationality, and marriage.
In 1992, the Expert Committee monitoring its implementation recognized that violence
against a woman because she is a woman is a form of discrimination against women.
(Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979)
Nature and types of gender-based violence against women
Violence against women reaches beyond the immediate threat of bruises and broken
bones. The violence women in many parts of the world routinely endure is linked to
severe health problems—chronic pain, disability, disease, and mental problems—that
affect not only the health of individuals, but the social health of communities and the
economic health of nations.
Beijing Platform for Action states violence against women encompasses but is not
limited to the following:
‣ Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including
battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related
violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices
harmful to women, non- spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;
‣ Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general
community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at
work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced
prostitution;
‣ Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State,
wherever it occurs.
Economic violence is another category of violence identified by the UN Special
Rapporteur on Violence against Women. This is perpetrated usually by an intimate
partner or family member and includes economic blackmail, control over money a
woman earns, denial of access to education, health assistance or remunerated
employment and denial of property rights. (Coomaraswamy 1996).
20

The Centre for Diseases Control in the US defined four different types of violence ;
i) Physical violence ii) Sexual violence iii) Threat of physical or sexual violence, and iv)
Psychological or emotional abuse.
i) Physical violence: This includes the intentional use of physical force with the
potential for causing death, disability, injury or harm. Physical violence includes, but is
not limited to scratching, pushing, shoving, throwing, grabbing, biting, choking, shaking,
poking, hair pulling, slapping, punching, hitting, burning, use of a weapon (a gun, knife,
or any other object), and the use of restraints or one’s body, size or strength against
another person. Coercing or forcing other people to perform any of the above actions has
also been classified as physical violence.
ii)Sexual violence: can be divided into three categories i) Use of physical force to
compel a person to engage in a sexual act against his or her will, whether or not the act is
completed. ii) An attempted or completed sex act involving a person who is unable to
understand the nature or condition of the act, to decline participation, or to communicate
unwillingness to engage in the sexual act (for example, because of illness, disability or
the influence of alcohol or other drugs or due to intimidation or pressure). The sex act or
the sexual act has been defined as contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis
and the anus involving penetration, however slight; contact between the mouth and the
penis, vulva or the anus. iii) Abusive sexual contact that includes intentional touching
directly, or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or
buttocks of any person against his or her will, or of any person who is unable to
understand the nature or the condition of the act, to decline participation, or to
communicate unwillingness to be touched (e.g. because of illness, disability, or the
influence of alcohol or other drugs, or due to intimidation or pressure).
Threat of physical or sexual violence: The use of words, gestures or weapons to
communicate the intent to cause death, disability, injury or physical harm. This also
includes the use of words, gestures or weapons to communicate the intent to compel a
person to engage a person in sex acts or abusive sexual contact when the person is either
unwilling or unable to consent. For example, statements such as “ I’ll kill you”, “I’ll beat
21

you up if you don’t have sex with me”; brandishing a weapon; firing a gun into the air;
making hand gestures; reaching towards a person’s breasts or genitalia.
Psychological or emotional abuse: This includes trauma to the victim caused by
acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics, such as those given in the list below: Humiliating
the victim; controlling what the victim can and cannot do; withholding information from
the victim; getting annoyed if the victim disagrees; deliberately doing something to make
the victim feel diminished (e.g., less smart, less attractive); deliberately doing something
that makes the victim feel embarrassed; using the victim’s money; taking advantage of
the victim; disregarding what the victim wants; isolating the victim from friends and
family; prohibiting access to transportation or telephone; Getting the victim to engage in
illegal sexual activity. However, it has been felt that this list is not exhaustive and can be
extended to include many other types of behaviour that could be considered as
emotionally abusive by the victim. (CDC, 2003)
Heise and Germain quote the forms of violence experienced by women throughout
their life span. i) Pre birth: Sex- selective abortions, battering during pregnancy, coerced
pregnancy. ii) Infancy: Female Infanticide, emotional and physical abuse, differential
access to food and medical care. iii) Girlhood: child marriage, genital mutilation, sexual
abuse by strangers and family members, differential access to food and medical care and
education. iv) Adolescence: Violence during courtship, economically coerced sex (eg. for
school fees.), sexual harassment, trafficking, sexual abuse in the workplace, rape. v)
Reproductive Age: Physical, psychological and sexual abuse by intimate male partners
and relatives, forced pregnancies, sexual abuse in the workplace, sexual harassment, rape.
vi) Elderly: abuse of widows including property grabbing, accusation of witchcraft,
physical and psychological violence by younger family members, differential access to
food and medical care. (Heise Pitanguy and Germain, 1994)
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence includes harassment, maltreatment, brutality or cruelty and even the
threat of assault - intimidation. It includes physical injury, as well as “wilfully or
22

knowingly placing or attempting to place a spouse in fear of injury and compelling the
spouse by force or threat to engage in any conduct or act, sexual or otherwise, from
which the spouse has a right to abstain”. Confining or detaining the spouse against one’s
will or damaging property are also considered as acts of violence. (Sheela Saravanan,
2000)
Karlekar says Domestic violence includes not only inter-spousal violence, but also
violence perpetrated by other family members. Generally, an important part of the power
relationship between spouses and their families relates to dowry and its ramifications.
(Karlekar, 1998)
According to Heise’s research the following factors are responsible for increasing
the domestic violence in present society.
Cultural: i) Gender-specific socialization, ii) Cultural definitions of appropriate
sex roles, iii) Expectations of roles within relationships, iv) Belief in the inherent
superiority of males, v) Values that give men proprietary rights over women and girls, vi)
Notion of the family as private sphere and under male control, vii) Customs of marriage
(bride price/dowry), viii) Acceptability of violence as a means to resolve conflict
Economic: i) Women’s economic dependence on men, ii) Limited access to cash
and credit, iii) Discriminatory laws regarding inheritance, property rights, use of, iv)
Communal lands, and maintenance after divorce or widowhood, v) Limited access to
employment in formal and informal sectors, vi) Limited access to education and training
for women
Legal: i) Lesser legal status of women either by written law and/or by practice, ii)
Laws regarding divorce, child custody, maintenance and inheritance, iii) Legal definitions
of rape and domestic abuse, iv) Low levels of legal literacy among women, v) Insensitive
treatment of women and girls by police and judiciary
Political: i) Under-representation of women in power, politics, the media and in
the legal and medical professions, ii) Domestic violence not taken seriously, iii) Notions
of family being private and beyond control of the state, iv) Risk of challenge to status
quo/religious laws, v) Limited organization of women as a political force, vi) Limited
23

participation of women in organized political system. (Heise, Pitanguy and Germain,
1994).
Partner violence is the most common form of violence. At the population level, it
greatly exceeds the prevalence of all other forms of physical and sexual abuse in
women’s lives (Heise, 2011).
Child Abuse
Child sexual abuse is a problem occurring at alarming rates in our society. Although the
number of substantiated cases of child sexual abuse is startling, these astronomical
statistics do not represent the total number of child sexual victimizations. Most children
do not disclose their abuse, with reasons varying from embarrassment, a sense of
normalization surrounding the abuse, and fear of consequences if they disclose the abuse
(Palmer, Brown, Rae-Grant, & Laughlin, 1999)
Richter and Higson Smith allude to several kinds of sexual abuse against children
in the pre-pubertal age group. Children may be abused out of an adult’s relationship
needs, they may be repeatedly sexually abused by their caregivers, fatally raped by
anonymous individuals, enticed by gifts and threatened by their perpetrators, sexually
exploited for financial gains, abused by other children, or be involved in non-contact
sexual abuse. According to these authors, CSA varies in terms of its duration, the age of
the child, the way the child experiences the abuse, the conditions under which the abuse
occurs, the characteristics of the abuse, and the effects of the abuse on both the child and
the family (Richter & Higson-Smith, 2004).
Child sexual abuse in India, though widespread, is difficult to document because it
is shrouded in secrecy. Fear of social stigma, an unwillingness to implicate family
members, and other factors discourage families from exposing abuse. Police
misbehaviour and a long judicial process are deterrents to seeking redress. (Breaking the
Silence - Child Sexual Abuse in India, 2013)
The government estimates that 40 percent of India's children are vulnerable to
threats such as trafficking, homelessness, forced labor, drug abuse, and crime, and are in
24

need of protection. (Planning Commission Report of the Working Group on Child Rights
for the 12th Five Year Plan)
In 2005, the international organization Save the Children and an Indian NGO,
Tulir - Centre for Healing and Prevention of Child Sex Abuse, surveyed 2,211 school
going children, from different backgrounds, in Chennai.17 At least 48 percent of the boys
and 39 percent of the girls interviewed said they had faced sexual abuse of one form or
another, mainly from people they knew, while 15 percent of the children complained of
severe forms of abuse, defined in this study as “oral sex, sexual intercourse, making the
child touch the offender's private parts, or making the children take off their clothes and
looking at them or taking their pictures.”
Study on Child Abuse in India (2007) reveals two out of every three children were
physically abused and 53.22% children reported having faced one or more forms of
sexual abuse out of which 50% abuses are persons known to the child or in a position of
trust and responsibility. Also most children did not report the matter to anyone. Equal
percentage of both girls and boys reported facing emotional abuse.
Victims of child sexual abuse are likely to experience physical, emotional, and
social problems. The severity of the effects of CSA varies from individual to individual.
A child’s personality, social support, the severity of the abuse, and the victim’s
relationship to the perpetrator play a role in the symptoms he or she experiences
(Webster, 2001)
“The short-term impact of sexual abuse in childhood has led to depression,
anxiety, anger, and fear” (Murray, 2000). In addition, children might display hyperactive
behavior, have sleeping difficulties, complain of physical aliments, and experience
problems with relationships Some long-term effects include post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, alcohol or drug abuse,
sexuality issues, and eating disorders (Whealin, J. 2003).
25

Trafficking & Prostitution
Trading in human beings and their exploitation in varied forms by traffickers is one of the
most despicable forms of violation of human rights. Trafficking in its widest sense
includes not just exploitation of prostitution of others or forms of sexual exploitation, it
also includes forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery or trade in
human beings for removal of organs. Trafficking clearly violates the fundamental right to
a life with dignity. It also violates right to health and health care, right to liberty and
security of person, right to freedom from torture, violence, cruelty or degrading
treatment. (P.M Nair & Sankar Sen., 2003)
Trafficking in human beings, more so in women and children is one of the fastest
growing forms of trans-national organized crime. Newer and more sophisticated methods
of force and violence are being used to facilitate brokering, liasing and market linkages
for the sexual exploitation and enslavement of women and children. There exist a huge
gap in the law enforcement, vicious exploitation of women and children, lack of validated
data, inadequacy of rehabilitative measures, malfunctioning of the criminal justice
administration, virtual immunity of the traffickers and brothel keepers, societal apathy
and lack of political will. ‘Kerala has become hot spots for sex tourism as in Goa and Puri
in Orissa. Kerala Women’s Commission received numerous complaints from women
tourist about sex tourism in Kovalam’. Study emphasized the need for an extra territorial
legislation to be passed by the Central Government to try any citizen of Indian who
travels within or outside the country with an intension to have sex with children. (Sankar
Sen & Jayashree Ahuja, 2009)
'Regulation' of prostitution involves a mix of approaches including responding to
the 'nuisance' aspect of prostitution and/or adopting an unofficial position of tolerance.
The goal is 'management' by maintaining public order, rather than 'prevention'.
Implementation of a regulatory approach in Ireland since 1993 has not resulted in any
discernable weakening of the links between prostitution and organised crime. It has,
however, had a negative impact on women, as the powers given to the police to deal with
26

public soliciting have primarily been used against women, rather than customers and
pimps (Bindel and Kelly, 2004).
Dowry Deaths
Dowry has often been referred to either in a narrative or tale, but in the past, it might
not have the prevailing negative connotations as a social evil. The purpose of this
practice was meant to help new couples start their life in comfort. The dowry system,
giving cash and kind from the bride’s family to the groom or groom’s family at
the time of marriage, has a long history in India and other Asian societies.
(Babu G. R & Babu B.V., 2011).
While dowry is illegal in India, it continues to grow, as do the deaths associated
with it. And they continue to increase among those that are poorest by among those with
middle incomes. Women are being especially pressured to maintain or increase their
economically dependent status. It becomes a status symbol for men that their wives do
not work outside the home. This kind of status emphasis effectively blocks women form
competing with men for jobs and allows men to more efficiently monopolise economic
resources. Women, in these circumstances, are harassed for more dowry and those who
are not supported by their own families usually see no option other than stay on with their
husbands or die. (Catherine Hodge, 1989)
In order to curb this evil practice, The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 was enacted,
and amended in 1984 and 1986. The Act has been already questioned in terms of its
existing ambiguity by experts. Most marriage negotiations are done as a confidential
matter. Apart from this, both givers and takers of dowry are subject to criminal liability
and so even if the bride is harassed by her in laws this will rarely be reported. Even after
the legal recognition of crime, sometimes the concerned legal authorities consider
violence against women in the home a private family matter. Apart from the attitude of
these authorities, the transformative law, which is supposed to make social
transformation, has not considered the social customs, beliefs and values that
would resist enforcement of these laws. Since transformative law like The Dowry
27

Prohibition Act has its own social, cultural and legislative limitations, there should be
action oriented initiatives and a comprehensive approach from all concerned individuals
and institutions against dowry. Moreover, the mindset of people is important and there
should be strategies addressing discrimination against girls and women and the social
norms that make dowry and dowry-related domestic violence acceptable within society.
(Babu G. R & Babu B.V., 2011).
Harassment at work place and public place
Micaela di Leonardo, author of “Political Economy of Street Harassment” (1981) says,
“Street harassment occurs when one or more strange men accost one or more women, in a
public place which is not the women’s worksite. Through looks, words, or gestures, the
man asserts his right to intrude on the women’s attention, defining her as a sexual object,
and forcing her to interact with him.” (http://www.stopstreetharassment.org)
According to Cynthia Grant Bowman, author of “Street Harassment and the
Informal Ghettoization of Women” (1993), “Street harassment occurs when one or more
unfamiliar men accost one or more women in a public place, on one or more occasion,
and intrude or attempt to intrude upon the woman’s attention in a manner that is
unwelcome to the woman, with language or action that is explicitly or implicitly sexual.
Such language includes, but is not limited to, references to male or female genitalia or to
female body parts or to sexual activities, solicitation for sex, or reference by word or
action to the target of the harassment as the object of sexual desire, or similar words that
by their very utterance inflict injury or naturally tend to provoke violent resentment, even
if the woman did not herself react with violence.” (http://www.stopstreetharassment.org).
Tiffanie Heben, author of “A Radical Reshaping of the Law: Interpreting and
Remedying Street Harassment” (1994) categorizes street harassment: as 1) “Severe: a)
sexually explicit reference to a woman’s body or to sexual activities, b) profanities that
are directed at a woman because of her gender, c) any comment that fits into these
categories combined with racial or ethnic slurs, d) any comment that fits any of these
three categories combined with references to a woman’s possible homosexuality, e)
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physical acts such as following a woman, throwing things at her, or pinching or poking
her. 2) Moderately severe: a) sexual innuendoes, b) references to a woman’s gender or
body that are not sexually explicit. 3) Least severe: a) staring, b) whistling, c) all other
comments men make to women that are unnecessary or are not political in nature.”
(http://www.stopstreetharassment.org)
Harassment becomes illegal when an employer, supervisor or co-worker harasses a
person because of their race, colour, creed, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, sex,
arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation or membership in the
military reserve. Harassment may include verbal abuse, epithets, and vulgar or derogatory
language, display of offensive cartoons or materials, mimicry, lewd or offensive gestures
and telling of jokes offensive to the above protected class members. The behaviour must
be more than a few isolated incidents or casual comments. It involves a pattern of abusive
and degrading conduct directed against a protected class member that is sufficient to
interfere with their work or create an offensive and hostile work environment.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place Bill 2012 provides protection
against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of
complaints of sexual harassment and for matters connected therewith or incidental
thereto. It defines sexual harassment as the violation of the fundamental rights of a
woman to equality under articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India and her right to
life and to live with dignity under article 21 of the Constitution and right to practice any
profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business which includes right to a safe
environment free from sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment occurs in all occupations and industries and, organisational
culture is key to understanding how and why it occurs in some places and not in others.
Sexual harassment, bullying and physical violence can all be seen in terms of
'organisational violation'. Sexual harassment can have a negative effect on the individual,
in both the short and long term. Those who have been harassed may experience illness,
humiliation, anger, loss of self confidence and psychological damage. Sexual harassment
may also lead to workplace problems such as decreased performance, lower job
29

satisfaction and higher absenteeism. In some cases, it may lead to resignation. (Carrie
et.al. 2007)
An opinion poll, ‘Sexual Harassment at Workplaces in India, 2011-2012’, by
Oxfam, revealed that seventeen per cent of working women in India claim that they have
experienced sexual harassment at workplace. The survey for which women were
interviewed in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmadabad, Lucknow and
Durgapur was jointly conducted by Oxfam India and Social and Rural Research Institute.
Most women claimed to have faced incidents that were non-physical, according to the
survey. “Sixty-six of the 400 respondents reported to have faced a cumulative of 121
incidents of sexual harassment, 102 of 121 incidents reported to be non-physical
harassment, whereas the remaining 19 incidents were physical in nature,’’ indicated the
survey. The study said that the reasons stated for women not approaching redressal
mechanisms despite the harassment were: fear of losing the job, absence of any complaint
mechanism at workplace, fear of getting stigmatized and lack of awareness regarding
redressal mechanisms. Further the survey pointed out that the Supreme Court Guidelines
on Sexual Harassment were known to as many as 17 per cent of the respondents among
the general population. It was found that awareness of the guidelines was higher in metro
cities - 24 per cent as compared to other areas. Also, overall, more than 80 per cent of the
respondents reported the need for a separate law for dealing with sexual harassment at
work place. (Oxfam, 2012).
Consequences of violence against women
The effects of violence can be devastating to a woman's reproductive health as
well as to other aspects of her physical and mental well-being. Increased risk of adverse
pregnancy outcomes, unwanted pregnancies and reports on sexually transmitted diseases
are some of the consequences of violence against women with a history of physical or
sexual abuse (Population Report, 2000)
Gender-based violence also affects women’s mental health. It erodes women’s self
confidence and leads to problems such as depression, post traumatic stress disorders,
30

suicides, alcohol and drug abuse, sleeping as well as eating disorders, anxieties and
phobias. (WHO, 2000)
Lack of education and awareness are the most common reasons for violence
against women. Children who are subjected to abuse are likely to behave similarly as
adults. Socio-economic status, substance and alcohol abuse also leads to violence against
women in India. Sometimes children who witness one parent abusing the other tend to
abusive later in life. Effects of violence are not only physical but mental too. Physical
effects are injury, loss of speech, aches and pain, burns, substance abuse, gynaecological
issues, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy resulting in abortion etc.
Mental and emotional health problems including withdrawal, unsocial behaviour,
multiple sexual partners, insomnia, depression and several others are effects that are
frequently noticed. Apart from this, when the knowledge of abuse reaches others in the
community, abused women are often shunned and forced to live in isolation (Kalyan J.L.,
2013)
The exposure to violence during childhood emerges as a contributing cause of
partner violence at a later period. Boys who are subjected to harsh physical punishment,
who are physically abused themselves, or who witness their mothers being beaten are
more likely to abuse their partners later in life. The pattern is not inevitable and a key
question for future research is as to what genetic, situational, socio-cultural, and life
course factors distinguish those who later become violent, from those who go on to form
healthy relationships. Alcoholism, especially binge drinking, is a key factor that increases
the frequency and severity of partner violence. (Heise , 2011)
Prevention of violence against women
The demand for prevention of violence against women and girls does not form a new
demand and is rightfully claimed and fully acknowledged in the international and
regional legal and policy frameworks. The Beijing Platform for Action expounds that the
achievement of equality between women and men is ‘a matter of human rights and a
condition for social justice [that] should not be seen in isolation as a women's issue,’ and
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the prevention of violence against women and girls is itself both a prerequisite for, and
outcome of, such equality, and is fundamental. (Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action 1995)
Major treaties and conventions of United Nations uphold the right of women and
girls to live free off violence, such as Article 6 of the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with a Disability, which notes the multiple forms of discrimination experienced
by women and girls with disability and the obligation of the State to take appropriate
measures to addressing this issue, and Article 16 notes the gender-based aspects of
violence and abuse experienced by people with disability and places an obligation on
the State to ‘prevent the occurrence of all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse’.(UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2008)
There are certain rights guaranteed to women under article 14, 15 and 21 of the
Indian Constitution based on which an act was introduced, titled Protection of Women
from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. According to this Act,
“Domestic Violence means any act, omission or commission or conduct of the
respondent shall constitute violence if it,
i. Harms or injures or endangers the healthy safety, life, limb or well-being,
whether mental or physical of aggrieved person or tends to do so and includes
causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic
abuse; or
ii. Harasses, harms, injuries or endangers the aggrieve person with a view to
coerce her or any other person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for
any dowry or other property or valuable security; or
iii. Has the effect of threatening the aggrieved person or nay person related to her
by any conduct mentioned in clause (a) or clause (b); or
iv. Otherwise injures or causes harm, whether physical or mental, to be aggrieved
person.”
The National Commission for women brought out a publication on Sexual
Harassment at Workplace in order to generate awareness, to sensitize, and as reference
32

material to provide support to victims. It says that the Supreme Court of India in their
judgement in August, 1997, in the case of Vishaka and Others vs. State of Rajasthan and
Others, recognizing the international conventions and norms, interpreted equality of
women in relation to work and held that sexual harassment of women at the workplace,
which is against their dignity, is violation of Article 14, 15 (1) and 21 of the Constitution
of India. It is also the violation of the fundamental rights under Article 19 (1) (g) to
practice any profession or to carry out any occupation, trade or business. It defines Sexual
Harassment at workplace includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour
(whether directly or by implication) as : (a) Physical contact and advances; (b) Demand
or request for sexual favours; (c) Sexually - coloured remarks; (d) Showing
pornography; (e) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non - verbal conduct of sexual
nature.
Educational settings are important sites for prevention, where attitudes that
condone violence against women and girls and gender stereotypes can be challenged and
positive attitudes towards gender equality and equal relationships can be fostered. There
are significant long-term social and economic gains to be made by investing in
prevention through education. However, schools and academic institutions, which are key
players in delivering prevention, offer weak responses to violence against women and
girls. This means they may not be meeting their legal obligations under laws concerning
child protection and equality to provide safe environments and to teach students about
healthy, respectful and equal relationships. (End Violence Against Women, 2011)
Policy and legislative frameworks play a significant role in determining the focus
of responses to women working in prostitution. In Scotland, the focus of the criminal
justice system has been largely reactive and works from a 'crime management'
perspective. It considers women in prostitution as offenders and are, therefore, more
likely to be arrested than the men who buy sex from them. The imposition of fines adds
to the debt many women are working to repay and consequently, they may then be jailed
for non-payment of fines, and the debt problem exacerbates. In the meantime, women
who are assaulted while working in prostitution may be reluctant to report assaults to the
33

police because they can then be arrested on outstanding warrants. Thereby experiences of
women as victims of gendered violence remain largely invisible (Women's Support
Project, 2002).
Research Studies on Violence against Women International Studies
Heise et al., says that within the last few decades, gradual improvement in women’s
status due to women’s activism in various parts of the world has aided the process of
increasing the visibility of domestic violence as a social problem. Despite this, violence
against women within the family/home, until very recently, has received little attention as
either a social or public health issue. The sensitivities and stigma associated with
domestic violence, the perception that it is primarily a judicial and legal issue, and the
lack of data on the dimensions of abuse, have hampered understanding and the
development of appropriate interaction.
Heise (2011) evaluates the effectiveness of justice system interventions, largely in
the United States, UK and Australia. “Evaluating interventions that are embedded in
complex systems - such as the justice system - is notoriously difficult, and
methodological challenges may have complicated efforts to register an effect. Similarly,
failure to demonstrate efficacy of programmes such as perpetrator treatment programmes
may be a function of limitations in the specific treatment models popular in the United
States, not clear proof that intervening with perpetrators cannot work. Women’s police
stations are the only justice system strategy that has been widely evaluated in developing
country settings. Designed to facilitate women’s access to justice, women’s police
stations have received mixed reviews in terms of effectiveness. Women frequently arrive
at these stations seeking emergency shelter, guidance, support and legal advice; and most
stations are not set up to meet these needs. Often, women must register complaints in
order to obtain protection orders, not because they necessarily want to initiate legal action
or send their partners to jail” , the research states, “the women police stations have
contributed to making the problem of violence against women visible as a public,
collective, and punishable matter; furthermore, they offer women new opportunities to
34

defend their rights. But they do not necessarily contribute to eliminating violence or
guaranteeing access to justice for women.”
Jalal, P. I. (2008), in his paper ‘Good Practices in Legislation on Violence against
Women: A Pacific Islands Regional Perspective’, provides a useful analysis of Pacific
legislation on violence against women, specifically on sexual assault, domestic violence
legislation and family law. The purpose of the paper is to identify strengths, weaknesses
and commonalities of such legislation and highlight good practices. The paper covers
Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati
and Tuvalu. Jalal argues that there has been a lack of legislative reform in the area of
violence against women in islands in the Pacific and positive legal changes have largely
emerged through litigation. The paper identifies common features of sexual assault laws
in Pacific Island countries, including: narrow definitions of rape; marital rape is not
defined as a crime; consent is defined from the view of the offender and not the survivor;
and a woman’s past sexual history may be admitted as evidence against her credibility. In
addition, the use of customary reconciliation practices and village courts may allow
perpetrators of violence to avoid formal criminal charges.
According to Jalal, there has been minimal legislative change in the area of
domestic violence and no Pacific Island country has yet adopted comprehensive standalone
legislation on domestic violence. While there is a common law basis for protection
orders in most Pacific countries, courts exercise the power to grant these orders sparingly
and inconsistently and police habitually fail to enforce orders through imprisonment. In
most Pacific Island countries, family law is archaic and based on rigid concepts of
women’s roles. The paper identifies a number of promising practices, including: “no
drop” prosecution policies in Cook Islands, Fiji and Kiribati; reforms to sexual offence
laws in Papua New Guinea; Vanuatu’s Family Protection Bill and the Fiji Family Law
Act.
In a combined study by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United
Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Secretariat of Pacific Island
Countries Community (SPC) (2009), it is described that evidence linking the spread of
35

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) with gender inequality in law and social customs
in the Pacific Island countries and territories is found. One of the key issues identified in
the research was the intersection between gender based violence and spread of
HIV&AIDS showing that violence against women is both a cause of HIV transmission
and effect of testing HIV positive. The report outlines that violence against women and
HIV interact in several ways: i) Forced sex poses a direct biological risk for HIV and
other sexually transmitted diseases; ii) Intimate partner violence poses indirect risks for
HIV and other STIs, violence, and threats of violence limit one’s ability to refuse sex or
negotiate safer sexual behaviour, sexual abuse as a child, coerced sexual initiation and
current partner violence may increase propensity for sexual risk taking later in life,
women (and men) who experience violence may be in partnership with someone who has
risky sexual behaviours and may, consequently, show a higher likelihood of being
infected; iii) Violence or fear of violence may deter women from disclosing their HIV
status or seeking HIV testing altogether and delay their access to treatment and other
services.
The study also includes recommendations to “address the prevention of violence
against women, children (both girls and boys) and sexual minorities as an integral part of
preventing the spread of HIV” with suggested specific recommendations including:
compliance with international standards on the rights of women and girls; legislative
reforms accompanied by actions to educate the police and judiciary; budgetary
allocations to support programmes to prevent violence against women; intervention to
prevent violence against women to be grounded in rights-based and gender
transformative approach; research on the interrelations between social constructions of
masculinity, intimate partner violence, power differentials within relationships and HIV
risk behaviours in men; better documenting and understanding of the causes of violence
against women in Pacific Island Countries Islands; strengthen national statistics offices to
incorporate HIV surveillance and violence against women; strengthen women’s
leadership and economic and political participation at all levels; strengthen police
response to violence against women; strengthen the response of the formal justice system
36

to violence against women; engage with traditional or community-based justice systems;
and increase support to organisations working at the community level.
National Studies
Violence against women in India accounts for the poor quality of life, indicated by
rampant poverty, lack of education, high under five mortality, poor health status, high
fertility rate and high maternal mortality rate. Contributing to violence against women is
the societal mindset about women that has not changed much. Violence is perpetrated on
women both inside and outside her home. Government and voluntary organizations are
making efforts towards eliminating or minimizing violence against women. The efforts of
the government are in the shape of enacting relevant legislations, issuing orders and
launching various women welfare schemes. But their implementation remains tardy, as
the lower level government functionaries are not gender sensitive. (Kalyan J.L., 2013)
Violence against women is partly a result of gender relations that assumes men to
be superior to women. Given the subordinate status of women, much of the gendered
violence is considered normal and enjoys social sanction. Manifestations of gendered
violence include physical aggression, such as blows of varying intensity, burns,
attempted hanging, sexual abuse and rape and psychological violence through insults,
humiliation, coercion, blackmail, economic or emotional threats, and control over speech
and actions. In extreme, but not unknown cases, death is the result. These expressions of
violence take place in a man-woman relationship within the family, State and society.
Usually, domestic aggression towards women and girls, remain hidden due to various
factors. (Sheela Saravanan, 2000)
A similar study by Martin, et al, has examined relationships between men’s reports
of wife-abuse and reproductive health issues in Uttar Pradesh from the PERFORM
survey in 1995-‘96. A total of 6632 married men aged 15 to 65 years who lived with their
wives participated in the survey. The main variables considered were physically and
sexually abusive behaviours toward wives, sexual activities outside marriage, sexually
transmitted disease (STD) symptoms, contraception use, unplanned pregnancies, and
37

socio-demographic characteristics. The results indicate that 54 percent of men reported
not having abused their wives; 17 percent reported physical but not sexual abuse of their
wives; 22 percent reported sexual abuse without physical force; and 7 percent reported
sexual abuse with physical force. Abuse was more common among men who had
extramarital sex. Similarly, men who had STD symptoms were more likely to abuse their
wives. Unplanned pregnancies were significantly more common among wives of abusive
men, especially sexually abusive men who used force. The study concludes that wifeabuse
appears to be fairly common in northern India and that abusive men were more
likely to engage in extramarital sex and have STD symptoms. It also suggests that the
men who have STD symptoms might have acquired them from their extramarital
relationships, and placed their wives at risk of STD acquisition sometimes via sexual
abuse. These abusive sexual behaviours would also result in increasing the number of
unplanned pregnancies.
Sahoo et.al., in the study 'Domestic Violence in India: An Empirical Analysis'
recognises domestic violence as the significant barrier to empowerment of women, with
consequences such as women’s health, their health-seeking behaviour and their adoption
of small family norm. National Family Health Survey II data, 1998-99 which covered
90,303 “ever married women” was used in the analysis. The survey provides information
on fertility, the practice of family planning, infant and child mortality, maternal and child
health and utilization of health services provided to mothers and children. In addition, it
provides indicators of the quality of health and family welfare services, reproductive
health problems, status of women and domestic violence. The survey follows a multistage
sampling design to select the participants for the interview. Background
characteristics such as education, age, marital duration, place of residence, caste, religion,
sex of the head of the household, standard of living, work status of women, exposure to
mass media and the autonomy of women with respect to decision making, freedom of
movement and access to money are linked to domestic violence. An autonomy index is
computed to understand the relationship of women’s autonomy with domestic violence.
Bivariate analysis is used to examine the variation of domestic violence by background
38

characteristics. Logistic regression is carried out to predict the domestic violence with the
selected independent variables.
About one-fifth of “ever-married” women in India are beaten or physically
mistreated by their husbands. (The analysis reflects interstate variations). More than onethird
of women in Tamil Nadu have reported their husbands as the perpetrator. Again, the
more than 20 percent of the women in the states like Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and
Uttar Pradesh have reportedly been assaulted by their husbands as against of Meghalaya
where a majority (29 percent) blame other persons for the mistreatment. Beating by
persons other than the husband or in-laws constitutes a substantial proportion in most of
the North-Eastern states as well as in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
The prevalence of domestic violence decreases substantially as the standard of
living increases. (29 percent of women with low standard of living have experienced
violence compared with 20 percent of women with medium and 10 percent of women
with high standard of living).
The analysis shows that the women belonging to low socio-economic status are
more likely to agree with each of the different reasons justifying wife-beating. Again
domestic violence is more among women with lower autonomy and women belonging to
low socio-economic status. The study points out that the experience of violence
undermines the empowerment women and certainly is a barrier to the socio-economic
and demographic development of the country. In view of the prevalence of the problem, it
is suggested to have programmes that take into account involvement of the community
and especially the males for effective as well as fruitful amelioration of the issue.
CREA, a global feminist, human rights organisation based in India, conducted the
first ever multi-country research study on Study on Violence against Marginalised
Women focusing on lesbian women, female sex workers, and disabled women in three
countries in South Asia—Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Over 1600 lesbian women,
female sex workers, and disabled women participated in the quantitative surveys and 157
participated in the qualitative study. In India, 59% of the ‘unmarried women’ had
experienced violence from their natal family members, friends, and neighbours, and 54%
39

of the ‘ever-married women’ had faced violence from affinal family members, natal
family members, friends, and neighbours. Also, 78% of the women who faced violence
had experienced severe mental distress as a result of violence.
Women involved in sex work reported high levels of ongoing and past violence
from a wide range of perpetrators - sexual partners, clients, pimps, employers, brothel
managers, police, family members, and the wider community. Women with disabilities
experienced regular and ongoing discrimination within the society. Such discrimination
varied from public comments and insults to institutionalised violence, which became
obstacles in accessing education, jobs, or other forms of societal support for women.
Families hid disabled daughters away and resorted to arranged-marriages with whoever
accepted them. Within marriage, women reported cases of neglect, punishment, and
abuse from their spouses.
Lesbian women reported violence at a number of specific periods in their lives,
particularly when they openly acknowledged their sexual orientation. They also reported
high levels of social exclusion and outright discrimination from employers, landlords,
and others. Despite these levels of violence and discrimination, the data on these women
showed low levels of care-seeking, mainly due to the fear of more stigma. The study
pointed the resource constraints which mean the lack of services and accessibility,
particularly in the case of women with disabilities, are key issues that are driving the lack
of care seeking. Women are generally aware of the laws on “domestic violence”, but are
unaware of any specific legal or policy directives aimed at affording particular protection
to marginalised women. The study points out that given the existence of laws and policies
to address violence against women, stakeholders highlighted the need to push for policy
implementation and resource allocation rather than policy formulation. In India, even
when resources are allocated, they remain unspent, thus proving that implementation
goes beyond resource allocation. Besides inadequate systems for monitoring and
evaluation of policy responses, there is no systematic mechanism for ensuring that all
women access and receive the support and care that they are entitled to. The study has
shown that marginalisation and social exclusion on diverse grounds (disability, sex work,
40

and/or sexual orientation) work to increase a woman's risk of suffering inter-personal
violence from a wide range of perpetrators.
Studies from Kerala
Pradeep Kumar Panda (2004) examines the prevalence and the correlates of domestic
violence in intimate relationships in the context of Kerala in his study 'Domestic Violence
against Women in Kerala'. A household survey was conducted in three rural and three
urban settings in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala in which 502 women (302 rural
and 200 urban) participated. Information was collected on demographic variables such as
age, duration of marriage, and number of children as well as socio-economic variables
such as consumption expenditures (food and non-food), possession of consumer durables,
ownership of assets (title to land and house) by women, education and employment.
Information was also collected on social support received from natal family and
neighbours, women’s childhood experience of family violence, and alcohol consumption
and substance abuse by husband.
The study propounds that in addition to legal and institutional interventions domestic
violence needs to be re-situated in social justice and social transformation. What is
needed is a rights-based strategy in the prevention of domestic violence, which meshes
formal treaty doctrines with grassroots activism and critiques of power. While the right to
make the claim is global, the specific and useful strategies to build a non-violent and
gender-egalitarian society must be developed locally. Domestic violence conceived of as
violation of a woman’s most basic rights, must be viewed from an ecological perspective.
Domestic violence prevention strategies must include a critical understanding of the
underlying causes of domestic violence as well as a vision of what constitutes a healthy,
non-violent family. Woman’s “right to housing” and “right to property and inheritance”
are critical and most fundamental for any strategy of prevention of domestic violence.
Empowerment of women is the key to prevent gender-based violence. Access to, and
control over, economic resources, especially immovable assets, is the precondition to
women’s empowerment. Social support network, especially natal family and neighbours,
41

is also a crucial factor in reducing domestic violence. Four points emphasised in the study
are
• Importance of immovable assets and social support is significant in making a
difference to the incidence of domestic violence.
• Non-acceptability of violence as a norm in the family is critical for reduction of
inter- generational transmission of violence.
• Male attitudes and society’s attitudes need to undergo change. Since prevention of
domestic violence requires fundamental changes in attitudes and behaviour, it
confronts societal and individual resistance to change.
• Support structures could be both within the family and from NGOs, women’s selfhelp
groups etc., which could help both in changing attitudes and in helping
women acquire immovable assets. This calls for creative community involvement,
shared responsibilities, and collective action with the goals to challenge patriarchal
assumptions of power and control and entitlement to women.
Prevention of domestic violence at the national level depends on the level of public
and governmental commitment to making prevention a long-term priority, and to
establish a consistent, co-ordinated, and integrated approach for each community. The
study of the basis of the pervasiveness and the perils of domestic violence, points out that
a national policy of zero tolerance for domestic violence is necessary.
In a large multi-site household survey INCLEN (2000) estimated the intensity of
domestic violence in India and its correlates and outcomes. The community, family, and
individual factors associated with family violence were examined. A uniform sampling
strategy was drawn and families in which at least one woman aged 15-49 (years) and who
has at least one child (

in their married life. About 44 percent reported at least one psychologically abusive
behaviour and 40 percent reported experiencing at least one form of physically violent
behaviour. Dowry harassment was seen to be one of the major precipitating factors of
violence within the marital home. The gender gap in employment status emerged as an
important risk factor for violence. More than half (58 percent) of the women respondents
reported that the members of their immediate family were aware of the violence. In
addition 41 percent of them reported that their neighbours also knew of the violence.
However, only less than 10 percent had left their husbands; surprisingly, more than 55
percent of the women perceived violence as a normal part of marriage life.
In India, the study by INCLEN was undertaken between 1997 and 1999 at seven
diverse and regional sites: Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Nagpur,
Thiruvananthapuram, and Vellore. According to this study, domestic violence in India
comprises 36.9 percent physical violence and 35.5 percent psychological violence, while
for Kerala the corresponding rates are 62.3 percent and 61.6 percent respectively. In the
rural areas, the overall figure for India is 51.7 percent of physical violence and 49.7
percent of psychological violence as against 68.8 percent and 68.9 percent in Kerala.
Regarding the prevalence rates of domestic violence in Kerala, the figures vary. The
National Family Health Survey 3 seems to suggest that domestic violence affects only
16% of families. However, according to the ICRW-INCLEN study, Thiruvananthapuram,
the capital city of Kerala, ranks first among five cities in India in prevalence of domestic
violence. Violence in Thiruvananthapuram is about 64% in urban non-slum areas and
71% in rural areas; this is higher than Bhopal, Lucknow, Nagpur and Vellore.
Celine Sunny (2000), in the study ‘Domestic Violence against Women in
Ernakulam District’, attempts to examine the causes and extent of domestic violence as
well as its manifestations and consequences in Ernakulam district in Kerala. In order to
identify the various typologies of domestic violence, an enlistment survey was conducted
by contacting the Women Cell, the Family court, Police Stations, Counselling Centres,
and NGOs working for women where cases of domestic violence since January 1998
were reported. A pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect detailed information
43

from the victims of domestic violence. The study utilised both the primary and secondary
sources of data. Secondary sources included documents, books, reports of surveys and
studies, literature pertaining to domestic violence and other relevant publications.
The various factors that were identified as causing violence in the family were
alcoholism, extramarital sexual affairs, personality disorders, suspicion (on the fidelity of
wife) and job dissatisfaction of the husband and wife, economic crisis in the household,
difference in social status between husband and wife, wife’s lack of interest /negligence
of household chores/care of children, property dispute in the family, sexual
maladjustment, physical illness, lack of privacy, and employment of wife. Of these,
alcoholism and economic crisis were the most common causes. The study emphasises the
need for awareness generation about gender equality and women’s rights and
sensitisation programmes, legal literacy camps, sensitisation programmes for the policy
makers, judiciary, and enforcement agencies in order to make them responsive in
handling cases of violence against women. The study propounds that police need to be
sensitised to treat domestic violence cases seriously. They should be given special
training for handling such cases as there is a need for promptness and careful handling of
the victim who is traumatised by the violence.
Anitha Kumari (2005) in the study, ‘Crimes against Women in Kerala: What do
the trends reveal’, summarizes the data from NCRB and SCRB with a view to study
trends of crimes against women in Kerala and its districts. Data for the study has been
taken from various volumes of Crime in India, a publication of National Crime Records
Bureau, India and from the State Crime Records Bureau, Trivandrum, Kerala. In
analysing it was found that Kerala’s crime rate is 20.3, which is well above the national
average of 14.2. When analysed crime wise and state wise, Kerala falls in third position
with regard to dowry related crimes, which is the most reported crime in India. Crime
rate in Kerala overtook India after 1996. Decadal variation of crimes against women in
Kerala points out to more than 100 percent increase in total crimes against women in
which dowry related torture, molestation and sexual harassment have the major share. It
is observed that the most reported crime in Kerala is related to dowry and cruelty to
44

married women by the husband and in laws. District wise trend shows northern districts
to have more number of crimes during 1988-2005. Among the southern districts,
Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam are increasingly reporting crimes against women. The
statistics in 2005 reveals that Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode districts have high rate
of reported crimes. There exists a negative association between literacy rate and crime
rate in the districts. A positive association between population growth rate and crime rate
has also been observed in this analysis.
Crimes regarding dowry indicated that although dowry deaths are low in Kerala, dowry
related torture was very high. Kerala has the highest suicide rate in India (10 per one lakh
population). A survey of women in Bison valley, a hill panchayat in Kerala, where suicide
rate is 200 per one lakh population, which is the highest for a village in India, reported
‘financial problems’ as the main cause of high suicide rate, but women reported that
‘problems within the family’ as the main cause of high suicide rate. From the analysis,
study inferred that the government should take more efforts to reduce violence against
women by strengthening the police department. The severity and prevalence of crimes
against women in the districts show different patterns of crime, so efforts should be made
to tackle it by making district-specific programmes.
Mohamed et.al. (2002), explains violence against women as a reflection of
unequal gender relations in the society which perpetuate exploitation, discrimination,
marginalisation and exclusion of women. In their study, they analyse the data provided by
the crime branch of Police Department of Kerala and finds that crimes against women
increased from 1,967 in 1990 to 7,568 in 2001:four- fold increase in a decade. Over 25%
of these crimes consisted of either molestation or rape. According to the Planning
Commission, while crime against women was 135 per million population in India, the
rate for Kerala was as high as 151 per million population. The sample for the study
`Gender and Mental Health, Kerala’ (GMHK) was taken from the sub-sample of
households from the ‘Kerala Migration Survey’ (KMS), conducted at the Centre for
Development Studies which attempted to portray the migrant profile of Kerala and also
to critically examine the trends, differentials and determinant of migration from Kerala.
45

The study observes that Women of male-headed households are more orthodox in
gender ideology than men of the male-headed households. On the other hand, men of the
female-headed households hold the most progressive gender ideology. When the head of
the household is a woman, it has positive influence on men in all three aspects; they have
good mental health, a high sense of well being and generous gender outlook. Both men
and women tend to become more progressive in gender ideology as level of education
goes up. However, only at higher levels of education – graduate or post graduate - do
women show a marginally less orthodox gender ideology than men
Celine Sunny (2005) in the study for situation analysis of domestic violence
against women in Kerala says that the status of women who constitute almost half of the
Indian population is not that encouraging. Gender based violence – including rape,
domestic violence, mutilation, murder and sexual abuse- is a profound health problem for
women across the globe. Nonetheless, it is not considered as a public problem of serious
concern.
The study conducted surveys and interviews of the women affected by Domestic
Violence in the fourteen districts of Kerala. In addition to the same, documents, books,
reports of surveys and studies and literature pertaining to domestic violence form the
secondary data source. The study states that while taking into account the varied socialfactors
it can be inferred that the chances of domestic violence is more among lower class
of society. This does not mean that domestic violence is only a part of lower societal
class. It exists more among nuclear families and less for older women when compared to
younger women. The prevalence of domestic violence is high among illiterate and those
who have only secondary school education compared to others. Employment status of
women had a profound effect on domestic violence i.e. 78 per cent of the women
participants of the study were unemployed and had experienced domestic violence in
their lifetime in comparison to any other workers and casual labourers. Thus employment
of women leading to more autonomy can be a great factor for women to combat violence.
The incidents of domestic violence are higher if there exists disparity in socio–economic
status between the families. The study also stressed the fact that, though dowry was given
46

at the time of marriage, the demand for it persists after marriage also. Thus ‘Education’
leading to empowerment of women through enhancement of their status and better
decision making power hase been identified as one of the key factors to armour against
violence. It had been found out that severe psychological stress and living under terror
and the mental torture of violence can lead to self-destructive behaviour and to fatal
consequences such as family discord, suicides etc. The mental depression associated with
domestic violence may go relatively unnoticed when compared to the physical violence.
Nevertheless, it is as dangerous, if not more dangerous than that of physical violence.
The study revealed that 53.1% of the victims were ignorant about
organizations/individuals addressing domestic violence. This finding was indeed
unexpected because women in Kerala are better educated and enjoy better social status
than those in most other states of India. Hence, one would have expected more
respondents to be aware of the existence of the same. The data therefore, obviously
showed the need for sensitization and awareness generation programs among women
with regard to those organizations/individuals that help victims of domestic violence. The
study showed that, knowledge about laws related to atrocities against women and
services addressing women’s issues were scanty with regard to the victims under study.
Proper awareness campaigns, workshops, seminars etc. in this regard should therefore be
organized regularly in rural as well as urban areas.
SAKHI (2011) conducted a study ‘Are cities in Kerala safe for Women’ The
study conducted in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode examines how safe the two city
areas are for women and girls, what is the relationship between women’s fear of violence,
their avoidance of specific public spaces/ places or times and how they restrict
themselves in terms of dressing, etc. to avoid harassment. Societal response, role of
police, knowledge of existing violence and redressal mechanisms were also explored
through this study. Women’s access to and visibility in public is compounded by several
factors like time, place and purpose. Conscious use of time and space does categorize
them as decent and respectable women. Thus many spaces that women are able to access
during the day become inaccessible or more difficult to use at night. Generally women
47

are not seen alone in public spaces after dark, especially after 8.00 pm, because women
are not legitimately allowed to use public spaces without a purpose.
The methodologies adopted for the study were interview, focus group discussion,
capacity gap analysis and safety audit. These exercises helped to map the public spaces
that are unsafe in order to give feed back to policy planning and designing process. The
sample population belonged to diverse categories like students, workers, home makers,
unorganized workers, commuters, drivers, conductors etc. and spread across public places
such as road sides, bus stops, markets, beaches, public transports, hospital compounds,
hangouts, knowledge centers and theatres. Throughout the survey an element of “fear of
violence” created consciously or unconsciously in women and girls by the society was
felt. The high degree of fear of violence, crime and feelings of insecurity makes women
more vulnerable and restraints her freedom of mobility, clothing and ability to live her
life in the way she desires. This relates to society’s construction of female sexuality. Also
the study critically evaluates that Kerala does not prioritise the women’s question as a
politically important area of governance with the result that administrative attention is not
given to the encouragement of the women’s portfolio. Street harassment is something
most women deal with year-round. The catcalls, leering, groping, stalking, public
masturbation, and anti-woman comments are demeaning, annoying, and sometimes
threatening and scary. Very often incidences and experiences of street harassment are
silenced and dismissed as trivial annoyances, or portrayed as a compliment.
The study propound that changing myths relating to women’s sexuality and ‘good
woman/bad woman image’ calls for a change in gender perspective in Kerala and would
need to be a long-term mission. In this endeavour, safety as well as many other concerns
relating to status, both within the household as well as outside in the public arena should
come together and, in fact, such a process can start simultaneously with the programming
for women’s safety. However, the perspective of such a mission cannot be shrunk to
smaller dimensions if it has to encompass the entirety of women’s lives. The study also
proposes an action plan which comprises of various suggestions and immediate
inventions that the government should carry out to make public places safe for women.
48

Nair, P.M & Sankar Sen (2003) in the report titled ‘Trafficking in Women and
Children in India’ mentions that DARSHAN, an NGO group, has made a research study
of the problems of sex tourism in Kerala. The study mentions that the Kerala Women’s
Commission received numerous letters of complaint from women tourists, about sex
tourism in Kovalam. They even rescued 11 girls belonging to Lambada community of
Karnataka from Kovalam in October, 1998. Brothels also arrange package tours to tourist
destinations for their customers. The research paper contains case studies showing the
exploitation of trafficked females at the hands of the tourists. In one case, a girl was
deceived by the promise of a job and forced into 190 Action Research on Trafficking in
Women and Children commercial sexual exploitation. She was forced to accompany local
tourists to various places like Ooti, Nelliampathy and other places and satisfy their sexual
urges. The clients paid the victim well.
DARSHAN’s study also reveals how hoteliers in areas like Qullion, Alleppy and
Ernakulum promote sex tourism, because such services bring them extra income. Victims
are often projected by the agents as college girls in search of fun and excitement, wanting
to earn an extra buck. In places like Alleppey, foreign tourists come and stay in
houseboats. This houseboat-sex tourism is a new and thriving concept. It is safe, as there
are no raids on the houseboat. In Kerala, although places like Kovalam and Fort Cochin
have become sex tourism hot spots, police records indicate that enforcement agencies
have turned a blind eye to the problem and cases have seldom been registered under the
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The study mentions the case of a sex worker from
Mangalore and Goa who shifted her operations to Varkala, a major tourist spot, because
of the growth of sex tourism. She earns well from sex work and possesses houses and
vehicles of her own. She says that there is demand for sex not only from foreign tourists
but also among the locals, including a number of political figures.
Part B Methodology
After several rounds of discussions between the members of the study group and
considering the limitations of time, the following objectives were framed to study crime
against women in Kerala.
49

Objectives of the Study
To study
1. Socio-economic background of women victims of crime
2. Typography of crimes against women in Kerala
3. The extent of victims’ legal awareness on crime against women
4. The social isolation victims are facing in society or the freedom they enjoy in
society
5. Life after the incident –economic, social and emotional
6. The main factors responsible for committing crime against women
7. To find out solutions to reduce crime against women
Hypotheses were the following
1. Crime against women are low in Kerala
2. Crimes are not systematically reported either to the police station or to the
community
3. Police officers are indifferent to the crime against women.
4. Victims are not aware of their legal rights.
5. Many victims are socially isolated for no fault of her.
6. Our society is not taking seriously the crimes on women because the victims are
not able to force or impress upon the society about the crime.
7. There are no solutions for crime against women as the society is still a male
dominated one.
The study is done in Kerala where crime against women is increasing day by day. But
as per the primary data available with the police and NGOs, only less than 10% of the
crime is registered in the police stations due to various reasons. Domestic violence is
rarely reported. Though the universe is Kerala, census method is not possible as there are
481 police stations in Kerala. Therefore, after discussion with police personnel 10 police
stations were selected. Police stations were selected on the regional basis: four from the
southern region, four from the central region and two from the northern region of the
50

state, so that a cross section of the people of Kerala are included in the study. Following
police stations spreading from south to north and having a statistically relevant number of
cases registered, were selected for a detailed evaluative study.
1. Thampannoor, (Trivandrum) city
2. Vithura (Trivandrum) Rural
3. Kollam East
4. Kadackal (Kollam) Rural
5. Cherthala (Alapuzha)
6. Perunadu (Pathanamthitta)
7. Mundakayam (Kottayam)
8. Kaliyar (Idikki)
9. Nadakkavu (Calicut) and
10. Malappuram Town.
This holistic study is based on not only crimes registered in the station but also
information gathered from police officers, social workers and public, on crime against
women..
Sample size is 500 including 50 from each police station, that 20 victims or
complainants, 20 police officers, 5 from general public and 5 social workers. The sample
was selected a manner ensuring that it included women police officers, SC and ST
wherever possible. However we were able to get only 464 of whom 197 are police
officials, 45 general public, 41 social workers and 181 victims. Victims were selected
from police records and other cases which were not registered in the police stations but
were known to the police or social workers. Police officers were selected from the
selected stations and from other stations. Social workers were selected from the area
covered. General public included those who were interested in solving theproblem of
crime against women and a few others who came forward to give their response.
Purposive random sampling was used to select the sample for all the categories.
Both primary and secondary data were collected using different tools and
techniques. Secondary data were collected mainly from the police stations, State Crime
51

Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram and newspapers. Two different interview
schedules, one for the victims/ complainants and another for the police officers, social
workers and general public were constructed keeping the rules of a structured interview.
For focus group discussion (FGD) an interview guide was prepared. (Appendix 2)
Interview schedules were finalised after several rounds of discussion with team members
and administered after a pre-test. In each police station area two FGDs were conducted
and in each FGD, 15 to 20 members participated who included the victims’ relatives and
friends, general public, social workers and a few police officers. This helped to generate
data as the participants felt free in expressing their ideas. A few ‘significant others’ were
also interviewed to get their opinions on crimes on women. These significant others
included officers who worked in this field, academic experts and women from different
categories.
After the data collection, quantitative data was analysed with the help of SPSS
package and qualitative data, with the help of content analysis. The main variables used
in this study are background of the respondents (police Officers, social workers, public
etc) and age of the victims. In some cases literacy, income and nature of the crime were
taken as a variable.
Concepts used in the study
Major concepts used in this study are victim, complainant, police officers, social workers,
general public, crime against women, crime on women, social isolation, and crimes. By
victim, this study means the person (woman) who faces one form or the other of cruelty
from man or men for no fault of hers. Some times the victim cannot take the case directly
and somebody else will be taking her case and in this situation, the person who is taking
up the case is referred to as the complainant.
Police Officers are those personnel in the service of Kerala Government police
department. All cadres of police officers are included in this. Social workers are the
activists who work for the welfare of women. Here social workers mean those who are
attached to NGOs or any other organisation which work for the upliftment of women.
52

General public simply mean any person who knows about crimes against women and
those who are interested in reducing the crime against women. The important concept
here is the crime against women. Any crime on women with the intention of hurting her
mind or body or the whole person is referred as the crime against women.
53
Social
isolation refers to the state of the victims after they face the crime. Social isolation also
means the freedom or lack of freedom given to the victim by the family and society after
the incident. Crime against women and crime on women are used as synonyms in this
study as both the terms mean a crime done to hurt women. By crimes here we mean all
types of crimes on women of all age groups.
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Palmer, S. E., Brown, R. A., Rae-Grant, N. I., & Laughlin, M. J. (1999). Responding to children’s disclosure of
familial abuse: What survivors tell us. Child Welfare, 78, 259-283.
Planning Commission, Government of India, “Report of the Working Group on Child Rights for the 12th Five Year
Plan (2012 – 2017),” p. 15.
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Research Programme on Local Level Development, Centre for Development Studies Thiruvananthapuram
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005), Constitution of India
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A., & Higson-Smith, C. (Eds.) Sexual abuse of young children in southern Africa (pp. 21-35). Cape Town:
Human Sciences Research Council Press.
Sankar Sen & Jayashree Ahuja (2009), Trafficking in Women and Children – Myths and Realisties, Concept
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Sahoo, Harihar. & Pradhan, Manas Ranjan., (2009) Domestic Violence in India: An Empirical Analysis, Serials,
New Delhi
Sakhi (2011), Report on ‘Are Cities in Kerala Safe for Women', Sakhi Women’s Resource Centre,
Thiruvananthapuram, Anweshi, Kozhikode, UN Women and JAGORI, Delhi.
Sexual Harassment at Work Place (2004), National Commission for Women, New Delhi
Sheela Saravanan (2000), Violence against Women in India, Institute of Social Studies Trust, 1-7, 53-64
Somali Cerise (2011) A Different World is Possible: A call for long-term and targeted action to prevent violence
against women and girls, End Violence Against Women Coalition, London
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_email_version.pdf
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55

CHAPTER III
SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
S
ocioeconomic status is an individual’s or group’s position in the social structure and
an individual’s behaviour is measured using its contents. Socioeconomic status
includes a variety of variables like age, gender, religious background, income, education
etc. Crime against women is a universal phenomenon and women of all socioeconomic
status are victims of such crimes. History tells us that crimes against women were
prevalent at every stage, however there were variations in the crime rate as well as the
nature of crimes.
This study looks into the rate of crime, nature of crime and the socioeconomic
status of the victims of the crimes against women in the last two years. It is understood
that earlier crimes were not reported as most of the crimes in the past were generally
solved within the family or community. Today people are depending on the legal ways
for solving their problems and therefore more crimes are reported. Justice is still a long
way for women as they are entangled in their traditions and customs. The study shows
that the crime rate is increasing particularly among women coming from lower
socioeconomic strata.
The general feeling is that, because of the changing norms and values of society,
crimes of different nature are emerging and the crime rates are increasing. This is the
feeling of 71.7% of the respondents who includes police officers, social workers and the
general public.
TABLE 1: GROWTH RATE OF CRIME – GENERAL
Growth rate of Crime Frequency Valid Percent
Increasing 195 71.7
Decreasing 77 28.3
Total 272 100.0
56

The public and the social workers know very well that the crimes committed
against women are increasing in Kerala since the last one decade. New types of criminal
behaviour, which were not heard in the past, are emerging. Social workers who are
working at the grass root level are of the opinion that crimes on women are increasing
owing to the rising levels of awareness among women regarding their rights and social
position. Most of the crimes on women are due to the questioning nature of women which
by itself is a recent phenomenon. However, only 68.1% police officials are of the opinion
that crimes against women are increasing.
TABLE 2: GROWTH RATE OF CRIME: RESPONSES FROM GENERAL
PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICIALS AND SOCIAL WORKERS
Crime Rate
Increasing Decreasing
General
Public,
Count
Police General
32 12
% within General Public, Police
Officials Public
72.7% 27.3%
Officials and Social Workers
and Social
Workers
Count
Police
128 60
% within General Public, Police
Officials
68.1% 31.9%
Officials and Social Workers
Count
35 5
Social % within General Public, Police
87.5% 12.5%
Officials and Social Workers
Count
195 77
Total
% within General Public, Police
71.7% 28.3%
Officials and Social Workers
Total
44
100%
188
100.0%
40
100.0%
272
100.0%
Old age crimes and increasing crimes against the girl child are the by-products of the
changing society or the result of modernisation and urbanisation. As a consequence of
this today women of all age groups are victimised. Even a girl of four years is physically
57

abused by her own family member. Girl child abuse is increasing in contemporary
Kerala. It is unbelievable that a literate society like Kerala is facing problems like this.
Cyber crime is another by-product of the technological advancement in society. In
educational institutions cyber crimes are becoming common and the authorities are
finding it very difficult to curb it.
TABLE 3: AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE VICTIMS
Age Frequency Percentage
Below 18 16 9.8
19-30 66 40.2
31-45 57 34.8
45-60 20 12.2
61 and above 5 3.0
Total 164 100.0
Women of all ages are prone to crimes. It is understood that crimes against women are
increasing mainly because it is easy to over power them. It is so heinous to harass girl
children but we found out that even girls of 4 and 5 year old are not spared and they are
cruelly used for others’ satisfaction. The study shows that 9.8% of the victims are below
the age of 18 and 3% are above the age of 60 years. Though the percentage is lower in the
latter we have to take these numbers seriously as it is an eye opener to all of us as crime
rate against old women are increasing. The reasons for this is the break down of joint
families and the consequent structural and functional changes within the family, erosion
of value system in the society, shifting of preferences, changing roles in the family,
women going for work, Migration of younger ones in the family and the consequent
empty nest syndrome etc. Majority of the victims are coming under the age group of 19
58

to 30 years followed by the category of 31 to 45 years. On the whole we can say that
most of the victims are in their prime life and their life is either totally or partially spoiled
because of the crime against them. Domestic violence is the most heinous in this
category. Another cause of crime against women is the prevalence of the practice of
giving or taking dowry. Though the dowry is legally banned, all religions and castes
practice dowry directly or indirectly when their sons are getting married. If the dowry is
not up to the expectations of the grooms family, the bride is harassed within the family
and ends up facing acts of extreme cruelty by the family members of the groom such as
beating, burning and some times bride herself is forced into committing suicide.
In a case noted by the study, in an upper middle class family the groom or the
parents of the groom took a decent amount of girls family’s wealth in the form of dowry.
After the marriage the girl was not spared by the boy’s family and asked her to bring the
rest of the girl’s family’s wealth. The marriage lasted hardly a month as the girls’ family
insisted on not giving any more than what was agreed at the time of marriage. This
family is specially mentioned here as it is not only from upper middle class family but
one with highly educated members.
TABLE 4: AGE DISTRIBUTION AMONG OLD VICTIMS ACCORDING TO POLICE
OFFICIALS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE PUBLIC
Age
group
Frequency
Valid
Percent
60+ 176 81.9
70+ 37 17.2
80+ 2 0.9
Total 215 100.0
59

Religion has no impact on crimes committed against women since irrespective of
religion, women face violence from their family and society. All religions show that their
women are cruelly treated and crime against women are equally distributed among all
religions.. Hindu women suffer most followed by Muslims. As per this study Christian
women suffer less when compared with women of other religions. This can be due to the
influence of the church, its teaching and the integration it brings in the family. This
clearly shows the value systems existing in the religious groups. In all the religions
women are treated as lower class and they are considered as a dependent group. The
attitude of men towards women is still traditional and this is the main reason why women
are looked down upon by men.
TABLE 5: RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
Religion Frequency Percentage
Hindu 117 64.6
Christian 22 12.2
Muslim 42 23.2
Total 181 100
Majority of the families have structured roles for men and women and
accordingly, women are required to do all the household work as well as look after their
husbands. Most domestic crimes are the result of the husband’s attitude towards the wife.
Poverty, alcoholism and drug addiction make the case worse as men’s dissatisfaction is
expressed at the wife in different forms. This is present universally and no religion is an
exception for crimes committed against women.
Women are special category of population that they never reveal the problems
they face as they are usually the custodians of traditions and values of the society. This is
truer with the upper class and upper caste people. Here too crimes against women are
more reported when it comes to lower castes than the upper castes.
60

TABLE 6: CASTE BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
Caste Frequency Valid Percent
OC 9 10.6
BC 33 38.8
SC ST 21 24.7
Others 22 25.9
Total 85 100.0
Only half the victims have given their caste background of whom 38.8% are
backward castes and 25.9% are scheduled castes or scheduled tribes. A deeper look into
the caste background of the victims show that around 60% of the victims are from the
scheduled castes and 10% are from the scheduled tribes. Though there may be equal
number of the victims from the upper castes, most of the crimes committed among them
may not be reported.
Educated girls and women are less prone to crimes committed against them than
the less educated girls and women. The study shows that 77.3% of victims have gone to
school but they have not managed use their education for improving their lives. Here we
have to be more analytical in the sense that only crimes that are registered in the station
are given in the table. But there are more cases and from the focus group discussion, it is
revealed that almost all the girls who go to college face one or the other types of crimes
and these cases go unreported in the police stations. Among the registered cases, graduate
women constitute only 2.8% and literate women (not passed 5 th standard) 9.5%. Most of
the Illiterate women are cheated very easily as is revealed here.
TABLE 7: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
Education Frequency Percentage
Illiterate 17 9.4
School 140 77.3
Graduate 19 10.5
Above graduate 5 2.8
Total 181 100.0
61

Literacy and crime against women are negatively correlated but modern crimes are
present among the educated women also. By ‘modern crimes’ reference is made to cyber
crimes and campus crimes, which the girls are facing in their day to day life. Many
college going girls said they are afraid to step out of their houses in fear of what would
happen to them that day. Respondents in the focus group interviews are of the opinion
that private bus journey to their colleges are horrible because of the behaviour of the bus
conductors. Most of these conductors are untrained and not educated. They use vulgar
language to the girl students and engage in mild form of physical abuse (touching, going
and standing near the girls etc.). Girls and women feel that they are not safe in the
society.
TABLE 8: ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
Income per month Frequency Valid Percent
Below 1000 per month 16 14.54
1001-5000 per month 52 47.27
5001-10000 per month 24 21.81
1000 & above 18 16.36
Total 110 100%
Most of the reported cases of crime against women are from lower economic class.
39.2% of the victims were reluctant to tell their monthly income because they thought
that revealing their income would affect their case at the police station. Around 75% of
the victims are from lowest or lower economic categories and only 16.36% have Rs
10000 or above as their monthly income.
Domestic violence is more prevalent among married women and in most of the
caes of domestic violence, the crimes are committed mostly by the husbands themselves.
Of course, some times it is seen that the women within their houses have to face attacks
from other women as well. For example mother in law and daughter in law problems can
end up in commission of a crime. However, as is evident in this study, this type of crime
is not registered much in police stations. Marital status is one of the main criteria to be
62

looked upon when one studies the domestic crimes against women. Most of the crimes
committed against women are by the husband or relatives of the husband.
TABLE 9: MARITAL STATUS OF VICTIMS
Marital status Frequency Valid Percent
Single 25 15.9
Married 116 73.9
Separated 10 6.4
Divorcee 4 2.5
Widow 2 1.3
Total 157 100.0
73.9% of the registered cases of crimes against women involve married women.
Crimes committed in these cases ranges from dowry harassment to domestic violence.
15.9% of single women also faced some cruelty from society. 2.5% of the divorcees and
1.3% of the widows are also victims of criminal behaviour. Usual crimes faced by
divorcees and widows are cheating and black mailing as these women are often helpless
after separation or death of the spouse. It is worth while mentioning a case here:- an
upper class widow and a senior citizen is cheated to the tune of 5 lakhs by a person who
owns a construction company. It happened when the woman’s husband was alive. They
were working outside the country and after returning to Kerala and being pensionless
they thought that they have to strengthen their economic background. They had some
landed property in the prime location in the city and a known construction company came
forward to construct apartments there. While negotiations were on, husband passed away
due to sudden cardiac arrest and in the subsequent days the construction company person
began cheating the lady who is now a widow and really helpless in many ways. Her only
daughter is married to a person working in the United States. The construction company
person took hold of the land and got some money and says that the land is his property
and refuses to return it. The widow registered a case in the police station and filed a law
suit in the district court but justice has not been delivered till day either form the police or
from the court. The accused has managed to get things done in his favour using muscle
63

and money power. When interviewed it was found out that the said widow is undergoing
terrible mental torture especially since the widow has tried to get in touch with the
accused but in vain.
Majority of the victims are housewives who are really dependent on their
husbands or mothers- in -law. It is interesting to note the occupational background of the
victims. It ranges from office assistant to house maids. There are teachers and students as
well. As noted earlier, here too only people of lower grade occupational background
register cases in police stations. Economic and occupational background of the victims
show clearly that middle and upper class women suffer silently to uphold the prestige and
status of the families which in fact aids the criminals who commit crimes against these
women.
Socioeconomic background of victims is important as it will give a picture of the
victim in relation with the crime she has faced. In the present analysis we found that
people belonging to lower economic strata are more prone to crimes than others. The
study shows that religion has very little impact on crime against women but the caste
back ground of the victims show that majority are of BC and SC/ST communities.
Women who faced crimes are mostly from the lower economic strata though there are
two persons from the lower middle class group. An analysis of age groups of the victims
shows that majority of women victims belong to the age group of 19-40 years who are
married. This shows that women of all age groups are prone to crimes though age group
of 19-40 years is more vulnerable. Also, some variables like caste, education, marital
status, and income have a positive correlation with crime against women.
64

TABLE 10: OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND OF VICTIMS
Occupation Frequency Valid Percent
Accountant 2 1.1
Bank Clerk 1 0.6
Business 2 1.2
Cashew worker 2 1.1
Coir worker 1 0.6
Coolie 4 2.2
Cooperative worker 1 0.6
Daily work 1 2.8
Domestic servant 1 0.6
Employer 2 1.1
F.T.S 1 0.6
H.S.S.T 1 0.6
Having paying guest 1 0.6
Helper 1 0.6
Home nurse 3 1.7
House maid 2 1.2
House wife 27 15.0
In laundry 1 0.6
LIC agent 1 0.6
Medical officer 1 0.6
Milk Society 1 0.6
NCC 5 2.8
Unemployed 8 4.4
Nursing Student 1 0.6
Private sector job 8 4.5
Receptionist 1 0.6
Sales girl 6 3.3
Self employment 2 1.2
Shop keeper 1 0.6
Specks fitter 1 0.6
Student 6 3.3
Tailor 4 2.2
Teacher 4 2.2
U .D clerk 1 0.6
Work in a company 1 0.6
Total 181 100.0
65

CHAPTER IV
NATURE AND CAUSES OF CRIMES
There is a combination of factors behind a person who commits a crime. Family values,
education, political system, law enforcement, and economy contribute to potential
criminal activities by individuals. Some of the reasons for committing a crime could be
pride, jealousy, revenge, anger, or greed. Some crimes are carefully planned out very well
in advance in order to increase gain.
Most of the crimes against women are seen within the family and work place or
work related places. It is understood that women in the work place are much more
helpless than women in their houses. Eve teasing is a euphemism used for sexual
harassment or molestation of women by men. Eve teasing is seen not only in the
campuses but also at work places where adult ladies work. Though this is not referred as
eve teasing, this also is one form of eve teasing as this, at many instances hurt women
while providing men with enjoyment. In 1961 Government of India passed laws which
were modified again in 1985 by framing rules against dowry. However eve teasing
continues to pose as a problem throughout the country.
According to United Nations Population Fund Report, around two third of Indian
married women are victims of domestic violence which include wife beating and rape or
forced sex. Common causes of domestic violence are dissatisfaction over dowry and
exploiting women for more wealth, arguing with the partner, refusing to have sex with
him, neglecting children, going out without his consent, extra marital relations, not
looking after in laws, infertility etc. In urban areas there are more factors for domestic
violence such as women earning more, her work till late night, being more active socially
and politically etc
TYPOLOGY OF CRIMES
The present study tried to find out the various types of crimes prevailing in Kerala against
women. The most common crime against women is domestic violence. 51.4% of the
66

women suffer from domestic violence in one form or the other. Almost all domestic
violence is directed by men against women. It is found out that there are direct and
indirect causes for this. Poverty can be said to be the main cause of domestic violence.
Sexual assaults are also very common in Kerala as there are as much as 34.8% sexual
assault cases reported in the present study. Sexual assaults include staring, touching and
talking in a sexually perspective manner with the intention of hurting the victims.
Molestation is also a common form of sexual assault seen in all the societies. Girl child
abuse is increasing in Kerala and in all the station areas where this study was conducted,
cases of child abuses which are seldom reported in the police stations were found. At
least the common man was earlier under the impression that the rapes are not there or
very rare in our society. But the study found out that among crimes against women
12.3% are rape cases. Two types of rapes are reported here one being the rape by men
with girls and women whom they are not legally married and the other type of rape is
within the marriage when the woman is not willing to have sex with the man who she
married rape her for his satisfaction without the consent of the wife. Old age abuse is
another form of crime seen today. This is increasing rapidly as the old are considered as a
burden in the society. Though in the present study old age abuse is negligible one has to
be careful in the context of modernisation and changing life style of the people. There
are other crimes committed against women like exploiting women promising an
employment in a foreign country, forced prostitution and consequent HIV infection.
TABLE 11: COMMON CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST WOMEN
Crimes Frequency Percentage
Rape 17 12.3
Other sexual assault 48 34.8
Domestic violence 71 51.4
Old age abuse 2 1.4
Total 138 100.0
67

TABLE 12: AGE OF THE WOMEN VULNERABLE TO CRIME AGAINST THEM
ACCORDING TO POLICE OFFICIALS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND GENERAL PUBLIC
Age Groups Frequency Valid Percent
Below 15 61 25.5
16-30 130 54.4
31-50 36 15.1
Above 50 12 5.0
Total 239 100.0
Women of all ages are vulnerable to crimes but 16-30 years age group is
comparatively more vulnerable.. 54.4% of the women belong to this group. The situation
in the 31-50 age group is also bad in terms of crimes committed on them as they are also
in their prime age. Among these two groups the first group has mostly young student s
and housewives. Domestic violence is seen more among the women who are in the age
group of 26-40 years. But it is noted that 25.5% of the women victims are from the age
group of below 16 years. This has to be taken seriously as they are so innocent and
ignorant regarding crimes committed on them.
TABLE 13: AGE GROUP VULNERABLE FOR OLD AGE CRIMES
Age Group Frequency Valid Percent
Below 25 29 11.7
26-40 111 44.9
41-55 64 25.9
Above 55 43 17.4
Total 247 100.0
Among the old, the most vulnerable group are the relatively younger old people.
The reasons may be protest from their part. However the other categories of old are also
the victims. Crime associated with these age groups are mostly blackmailing and
cheating. In one case a widow of 60 years is raped by a neighbour. It was so cruel an
68

incident as she was tied up while the accused committed the crime on her. After 6-7
hours hearing the cries of the woman neighbours went to her home and untied the
woman.
TABLE 14: GENERAL PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICIALS & SOCIAL WORKERS’ VIEWS ON
AGE OF VICTIMS WHO FACE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Respondents
Age group vulnerable for domestic
violence
Below
25 26-40 41-55
Above
55
Total
General Public 6 17 11 6 40
15.0% 42.5% 27.5% 15.0% 100.0%
Police Officials 15 81 44 31 171
8.8% 47.4% 25.7% 18.1% 100.0%
Social Worker 8 13 9 6 36
22.2% 36.1% 25.0% 16.7% 100.0%
Total 29 111 64 43 247
11.7% 44.9% 25.9% 17.4% 100.0%
69

TABLE 15: GENERAL PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICIALS & SOCIAL
WORKERS’ VIEWS ON VICTIMS AGE AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Total
Respondents Age group vulnerable for sexual
assaults
Below 15 16-30 31-50 Above 50 Total
General Public 11 21 2 5 39
28.2% 53.8% 5.1% 12.8% 100.0%
Police Officials 32 98 28 5 163
19.6% 60.1% 17.2% 3.1% 100.0%
Social Worker 18 11 6 2 37
48.6% 29.7% 16.2% 5.4% 100.0%
61 130 36 12 239
25.5% 54.4% 15.1% 5.0% 100.0%
TABLE 16: TYPES OF CRIMES IN THE STATION AREAS
Crimes Number Percentage
Domestic Violence 51 25.0
Sexual Assault 6 2.9
Cyber Crime 31 15.2
Rape 26 12.7
Eve Teasing 28 13.7
Robbery 6 2.9
Child Abuse 15 7.4
Dowry Problems 41 20.1
Total 204 100
In the study area most crimes found on women are domestic violence, followed, by
dowry problems. In fact one can combine domestic violence and dowry problems
together, as both are usually committed within the households. People are of the opinion
that cyber crimes are increasing in the area as many people are now using mobile phones.
Here cyber crimes are the crimes committed through mobile phones. It is observed that
the accused are youth as the old generation are not aware and are not addicted to the use
of mobile phones as the younger generation. The youth are increasingly using mobile
phones and it is understood that cyber crimes are spreading fast in our rural and urban
70

areas. Eve teasing cannot be curbed in our society as this is seen not only in the campuses
but through out the society. The present study is concerned about the increasing child
abuse as a result of the changing ways of life. Both the parents go for work and the child
is alone in the house giving the accused opportunity to abuse the children especially girl
children. Old age crimes, robberies, black mailing, women murders, chain snatching,
cheating, etc. are some other types of crimes mentioned by the public in the present
study.
TABLE 17: CRIMES REGISTERED IN THE POLICE STATIONS
S. No Crimes Number Percentage
1 Dowry 36 14.5
2 Domestic Violence 70 28.1
3 Old Age Crimes 1 0.4
4 Child Abuse 13 5.2
5 Eve Teasing 10 4.0
6 Robberies 4 1.6
7 Black Mailing 4 1.6
8 Sexual Assault 24 9.6
9 Rape 33 13.3
10 Cyber Related Crimes 22 8.8
11 Molestation 30 12.0
12 Women Murders 1 0.4
Total 249 100
If one looks at the crimes registered in the stations, one can find the same trend as
mentioned above. New types of crimes are added to the old list increasing the number of
crimes against women in Kerala. Black mailing and cyber related crimes are the new
generation crimes that add to domestic violence and dowry problems. Child abuse is
also a recent phenomenon. Domestic violences are maximum registered in the police
stations. 28.1% of the registered cases are related to domestic violence, followed by
dowry related problems accounting to 14.5%. It is alarming to note that domestic
violence is increasing and dowry problems still exists in spite of the fact that the status of
women in Kerala is better than their counter parts in the other states.
71

It is surprising that number of crimes have not reduced in spite of the fact the there
are strict laws to face them. Literacy rate or women’ empowerment have no impact on
crimes on women.
TABLE 18: REGISTERING CASES IN THE POLICE STATIONS
Responses Frequency Valid Percent
Register 149 54.2
Not Register 126 45.8
Total 275 100.0
Many of the cases are not registered in the police stations. Going to the police
station is still considered a stigma in the society. With the effort of the police department,
other Government agencies and civil society police is becoming friendly with the people.
As a result of this, today, 50% of the cases are registered, in the police station. In the
study area, on the whole, 54.2% of the cases are registered whereas 45.8% of the cases
are not registered in the respective stations. The reasons given by the victims and the
public are that they would not get justice from the police; there is inordinate delay in the
process, financial burden, social stigma in the family etc.
TABLE 19: THE WAY THE POLICE OFFICERS REACH THE VICTIMS
The way the police
officers reach the
victims
Victim will come on
Frequenc
y
Valid
Percent
215 80.8
their own
social workers 37 13.9
general Public 10 3.8
others 4 1.5
Total 266 100.0
72

Though the cases registered are only 54.2% around 90% of the crimes on women are
known to the police officers. Many victims or on their behalf somebody else will go to
the station to enquire about the consequences of filing the case in the police stations and
only after that do they decide about filing the case. It is understood that victims are very
reluctant to register the case because of several reasons. 80.8% of the victims by
themselves went to the police stations to enquire about the possibilities of filing the case.
There are victims who seek the help of social workers and public. 13.9% of the victims
depend upon the social workers and very few (3.8) depend upon the people for guidance.
Majority of the victims as well as public are of the opinion that it is an ordeal to file the
case as there will be interference from panchayat members as well as political parties.
Even the public would not spare the family.
CAUSES FOR CRIMES AGAIST WOMEN
In the simplest form one can say that the crimes against women are mostly due to men’s
attitude towards women. Only if this is changed can it be said that women are safe in our
society. There are social, political and economic reasons and in our study area most of the
crimes are for social reasons. So also one can say that the study areas show mostly direct
causes. The study found out the causes through two methods the first being the data
collected through interview schedule and the second through FGDs. Indirect causes like
anger, jealousy, revenge etc are not seen in Kerala. The reason may be that most of the
cases dealt here are not planned crimes and also they are from the lower economic
stratum. Here the causes are mainly enjoyment on the part of men and the poverty
conditions. Though there is relationship between crime and factors like income, family
background, alcohol, drugs etc it is found out that extreme cases of crimes are committed
by alcoholics and drug addicts. Many cases of domestic violence are also the result of
alcohol and drugs.
Crimes against women are universal but the upper and middle class people prefer
to hide such crimes. The trend is that the lower class are more open and it is seen
evidently in the society. Most of the cases registered in the police stations are from the
73

women of lower class strata. A cross section of the population from the general public,
police officials and social workers are of the opinion that there is a definite relationship
between income and the crime. Main reason they attribute for this opinion is that poverty
is the root cause of most of the crimes. Poverty along with male domination puts women
in the households in a vulnerable situation.
Family background is another factor which is responsible for crimes in our
society. By family background here the meaning is the social control mechanisms within
the families which include inculcation of social values and strong family bonds. Anomic
conditions within the family are the main reason for domestic violence. Most of the
crimes within the family start for simple reasons and later it escalates out of proportion
when both the parties are not willing to solve the problems amicably. Counselling or
compromise does not appear as means to solve problems in the lower income families.
Traditional values are almost eroded from the family atmosphere. Moral values are alien
to most of our nuclear families. Old people in the family are not given due respect and
their wisdom is not taken into account for creating a peaceful atmosphere in the family.
In fact, from many families they are driven out or kept at the periphery.
74

TABLE 20: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND INCOME
Relationship between crimes against
women and income
yes
Total
General Public 32 12 44
Police
Officials
no
72.7% 27.3% 100.0%
141 54 195
72.3% 27.7% 100.0%
Social Worker 37 4 41
90.2% 9.8% 100.0%
Total 210 70 280
75.0% 25.0% 100.0%
TABLE 21: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND FAMILY
BACKGROUND
Relationship between crimes against
women and family background
Yes
General Public 41 1 42
Police
Officials
No
Total
97.6% 2.4% 100.0%
175 19 194
90.2% 9.8% 100.0%
Social Worker 34 2 36
94.4% 5.6% 100.0%
Total 250 22 272
91.9% 8.1% 100.0%
Alcohol and drugs are two social evils acting against women. Police officials and
general public categorically say that the main cause of crime on women are these two
factors. Social workers also agree with this. The individuals forgets himself when under
the influence of alcohol. Added to this, the state has given a blanket permission to people
for consuming alcohol, through the Beverages Corporation of Kerala. People, especially
women, are of the opinion that outlets of Beverages Cooperation are creating havoc in the
75

society both in the urban and rural areas. Many of the crimes can be avoided if there is a
check on this. 99.6% of the people are of the opinion that there is a strong relationship
between crimes against women and alcohol.
Informal interviews with the people say that ladies do not feel safe in the society
due to the increasing consumption of alcohol. Many ladies are of the opinion that “......we
cannot go to the streets after 6.00 in the evening as there are no men on the road but for
those who are drunk”. Continuing this conversation another lady said, that “we don’t
mind men drinking but they will not allow us to move in the road owing to their sexually
loaded looks and talks.” At least a few women said even though some men are not under
the influence of alcohol, they pretend to be drunk in order to molest the women. “For
them it is evening entertainment.”
TABLE 22: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND ALCOHOL
Respondents
Relationship between
crimes against womenalcohol
Yes
No
Total
General Public 45 0 45
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Police Officials 197 0 197
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Social Worker 39 1 40
97.5% 2.5% 100.0%
Total 281 1 282
99.6% 0.4% 100.0%
TABLE 23: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND DRUGS
Relationship between crimes against
women and drugs
Yes
No
General Public 43
1
97.7%
2.3%
Police Officials 153
34
81.8%
18.2%
Social Worker 39
0
100%
.0%
Total 23.5
35
87.0%
13.0%
Total
44
100%
187
100%
39
100%
270
100%
76

On the other hand, a positive correlation can be seen between education and crimes
against women. Education makes the individual to think positively and as a result of this,
crimes can be much reduced. 56.7% of the people say that education can change the mind
of the people and can help people think rationally.
TABLE 24: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND EDUCATION
Relationship between crimes against women
and education
Yes
No
General Public 26
17
60.5%
39.5%
Police Officials 100
95
51.3%
48.7%
Social Worker 30
7
81.1%
18.9%
Total 156
119
56.7%
43.3%
Total
43
100%
195
100%
37
100%
275
100%
Police officials who handle the cases directly are in a dilemma as far as the
relationship between education and crime is concerned. According to them education has
little impact on crime against women. This may be due to the fact that cyber crimes are
increasing and most of the cyber crimes are committed by highly educated people. Social
workers say that proper education is totally absent today which can curb the crime to
certain extent. Like education the aspect of region too has a relationship with crimes
committed against women. Women in urban areas according to them are more prone to
the crimes than the rural areas. In urban areas there are some pockets, where the crimes
are more prevalent. Regional differences of crimes are interpreted in some other ways
also. Regions where the value system and the legal system are strong, the crime rate will
be less, than the regions where the laws are light and loose. For example, the study shows
that the families where there is no mechanism for social control have more crimes than
the family where there is strict social control mechanism. Anonymity offered by the
urban areas is another reason.
77

TABLE 25: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AND REGION
Relationship between crimes against women
and region
Yes
No
General Public 25
18
58.1%
41.9%
Police Officials 103
87
54.2%
45.8%
Social Worker 26
9
74.3%
25.7%
Total 154
114
57.5%
42.5%
Total
43
100%
190
100%
35
100%
268
100%
There are many other causes for the crime committed against women which emerged
during FGDs. Among them the most important ones were concerning private buses and
autorikshaws. The conductors in the former and the drivers in the latter are so dangerous
as far as women are concerned. This is especially true in the villages. General feeling is
that conductors do not spare any women who are in the bus. It is interesting to note the
reasons given by a group (following is the result of one FGD) who included a cross
section of the people. According to them the following are the reasons.
REASONS FOR CRIME AGAINST WOMEN
1. Availability of alcohol and drugs in the region. In Mundakkayam, within two kms, there
are two outlets of Beverages Cooperation. Added to this, in the hilly regions and in
certain houses preparation and sale of illicit liquor is common.
2. Erosion of societal values
3. Religion’s role in the individual’s life is reduced
4. Problems related to dowry
5. Changing attitude of society towards old. Today they are considered as a burden.
6. Pressure of nuclear families such as a. Going behind money b. Feeling of poverty by
comparisons c. Diseases d. Frustrations e. No sincere relationships f.
7. Cutting the boundaries of male- female relationships
8. Alcoholism among the women
9. Economic independence of women
78

10. Women are not aware of their position.
11. Lack of self satisfaction
12. No respect to the opposite sex
13. Women are looked as commodity.
14. Imitation of other culture
15. Homosexuality
16. No proper socialisation and as a result of this children are going away
17. Families are engaged in parties and other activities and children follow the same without
understanding the context.
18. Good values in the family such as sincere love, respect to members, responsibility,
patience etc are lost
19. Pregnancy and abortion before marriage
20. Behavioural problem of the partners.
21. Extra marital relationships and its consequences.
22. Slavery to mobile phones and internet.
23. Valueless education
24. Lack of proper sex education
25. Misunderstanding about sex
26. Unnecessary celebrations
27. Deterioration of societal values because of changing political scenario
28. Belief that women are free and therefore she can do anything
29. Going for employment outside the country without clearing all the papers
79

CHAPTER V
VICTIMS AND THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS
T
here have been tremendous strides in the creation of legal rights and assistance
programs for victims of crime. Today, every country has an extensive body of basic
rights and protections for victims of crime within its statutory code. Victims' rights have
significantly influenced the manner in which victims are treated within the country, state,
and local criminal justice systems. Victims have the right to be protected by the state and
are to be given all legal aids to get justice. Many countries provide means to protect the
victim’s job or economic status during the criminal justice process. The right to
restitution is the responsibility of the state towards the victims.
Women victims have enough laws to take care of themselves. KELSA (Kerala
State Legal Services Authority) is another opportunity for the victims. KELSA is
constituted to give 24 hours services legal services to people. Apart from the legal
system today, there are mechanisms by the state and voluntary agencies to protect women
who have undergone difficulties. State and voluntary agencies focus on counselling
which is considered as the most important tool as it consoles the victim physically and
mentally. Rehabilitation facilities are also made available in some of the non government
organisations.
Police department is today a transformed institution as it has become more
‘friendly’ with people. The attitude of police to the people has changed considerably
during the last decade. Police has adopted several innovative practices to find out the
various crimes against women in their station area and persuade them to register the cases
so that they can punish the culprits. This measure according to police would reduce crime
rate.
80

TABLE 26: RESPONDENTS’ VIEWS ON FINDING THE BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS
Frequency
Valid Percent
Yes 257 96.6
No 9 3.4
Total 266 100.0
System 29
Total 295
Wherever possible police go to their homes so that they can see the surroundings
of the victims and bring them under law for protection. The public are also of the opinion
that fear of the police has considerably reduced due to modernization in the police
stations and the changing attitude of police towards the public. Police go to nearby
homes to familiarize with the surroundings of the victims and bring them under law for
protection. This has changed the entire scenario of crimes against women that women
have begun voluntarily going to the police stations to file their grievances. In the last one
and half years, at least 152 cases have been registered in the 10 police stations, selected
out of the 181 found in the area. 58.6% of the registrations are done immediately which
itself is a sign of the changed state of affairs. The rest of the cases are registered later
according to the convenience of the victims or their complainants. There are cases which
are registered after a year.
TABLE 27: REGISTRATION OF CASES IN THE POLICE STATION
Case Registration Frequency Valid Percent
Immediately 89 58.6
After a few days 37 24.3
After a few months 24 15.8
After one year 2 1.3
Total 152 100.0
It was found out that not all the crimes committed are registered due to various
reasons. Public knows very well that all cases have to be registered but they say that only
around 46.5% of the cases are registered in the stations. Police officials say that owing to
the changed attitude of people, more people are registering cases, and as a result of this,
around 60% (60.8%) of the crimes are successfully registered. But social workers say that
81

71.1% of the crimes are not registered even today. Here the claim of the police was cross
checked and found to be wrong unlike what the social workers asserted..
General public elaborated on the difficulties faced while registering cases. They
say that taking the victim to the police station is a difficult task as everybody look at
them as if they have committed the crime. Secondly, at several occasions, police
themselves behave in an indifferent manner. At least in few cases, the public and the
police feel that victim herself is at fault.
In the FGD held at Perinadu, the respondents said, “In a politicised society like
Kerala any case will become a political one as there will be two sides for the case which
would make the case a big issue for the victim, public and the police. Both the fronts take
the case very seriously. Many a time the person who has not committed the mistake is
punished and the person who has committed the crime is acquitted.”
TABLE 28: VIEWS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICIALS & SOCIAL WORKERS
ON REGISTRATION OF CASES
General Public
Police
Officials
Social Worker
Do you think all the crimes committed
against women are registered
yes
no
Total
20 23 43
46.5% 53.5% 100.0%
118 76 194
60.8% 39.2% 100.0%
11 27 38
28.9% 71.1% 100.0%
Total 149 126 275
54.2% 45.8% 100.0%
82

TABLE 29: WHETHER THE GENERAL PUBLIC, POLICE OFFICIALS & SOCIAL
WORKERS TELL THE VICTIM/COMPLAINANT ABOUT THE LAWS AVAILABLE TO
PROTECT THEM
Do you tell the victim/complainant
about the laws available to protect
them
Total
yes
No
General Public 39 6 45
86.7% 13.3% 100.0%
Police
Officials
Social Worker
188 9 197
95.4% 4.6% 100.0%
40 0 40
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 267 15 282
94.7% 5.3% 100.0%
According to a girl student, the police always tries to do justice but their hands are
tied because of the interference of politicians. In the buses, men above the age of 50 are
dangerous than young boys and adults. Girl students usually tell their mothers what
happened and their usual response is to ask the student not to go alone. Another response
from the parents and the society is to ask the girl student to ignore the attrocity and not to
look towards that side.
Another response that came up during the FGD was that the society is does not
consider a woman’s act of going alone to the police station to register a complaint as
normal or desirable. Police interference, on the other hand, changes the colour of the
case. Leaders of the panchayat rarely involve in such affairs as it would engender
difference of opinion between the President and the members.”
Social workers feel that many rounds of awareness programmes are required so
that women will come forward to register the crime in the police station. According to
them, the police has to win the confidence of the people so that they come forward to
register all the cases.
83

Establishing women police stations and increasing the number of women police
officials can help in this direction. However, during the FGD, many people and the social
workers expressed their apprehension concerning women police officials as they seldom
show interest in crimes against women. Public are of the opinion that male police officers
are better than the female police officers as most of the time they are not friendly with
either the victims or with the people who accompany them. During the FGDs, public has
come out saying that the functioning of the police has changed during the last few years
but it is a long way until expected change is brought about in the society.
Victims who register in the police stations understand the consequences of
registering a case since the police officials elaborate on the laws available to the victims
in order to deal with the case. It is the duty of police officials to give the details of the
laws available in such cases and most of the police officials follow it so that the victims
or the complainant can take decisions regarding filing of the case. Social workers also do
the same so that the victims will go to the stations to file the case and seek justice.
TABLE 30: SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF REGISTERED CASES
Total
General
Public
Police
Officials
Social
Worker
below
10%
How many cases registered are
successfully completed
25% 50% 75% 100%
Total
5 2 4 20 3 34
14.7% 5.9% 11.8% 58.8% 8.8% 100.0%
2 6 10 110 52 180
1.1% 3.3% 5.6% 61.1% 28.9% 100.0%
2 3 2 18 10 35
5.7% 8.6% 5.7% 51.4% 28.6% 100.0%
9 11 16 148 65 249
3.6% 4.4% 6.4% 59.4% 26.1% 100.0%
Victims are reluctant to register the cases because they know very well that
judicial process is slow and over time, the case would get diluted and the accused would
go free without being punished. Several cases of these types were pointed out by the
people and social workers, during the interviews and FGDs. In one rape case, police has
84

filed the case and two boys were immediately arrested. People from the girl’s side were
asked to go to the police station almost every day for about one month to record the case
and they cooperated with the police. But to their surprise, one fine day they found the
boys at their house seeking pardon from them for what they had done. After enquiry,
they came to know that the two boys were released on bail. The girl’s people lost faith in
the police and thereafter, they have not gone to the station or continued the case. Most of
the domestic violence cases are not getting justice since most cases are settled outside
court. One such case was described by the people of Kadakkal (Kollam) during the FGD.
A housewife was constantly disturbed by her husband for no reasons. She was educated
up to school level (+2 level) and is the mother of two children. She was beaten up
regularly by her husband, and suffered for years, at the end of which she decided to
register her case in the police station.
TABLE 31: FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE VICTIMS
General
Public
Police
Officials
Social
Worker
85
How do the victim support
financially
Public
Self Family Fund Total
14 11 16 41
34.1% 26.8% 39.0% 100.0%
56 66 61 183
30.6% 36.1% 33.3% 100.0%
7 13 17 37
18.9% 35.1% 45.9% 100.0%
Total 77 90 94 261
29.5% 34.5% 36.0% 100.0%
With the help of some social workers, she went to the police station and filed a
complaint against her husband. But to her surprise, a few days later, she was called to the
police station where her husband was present. The police tried to reconcile the two
parties and asked her to withdraw the case. Although she decided to settle her case there,
she feels that the settlement did not end her suffering as her husband continued his old
ways. Many women who face domestic violence decide to suffer instead of going to the
police stations.

TABLE 32: VICTIMS’ AWARENESS ABOUT INTIMATING
THE AUTHORITIES
Age
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
Do you know that you have the right
to intimate to the authorities
Yes
No
Total
12 4 16
75.0% 25.0% 100.0%
52 14 66
78.8% 21.2% 100.0%
51 6 57
89.5% 10.5% 100.0%
13 6 19
68.4% 31.6% 100.0%
3 2 5
60.0% 40.0% 100.0%
Total 131 32 163
80.4% 19.6% 100.0%
Women who are in the age group of 19-30 are well aware of the legal procedure
and know that they have the right to intimate police if they have any problem in the
house. The awareness of women regarding their rights is mainly due to the successful
functioning of ayalkootams, kudumbasree and thozhilurappu. Women are so keen to go
out and participate in these groups where they educate themselves on the rights of
women. These groups are enlightening these women in many areas and give them
confidence to face life. Many women testified that they came to know about going to the
police stations through their friends in the kudumbasree. Only less than 25% are not
aware of their rights. These ladies rarely go out of their houses.
86

TABLE 33: VICTIMS’ AWARENESS ABOUT INTIMATING THE AUTHORITIES
Education
Illiterate
Literate
School
Graduate
Above graduate
Total
Do you know that you have
the right to intimate to the
authorities
Total
Yes
No
25 9 34
73.5% 26.5% 100.0%
12 5 17
70.6% 29.4% 100.0%
75 17 92
81.5% 18.5% 100.0%
16 3 19
84.2% 15.8% 100.0%
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
133 34 167
79.6% 20.4% 100.0%
81% of the women have no problem in intimating the authorities where as the
others feel that they have problems in intimating the authorities. The younger age group
has more problems than the elder groups. 27.3% of the girls who are below 18 years have
inhibitions in intimating the authorities. This can be understood as the girls have to
depend upon somebody else for filing the case or to going to the station. It seems that
many girls suppress the issue since they are afraid of their family. Contrary to the
common belief that old women have problem in registering their complaints, this study
shows that the old has less problems in complaining to the authorities.
87

TABLE 34: PROBLEMS FOR VICTIMS IN INFORMING THE POLICE
Age
If yes, was there any problem in informing
the police
Total
Yes
No
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
3 8 11
27.3% 72.7% 100.0%
9 34 43
20.9% 79.1% 100.0%
7 37 44
15.9% 84.1% 100.0%
3 11 14
21.4% 78.6% 100.0%
0 4 4
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 22 94 116
19.0% 81.0% 100.0%
TABLE 35: PROBLEMS FOR VICTIMS IN INFORMING THE POLICE
Education
Illiterate
Literate
School
Graduate
Above graduate
Total
If yes, was there any problem in
informing the police
Yes
No
Total
1 23 24
4.2% 95.8% 100.0%
5 8 13
38.5% 61.5% 100.0%
15 49 64
23.4% 76.6% 100.0%
1 11 12
8.3% 91.7% 100.0%
0 5 5
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
22 96 118
18.6% 81.4% 100.0%
88

Informing the police seems to be easy for the illiterate than the literate people.
This may be due to the fact that they will not look into their status or prestige or their
families’ in seeking help from others to register their cases. 80.9% of the victims in this
study reported to the police by themselves and only 19.1% sought the help of others to
register their cases. It is the young and the old who were seeking the help from others and
this can be well understood as they are the dependent population.
TABLE 36 THE PERSON WHO INFORMED THE POLICE
(Age as the variable)
Who informed the police for
you
Total
Age Self Others
below 18
5 3 8
62.5% 37.5% 100.0%
19-30
32 6 38
84.2% 15.8% 100.0%
31-45
25 4 29
86.2% 13.8% 100.0%
45-60
6 4 10
60.0% 40.0% 100.0%
61 and above
4 0 4
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total
72 17 89
80.9% 19.1% 100.0%
TABLE 37 THE PERSON WHO INFORMED THE POLICE
(Education as the variable)
Education
Who informed the police for you
Self
Others
Total
Illiterate
Literate
School
Graduate
Above graduate
Total
16 6 22
72.7% 27.3% 100.0%
6 2 8
75.0% 25.0% 100.0%
39 8 47
83.0% 17.0% 100.0%
8 2 10
80.0% 20.0% 100.0%
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
74 18 92
80.4% 19.6% 100.0%
89

80% of the victims have gone to the police stations on their own and reported the case to
them. Of course they are helped by people whom they know very well. Those who have
not gone on their own are either young women or children who are below the age of 18
years. All the victims who are graduates victims have gone by themselves which shows
that the higher education has changed their life to a great extent. Those who are less
educated are still afraid of going to the police stations.
Victims’ awareness about their rights
Most of the victims know about their basic rights and privileges. The study found out that
women of today have changed a lot in spite of the fact that male domination is continuing
in our country. 90.1% of the victims know that they have the right to be protected.
TABLE 38: VICTIMS’ AWARENESS ABOUT THE RIGHT
TO BE PROTECTED
Age
Below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
Total
Do you know that you have the right
to be protected
Total
Yes
No
15 1 16
93.8% 6.3% 100.0%
62 4 66
93.9% 6.1% 100.0%
52 5 57
91.2% 8.8% 100.0%
16 4 20
80.0% 20.0% 100.0%
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
150 14 164
91.5% 8.5% 100.0%
90

TABLE 39: SOURCES OF PHYSICAL PROTECTION FOR THE VICTIMS
Age
If yes, who gave you physical protection at that time
Family
members
Friends Community Others Self
Total
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and
above
Total
14 0 0 1 0 15
93.3% .0% .0% 6.7% .0% 100.0%
52 3 0 2 1 58
89.7% 5.2% .0% 3.4% 1.7% 100.0%
43 4 4 1 0 52
82.7% 7.7% 7.7% 1.9% .0% 100.0%
14 0 1 1 0 16
87.5% .0% 6.3% 6.3% .0% 100.0%
4 0 1 0 0 5
80.0% .0% 20.0% .0% .0% 100.0%
127 7 6 5 1 146
87.0% 4.8% 4.1% 3.4% .7% 100.0%
TABLE 40: THREAT TO VICTIMS
Age
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
Whether you have faced any
threat from anybody after the
incident
Yes
No
Total
5 11 16
31.3% 68.8% 100.0%
26 40 66
39.4% 60.6% 100.0%
16 40 56
28.6% 71.4% 100.0%
7 12 19
36.8% 63.2% 100.0%
1 4 5
20.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Total 55 107 162
34.0% 66.0% 100.0%
91

TABLE 41
SOURCES OF THREAT
Age
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
Total
if yes, from whom
Total
Family members Friends Community Others
1 1 1 1 4
25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 100.0%
7 2 10 5 24
29.2% 8.3% 41.7% 20.8% 100.0%
6 0 3 1 10
60.0% .0% 30.0% 10.0% 100.0%
5 0 1 0 6
83.3% .0% 16.7% .0% 100.0%
0 0 1 0 1
.0% .0% 100.0% .0% 100.0%
19 3 16 7 45
42.2% 6.7% 35.6% 15.6% 100.0%
TABLE 42: VICTIMS AWARENESS ABOUT STATE’S ROLE IN PROVIDING LEGAL
ASSISTANCE
Do you know that the state should
Education
give you the legal assistance for
you
Total
yes
no
Illiterate
25 9 34
73.5% 26.5% 100.0%
Literate
11 5 16
68.8% 31.3% 100.0%
School
76 13 89
85.4% 14.6% 100.0%
Graduate
15 4 19
78.9% 21.1% 100.0%
Above graduate
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 132 31 163
81.0% 19.0% 100.0%
92

TABLE 43. VICTIMS’ AWARENESS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF
LAWS TO PROTECT WOMEN
below 18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and above
Total
Does our society have enough
laws to protect women
agree
disagree
Total
13 2 15
86.7% 13.3% 100.0%
44 21 65
67.7% 32.3% 100.0%
42 14 56
75.0% 25.0% 100.0%
14 5 19
73.7% 26.3% 100.0%
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
118 42 160
73.8% 26.3% 100.0%
TABLE 44: VICTIMS AWARENESS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF KELSA
Awareness
Yes
No
Total
below
2 14 16
18
12.5% 87.5% 100.0%
19-30
31 33 64
48.4% 51.6% 100.0%
Age 31-45
18 39 57
31.6% 68.4% 100.0%
45-60
3 17 20
15.0% 85.0% 100.0%
61 and
1 4 5
above
20.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Total
55 107 162
34.0% 66.0% 100.0%
93

TABLE 45: VICTIMS AWARENESS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF KELSA
Illiterate
Literate
School
Graduate
Above graduate
Have you heard about KELSA
Yes
No
Total
12 23 35
34.3% 65.7% 100.0%
2 15 17
11.8% 88.2% 100.0%
26 65 91
28.6% 71.4% 100.0%
11 7 18
61.1% 38.9% 100.0%
5 0 5
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 56 110 166
33.7% 66.3% 100.0%
87% of the victims who were covered under this study are protected by their
family members. The rest of them are protected by friends, community etc. People are
afraid to protect the victim since they fear they will also end up in trouble. State’s role in
looking after the victim is known to more than 80% of the victims. FGDs have given us
the information that victims do not want protection from the state as the protection by the
state is reduced to “throwing them in the orphanage or destitute homes”. Delay in taking
up cases is the main reason that they do not want to go independently. Some people are of
the opinion that ‘advocates always find loopholes in cases, thereby aiding the culprits’.
Victims face many difficulties including going to the station, filing the case etc, but
sometimes they have to face physical threat as well. Although protection is provided to
the victim by her people or friends and community, she continues to live under fear. 34%
of the victims who faces threat are afraid of the family members and community. Though
the family members provide them protection, they are not happy with the victims for
what had happened and they often express their unhappiness, to the discomfort of the
victim. Most victims are afraid of those people who provided them protection, since it
makes them obliged to their protectors and constrains their life.. Most of them (66.3%)
94

are not aware of the existence of KELSA and this is a matter of concern for those who
deal with crimes against women.
During the FGD, many people said that women are not aware of the laws and they
should be given an awareness programme. Schools and residential associations have to
come forward for this. Mass media can play a lead role in organising the awareness
programme. Free legal cells are rarely used by victims as they lack the necessary
confidence on the advocates who carry out the process. Moreover, boys and men must be
covered in the awareness programme as well.
95

CHAPTER VI
WOMEN AFTER THE CRIME
SOCIAL ISOLATION, LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE
AND CURTAILMENT OF FREEDOM
T
he most difficult stage for a victim who met with a crime, for no mistake of hers, is
the aftermath of the incident. Most of the victims shy away from the public and
prefer to stay alone. Social isolation is the biggest punishment for a person who is already
mentally upset. Social isolation refers to actual physical isolation from other people, or
the lack of close friends. Socially isolating oneself can mean staying home for days, not
talking with friends or acquaintances, and generally avoiding contact with other people. It
can also mean that, even if contact with other people occurs, it is superficial and brief
while more meaningful, extended relationships, especially close intimacy is missing.
Social isolation is potentially both a cause and a symptom of emotional or psychological
challenges. For example, feeling depressed, inadequate support and anxiety can lead to
isolation; isolation can then increase feelings of loneliness and depression, fear of other
people, or a negative self-image. This is exactly happening to the women who are the
victims of crimes against women.
Physical and mental health is affected during the period of isolation. Isolation is a
transitional period duration o f which can be of short or long duration depending upon the
after crime situations of the victim. Usually isolation is self made one as the victim feels
ashamed of herself for the incident occurred. Some times family members will be
indifferent to the victims which will add to her mental agony. During this phase, the most
essential thing that the victim needs is support from people which would wipe away fear
from her mind. Family counseling will help the victim in a large way. Working women
and students may be allowed to go outside for their usual routine life so that they can vent
out their feelings and feel alive in a normal life. People around her must know that the
96

victim is undergoing mental agony and they have to help in bringing her back to
normalcy.
More than formal counseling, informal counseling and conversations help the
victim to lighten herself up. Social workers provide good counseling to victims. Police
officers claim that they give counseling to victims but the victims as well as the public
are of the opinion that police counseling is not effective. There are only few trained
counselors with the police force and chances are that, they would not be available for the
counseling session. Usually they ask the victims unnecessary questions for which they
may not be able to answer. Public also provides counseling to the victims.
TABLE 46: COUNSELLING FOR THE VICTIMS
Do you give counseling to
the victim
Yes
No
Total
General Public 26 13 39
Police
Officials
66.7% 33.3% 100.0%
174 22 196
88.8% 11.2% 100.0%
Social Worker 32 6 38
84.2% 15.8% 100.0%
Total 232 41 273
85.0% 15.0% 100.0%
The main aim of counseling is to bring the victim back to normalcy. Several rounds of
counseling in an informal way are required for this. Only 22.6% of the victims say that
they have come back to normalcy through counseling. We can see the contradictions
here. Though, more than 80% of the police officials and social workers say that they give
counseling to the victims, only less than 25% benefit out of that. Moreover the counseling
is done only to the victim which is not sufficient as they are always surrounded by the
members of the family. Family counseling is also required here. 19% of the victims have
come back to normal life by self realization. They say that they know that they have not
97

done any mistake and are keen tocome back to normalcy. In all the age groups there are
some victims who have come on their own to normalcy.
TABLE 47: COMING BACK TO NORMALCY
Age
How would you come back to normalcy
Support
Counseling
from the
family
Self
realization Others Total
below 18 4 8 3 1 16
25.0% 50.0% 18.8% 6.3% 100.0%
19-30 15 40 8 1 64
23.4% 62.5% 12.5% 1.6% 100.0%
31-45 13 27 13 3 56
23.2% 48.2% 23.2% 5.4% 100.0%
45-60 3 8 6 1 18
16.7% 44.4% 33.3% 5.6% 100.0%
61 and above 1 1 1 2 5
20.0% 20.0% 20.0% 40.0% 100.0%
Total 36 84 31 8 159
22.6% 52.8% 19.5% 5.0% 100.0%
The study showed that the family is the institution that gives full support to the
victim and this study shows that 52.8% of the victims were supported by their families
and were brought back to normalcy. Family counseling and awareness programmes are
urgent requirements, as 50% of the victims are not supported by their families. Apart
from the family, through self realization and counseling, some of them have come back to
their normal life with the help of their friends and neighbors. Teachers of the school also
helped in one case.
Here, coming back to normalcy is only for extreme cases like rape, molestation
etc. For domestic violence, counseling is to be given to men, which is not taking place in
the society. Child sexual abuse, which is increasing, is another category where counseling
is to be given to men. If we go deeper into crimes against women, men deserve
98

counseling much more than women, in the case of many crimes. Women need counseling
if the crime committed leaves them in a state of shock and for all the other crimes, men
need counseling.
Most of the victims took many days to return to normalcy as they were in fear and
did not know what had happened to them. Victims of domestic violence have no come
back as this crime is permanent one in the life of a woman.
In one case, a student said that eve teasing, initially, gives a mental shock,from
which girls recover only after days. But after some time, when eveteasing keeps
happening, girls begin to enjoy. But sometimes eve teasing crosses boundaries and results
in in extreme cases like eloping, love, sexual violence etc and the parties term it as crime
against women.
TABLE 48: IMMEDIATE REACTION OF THE VICTIMS
TO THE INCIDENT
Age
What was your immediate
reaction to the incident
Confident of
Fear of social
isolation
getting
support Total
below 18 12 1 13
92.3% 7.7% 100.0%
19-30 41 25 66
62.1% 37.9% 100.0%
31-45 29 28 57
50.9% 49.1% 100.0%
45-60 9 9 18
50.0% 50.0% 100.0%
61 and above 1 4 5
20.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Total 92 67 159
57.9% 42.1% 100.0%
99

Most of the women get the support of family but this support is not as we expect because
the black mark created by the victim to the family makes the family members reflect in
the behavior pattern of family members towards the victim.
TABLE 49: REAL SITUATION AFTER THE INCIDENT
Age
What was the reality
Social isolation Got support Total
below 18 7 7 14
50.0% 50.0% 100.0%
19-30 19 47 66
28.8% 71.2% 100.0%
31-45 14 41 55
25.5% 74.5% 100.0%
45-60 2 17 19
10.5% 89.5% 100.0%
61 and above 1 4 5
20.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Total 43 116 159
27.0% 73.0% 100.0%
Those victims who said that they faced isolation said that it is the family members
that isolated them. 20% say that their parents were responsible for their isolation where as
45.3% said that other family members like brothers, sisters and uncles are responsible for
their social isolation. 33% of the victims who were isolated said that it is their community
that is responsible for their social isolation. It is true that in some communities, victims
would be excommunicated and family members would be forced to abide by that
decision. In case the family members support the victim, the victim’s parents and other
family members have to face consequences. The age group which faced maximum
isolation is that of below 18 years.
The women who faced domestic violence have many stories to share as sometimes
even parents do not support them. Such parents refuse to take them back into their
100

household. Regarding eve teasing, the reaction is mixed as sometimes the family
members go for outright conflict with the culprits which go beyond the control of the
victim and the situation results in a community/neighborhood conflict.
Age
TABLE 50: PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION
If you were isolated, who was responsible for
that
Parents
Other family
members community
Below 18 3 5 1 9
Total
33.3% 55.6% 11.1% 100.0%
19-30 7 22 18 47
14.9% 46.8% 38.3% 100.0%
31-45 8 11 9 28
28.6% 39.3% 32.1% 100.0%
45-60 1 5 2 8
12.5% 62.5% 25.0% 100.0%
61 and above 0 0 3 3
.0% .0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 19 43 33 95
20.0% 45.3% 34.7% 100.0%
Whatever the situation be, every victim undergoes a period of emotional isolation from
which they recover after a period of time. The speed of recovery depends upon the
support they get from their immediate society. 75% of the victims have come out of this
traumatic phase with the support of their family members where as 21.2% came out on
their own.
Among the victims whom we interviewed for this study, 21.2% came out of their
difficulties on their own where as the majority received support from their family.
101

TABLE 51: THE WAYS THROUGH WHICH VICTIMS CAME OUT OF
ISOLATION
Age
How did you come out of the situation
Support from
the family
by one self others
Total
Below 18 11 1 1 13
84.6% 7.7% 7.7% 100.0%
19-30 48 13 0 61
78.7% 21.3% .0% 100.0%
31-45 39 13 2 54
72.2% 24.1% 3.7% 100.0%
45-60 13 4 2 19
68.4% 21.1% 10.5% 100.0%
61 and above 3 1 0 4
75.0% 25.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 114 32 5 151
75.5% 21.2% 3.3% 100.0%
Many victims were deprived of their personal freedom in their post-crime life as
compared to the pre-crime period.. Though we felt this, only 34.8% said that they were
denied freedom where as the others said the degree of freedom that they enjoyed was not
affected by the crime. During the interview, the family members were present with the
victims which made the victims very cautious in presenting the facts. It is during the
FGDs that the public shared the real situation as perceived by them, being in a position to
be able to observe the affected family every day. The public and social workers are
concerned about the incidents that are happening within the family, whereas, the police
officers are not much bothered about the inside stories of the victim’s family. Public are
of the view that victims can be helped by the police personnel better than any body else
as they are authorized by the state to take action against people who commit the crime.
102

TABLE 52: DENAIL OF FREEDOM FOR THE VICTIM
Age
Did you feel, at any time, that
your freedom is denied
Yes
No
Total
below 18 6 10 16
37.5% 62.5% 100.0%
19-30 25 41 66
37.9% 62.1% 100.0%
31-45 20 37 57
35.1% 64.9% 100.0%
45-60 4 16 20
20.0% 80.0% 100.0%
61 and above 2 3 5
40.0% 60.0% 100.0%
Total 57 107 164
34.8% 65.2% 100.0%
Freedom is denied to the victim in several forms including asking the victim to leave
home, not permitting the victim to go in front of others, restricting the victim from
moving around, denying the victim permission to attend auspicious events, restricting
food, discontinuing education, denying share in parental property, denying permission to
work outside the home, denying marriage or forcing marriage. A detailed analysis shows
that more than one restriction is faced by the victim. 33 victims (36.3%) were asked to
leave home after the incident. If the women is asked to leave the house it will be so
difficult for them to find a shelter by themselves. Very often, these women fall again into
the hands of antisocial elements.
As per the traditions of some religions and caste groups, women who had faced
any crime is considered a polluted person and they are denied of all their due rights. In
many families, the members try to hide the girl from the public and as a result of this,
they cannot come in front of others. If guests come to the house, they are not permitted to
go in front of them. This may be due to the complex the family members have developed.
103

TABLE 53: DENAIL OF FREEDOM: FORCED TO LEAVE HOME
Age
Forced to leave home
Yes
No
Total
below 18 2 5 7
28.6% 71.4% 100.0%
19-30 16 25 41
39.0% 61.0% 100.0%
31-45 12 19 31
38.7% 61.3% 100.0%
45-60 1 9 10
10.0% 90.0% 100.0%
61 and above 2 0 2
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 33 58 91
36.3% 63.7% 100.0%
Even food is denied to certain victims. 19 of the victims of this study said that they
are not given food for days. One of the victims came out saying that she stole some food
when all the family members were fast asleep and ate the food inside the bathroom. Even
today this particular victim is denied permission in her own house and she stays at a
relative’s house. One girl, who below 18 years of age, and another old lady are denied
food from their houses. The victims in other age groups are treated worse than this and
many victims of these age groups are denied food because their family believes that they
brought shame upon them. 19.5% of the victims in the age group of 19-30 , 23.3% in the
age group 31-45 and 27.3% in the age group 45-60 years, are denied food from the
family.
104

TABLE 54: DENIAL OF FREEDOM, NOT PERMITTED TO COME IN FRONT OF
OTHERS
Age Not permitted to come in front of others Total
Yes
No
Below 18 4
44.4%
5
55.6%
9
100%
19-30 20
44.4%
25
55.6%
45
100%
31-45 16
47.1%
18
52.9%
34
100%
45-60 3
27.3%
8
72.7%
11
100%
61 and above 0
1
1
Total count % within
age
0%
100.0%
43
57
43.0%
57.0%
TABLE 55: DENIAL OF FREEDOM – FOOD
100%
100
100%
Age If yes, it is denied by-food Total
Yes
No
Below 18 0
0%
6
100%
6
100%
19-30 8
19.5%
33
80.5%
41
100%
31-45 7
23.3%
23
76.7%
30
100%
45-60 3
27.3%
8
72.7%
11
100%
61 and above 1
50.0%
1
50.0%
2
100%
Total 19
21.1%
71
78.9%
90
100%
Education, the most important factor of development is denied to some victims. Girls
know that if the parents or the members of the family come to know about the crimes
committed against them they will not thereafter be allowed to go to school or college and
thus will be denied further education. 14 victims of the present study who belongs to the
age group of 19-30 years are denied education. Among them 10 girls were forced to stop
their education before completing graduation. A few victims who are now above the age
of 40 years were denied of their right to education.
More than 40% (44.0%) of the victims do not have the freedom to move around.
They were not allowed to go outside their houses and even after many years, they were
105

looked down upon by the members of their families. This is an alarming rate since
support from the family is needed for survival, whereas, in reality, the victims are treated
cruelly by their family and community. 37% of the victims were not allowed to go for
any auspicious functions within the family. Victims are considered as bad omen because
they had to enter the police station.
TABLE 56: DENIAL OF FREEDOM – EDUCATION
Age
Denied education
Yes No
Total
below 18 1 6 7
14.3% 85.7% 100.0%
19-30 14 29 43
32.6% 67.4% 100.0%
31-45 3 27 30
10.0% 90.0% 100.0%
45-60 2 10 12
16.7% 83.3% 100.0%
61 and above 1 0 1
100.0% .0% 100.0%
Total 21 72 93
22.6% 77.4% 100.0%
TABLE 57: DENIAL OF FREEDOM - BASIC FREEDOM TO MOVE AROUND
Age
Denied basic freedom to move around
Cannot go
Can go
Total
below 18 4 4 8
50.0% 50.0% 100.0%
19-30 22 23 45
48.9% 51.1% 100.0%
31-45 15 19 34
44.1% 55.9% 100.0%
45-60 3 9 12
25.0% 75.0% 100.0%
61 and above 0 1 1
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 44 56 100
44.0% 56.0% 100.0%
106

TABLE 58: DENIAL OF FREEDOM NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND AUSPICIOUS
OCCASIONS
Age Not permitted to attend auspicious occasions Total
Not permitted Permitted
Below 18 3
42.9%
4
57.1%
19-30 18
25
41.9%
58.1%
31-45 9
20
31.0%
69.0%
45-60 4
8
33.3%
66.7%
61 and above 0
1
0%
100%
Total 34
58
37.0%
63.0%
7
100%
43
100%
29
100%
12
100%
1
100%
92
100%
22.8% of the victims were not given a share in the parental property as the victims were
not the ‘right persons’ to be given the share. 21 of the victims were not given property..
Some of them were not even allowed to go for any employment.
TABLE 59: DENIAL OF FREEDOM - NOT GIVEN DUE SHARE OF PARENTAL PROPERTY
Age Not given due share of parental property Total
Not Given
Given
Below 18 0
0%
6
100%
19-30 14
30
31.%
68.2%
31-45 6
23
20.7%
79.3%
45-60 1
11
8.3%
91.7%
61 and above 0
1
0%
100%
Total 21
71
22.8%
77.2%
6
100%
44
100%
29
100%
12
100%
1
100%
92
100%
107

TABLE 60: DENIAL OF FREEDOM: RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT
Age If yes, it is denied by- right of occupation
Yes
No
Total
below 18 1 5 6
16.7% 83.3% 100.0%
19-30 14 31 45
31.1% 68.9% 100.0%
31-45 14 17 31
45.2% 54.8% 100.0%
45-60 3 9 12
25.0% 75.0% 100.0%
61 and above 0 1 1
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 32 63 95
33.7% 66.3% 100.0%
16. 7% of the victims feel that they were punished by giving them in marriage without
their consent. 22.4% of the victims were given in marriage where as 16.7% of the victims
were denied marriage, resulting in further victimization of the victims. 42 (26.9%)
victims were employed at the time of the incident and they were asked to resign after the
incident happened. But those who continued in their jobs also faced some difficulties.
Almost all the victims felt that when they go to their workplaces, for the first time after
the incident, people look at them as if they have committed some serious mistake. When
they go to their offices, victims say that the news regarding the crime might already have
reached their colleagues’ ears and they would be awaited by their colleagues for further
information.
108

Age
TABLE 61: EMPLOYMENT AT THE TIME OF CRIME
Whether you where working at the time of
crime
Yes
below 18 4 9 13
No
Total
30.8% 69.2% 100.0%
19-30 15 49 64
23.4% 76.6% 100.0%
31-45 17 38 55
30.9% 69.1% 100.0%
45-60 6 13 19
31.6% 68.4% 100.0%
61 and above 0 5 5
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 42 114 156
26.9% 73.1% 100.0%
TABLE 62: DIFFICULTIES AT THE WORK PLACE
Age
If yes, did you face any difficulty
after that incident, at the work
place
Yes
Total
below 18 1 6 7
No
14.3% 85.7% 100.0%
19-30 9 23 32
28.1% 71.9% 100.0%
31-45 3 23 26
11.5% 88.5% 100.0%
45-60 3 8 11
27.3% 72.7% 100.0%
61 and above 0 2 2
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 16 62 78
20.5% 79.5% 100.0%
109

TABLE 63: DENIAL OF FREEDOM - MARRIAGE
Age
Denied marriage
Yes
No Total
below 18 1 5 6
16.7% 83.3% 100.0%
19-30 11 30 41
26.8% 73.2% 100.0%
31-45 2 22 24
8.3% 91.7% 100.0%
45-60 0 12 12
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
61 and above 0 1 1
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 14 70 84
16.7% 83.3% 100.0%
TABLE 64: DENIAL OF FREEDOM - FORCEFUL MARRIAGE
Age
Forceful marriage
Yes
No
Total
below 18 2 3 5
40.0% 60.0% 100.0%
19-30 10 32 42
23.8% 76.2% 100.0%
31-45 6 19 25
24.0% 76.0% 100.0%
45-60 1 11 12
8.3% 91.7% 100.0%
61 and above 0 1 1
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 19 66 85
22.4% 77.6% 100.0%
110

TABLE 65: THE FEELING OF VICTIMS REGARDING CONTINUATION OF THEIR LIFE
Age
Did you, at any point of time, feel that there is no meaning
in continuing your life
Yes
below 18 2 10 12
No
Total
16.7% 83.3% 100.0%
19-30 17 43 60
28.3% 71.7% 100.0%
31-45 12 36 48
25.0% 75.0% 100.0%
45-60 5 14 19
26.3% 73.7% 100.0%
61 and above 2 3 5
40.0% 60.0% 100.0%
Total 38 106 144
26.4% 73.6% 100.0%
When basic rights are denied to the victims, they feel disgusted and wish to end their
lives. At least 38 (26.4%) victims felt at one time or the other that there is no meaning in
continuing their lives. Some of the victims, of all age categories, have this feeling. An
emptiness is felt when they are alienated from their immediate society.
TABLE 66: DID MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS’ FAMILY FACE ANY DIFFICULTY
BECAUSE OF THE CRIME
Age
Did members of your family face any difficulty
because of the crime
Yes
No
Total
below 18 5 8 13
38.5% 61.5% 100.0%
19-30 17 45 62
27.4% 72.6% 100.0%
31-45 9 39 48
18.8% 81.3% 100.0%
45-60 2 17 19
10.5% 89.5% 100.0%
61 and above 0 4 4
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 33 113 146
22.6% 77.4% 100.0%
111

The victims’ families were also subjected to trauma as they are forced into taking many
decisions regarding the incident. Immediate feeing of the victims’ family is that they
would be isolated by others. Some parents were saying that they could not face others
owing to the crime committed against their daughters. Crime, small or big, affects parents
similarly. In the study, 22.6% of the victims’ parents or other members of the family
faced difficulties from the society after the incident. 25.5% of the victims are sure that
their family status decreased as a result of the crime. They regret this and the victims say
that it is not easy to bring back the lost status of the family in the near future. 29.5% of
the victims said that their family status had changed and 25.5% of the victim said that
their status had decreased after the crime. 26.8% of the victims are indifferent towards the
change in their status. As most of the victims in this study are less educated victims, they
cannot perceive their changing status, as much as educated women can.
Age
TABLE 67: CHANGING STATUS OF THE VICTIM AFTER THE CRIME
Do you think your status has changed after the
crime
Decreased Same No idea
Total
below 18 6 4 4 14
42.9% 28.6% 28.6% 100.0%
19-30 20 28 17 65
30.8% 43.1% 26.2% 100.0%
31-45 11 30 13 54
20.4% 55.6% 24.1% 100.0%
45-60 3 11 5 19
15.8% 57.9% 26.3% 100.0%
61 and above 0 2 3 5
.0% 40.0% 60.0% 100.0%
Total 40 75 42 157
25.5% 47.8% 26.8% 100.0%
A few women (12.3%) feel that there is a burden on them because of the case
registered in their names, whereas, 67% of the victims are not bothered by the case
registered.
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TABLE 68: CHANGING STATUS OF THE VICTIM’S FAMILY
AFTER THE CRIME
Age
Has your family status changed
Yes
No
Total
below 18 3 6 9
33.3% 66.7% 100.0%
19-30 17 27 44
38.6% 61.4% 100.0%
31-45 11 31 42
26.2% 73.8% 100.0%
45-60 2 14 16
12.5% 87.5% 100.0%
61 and above 0 1 1
.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total 33 79 112
29.5% 70.5% 100.0%
TABLE: 69 THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE OF THE VICTIMS FAMILY
Total
Age
below
18
19-30
31-45
45-60
61 and
above
Direction of change
Decreased Same No idea
Total
5 1 6 12
41.7% 8.3% 50.0% 100.0%
20 15 14 49
40.8% 30.6% 28.6% 100.0%
12 11 6 29
41.4% 37.9% 20.7% 100.0%
3 6 2 11
27.3% 54.5% 18.2% 100.0%
0 3 2 5
.0% 60.0% 40.0% 100.0%
40 36 30 106
37.7% 34.0% 28.3% 100.0%
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TABLE 70: VICTIMS’ RESPONSE OF FEELING GUILTY THAT THEY HAVE A CASE
REGISTERED IN THEIR NAME
Age
Do you feel guilty now that you have a case registered
in your name
Often Sometimes Never
Total
below 18 2 2 9 13
15.4% 15.4% 69.2% 100.0%
19-30 11 17 37 65
16.9% 26.2% 56.9% 100.0%
31-45 4 9 39 52
7.7% 17.3% 75.0% 100.0%
45-60 1 3 15 19
5.3% 15.8% 78.9% 100.0%
61 and above 1 0 4 5
20.0% .0% 80.0% 100.0%
Total 19 31 104 154
12.3% 20.1% 67.5% 100.0%
Age
TABLE 71: VICTIMS’ RESPONSE ON POWERLESSNESS OF
WOMEN IN SOCIETY
Do you think women are powerless in the society
Yes
below 18 3 11 14
No
Total
21.4% 78.6% 100.0%
19-30 20 43 63
31.7% 68.3% 100.0%
31-45 18 34 52
34.6% 65.4% 100.0%
45-60 7 12 19
36.8% 63.2% 100.0%
61 and above 2 2 4
50.0% 50.0% 100.0%
Total 50 102 152
32.9% 67.1% 100.0%
Crimes against women bring a lot of changes in the life of the individual and the
family. Police and the family provide protection to the individual but the trauma has to be
borne by the individual herself. Legal system protects the victim to a great extent but
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awareness regarding such systems have to be provided. Only 32.9% of the respondents
in this study know that women are powerless in the society. In fact, almost all the women
in this study are powerless as justice is denied to them. Most of the cases registered for
the victims in this study, are in the process of completion and many cases are not
registered at all. Even then, if women feel that they have some power, shows their
ignorance and that of the society of the society of which they are a part.
One can infer that social isolation is both immediate and long term. The victims of
this study face more of short term isolation and long term isolation is met only by few
people. Family support is provided to majority of the victims though they are denied
basic rights. Domestic violence and social isolation are not positively correlated whereas
the crimes like molestation, sexual abuse and eve teasing are correlated with social
isolation.
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CHAPTER VII
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
W
omen were considered secondary citizens from time immemorial and their status
remains almost the same in contemporary society. Throughout history, the
position of women has been low except at certain points in time, where one can see that
women were treated equally with men or even considered superior to them. Due to their
inferior position in the society, they are not treated with dignity and often are seen as
commodities to do menial jobs for men or to satisfy men and procure children for the
continuity of their families.
Men, for the convenience of society, created all the social institutions, and women
did not have a role in this process of social construction. Being at the helm of the affairs,
men limited the freedom of thought for women. They were the appendices of men and
were not allowed to express their independence or individuality. They were not treated as
human beings on many occasions. The consequence of this is the ill treatment of women
by the entire society. She has to suffer in the name of custom and traditions, her mind is
oppressed and society does not come forward to safeguard her interests.
This is not just the story of the past. In contemporary society too women are
suffering inspite of the fact that there are several measures available to protect them.
Legal system spearheads the available laws to counter violence against women. There are
hundreds of NGOs working for the upliftment of women. Despite this, women are treated
cruelly by the society, which is manifest in the form of crime against women. The present
study notes that the crimes against women are increasing in all the regions and in all the
age categories. Another factor that is noted is that the types of crimes are also increasing.
There are several types of crimes directed towards women starting from the light
ones to the severe ones. Common forms of crimes against women are domestic violence,
different types of molestation like mental and physical abuse including sexual abuse, eve
teasing of different types, disturbance of girls at public places, black mailing, cheating,
murder and old age abuse.
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Kerala, one of the highly developed states of India in terms of literacy and low
infant and maternal mortality rate, is witnessing an increase in the rate of crime against
women over a period of time. Government and voluntary agencies are doing their level
best to wipe out this indecent or negative indicator of development but this is only
increasing day by day. Every day in the newspaper reports at least two to three rape and
child abuse cases apart from other small level crimes against women. The Government of
Kerala initiated a study to measure and curb the crimes against women. After a thorough
analysis of the available literature the following objectives were framed.
To study
1. Socio-economic background of the women who faced crime
2. Typography of crimes against women in Kerala
3. The extent of victims’ legal awareness on crime against women
4. The social isolation faced by victims in the society such as denial of jobs and other
services.
5. The life after the incident –Economic, social and emotional
6. The main factors responsible for committing the crime against women
7. To find out solutions to reduce the crime against women
This is a prescriptive study aimed to find causes and tried to find solutions either
from the public, or from the social workers or from the police officers or from the victim
themselves. The universe was Kerala. A cross section of the population is included in the
sample. Sample size included mainly the victims and police officials but a small size of
social workers and general public were included to have a holistic picture of the crime
against women. Data were collected from 181 victims, 197 police officers, 40 social
workers and 44 general public coming to a total sample size of 462. Keeping the
objectives in mind, tools and techniques were decided after a pilot study of the universe.
As the data are to be collected from the victims and others it was necessary to prepare
two interview schedules and an interview guide for Focus Group Discussion.
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All the tools were administered after the pretest and after a thorough discussion
with the team members. Data were collected from ten police station areas across Kerala
to get a representative sample of the respondents. The police stations selected were:
1. Thampannoor, (Trivandrum) city
2. Vithura (Trivandrum) Rural
3. Kollam East
4. Kadackal (Kollam) Rural
5. Cherthala (Alapuzha)
6. Perunadu (Pathanamthitta)
7. Mundakayam (Kottayam)
8. Kaliyar (Idikki)
9. Nadakkavu (Calicut) and
10. Malappuram Town.
Respondents included victims/complainants and the police officials, apart from
social workers and general public, in order to get a holistic picture of the crimes against
women. 181 victims, 197 police officials, 45 general public and 41 social workers were
selected using purposive random sampling.
The data thus collected were processed by SPSS package using the age and
literacy level of the victims, and for others, the main variable was the population
category, viz. police officials, social workers and general public. Results are categorised
into five parts; first, the socio-economic background of the victims; second, the nature
and causes of crimes against women; third, the legal awareness of the victims; fourth,
the social isolation and freedoms victims experience in the society; and last, the
solutions and the recommendations for reducing crime against women as given by the
respondents and from the perspective of the investigator, in the light of this study.
A look at the socio-economic background reveals that most of the respondents are
from the lower socio-economic strata which show that the crimes against women are
more common among them or the-crimes among other strata are not visible in the
society. The views of the public, social workers and police officials are that the latter is
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the fact as majority of the middle class and upper class will not report the crime due to
factors like status, prestige of the family, complexes, etc. From the present study one can
infer the following conclusion regarding the socio-economic background of the
victims.(for the sake of convenience here victims are referred as victims and police
officials, social workers and general public are referred together as respondents)
I. SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE VICTIMS:
• Rate of crimes against women are increasing.
• Crime against women is universal
• Violence or crime is seen in all age categories but the maximum is found in the
age group of 18-40 years as per this study
• A considerable number of crimes are seen among the girls who are below 18
years.
• Religion has no impact on the crime against women as it is found in all religions in
equal proportions.
• Crime on women are more seen among the BC and SC/STs
• Crime is seen more among the less educated women.
• 12.5% victims are graduates and the rest have only school level education or no
education.
• Majority (47.27%) of the victims have a monthly earning of only 1000-5000
rupees.
• 16.36% of the victims belong to income group of above 10000 rupees category.
• 73.9% of the victims are married and 15.9% of the victims are single. There are a
few widows and separated women.
• Occupational background shows that majority of the victims are daily wage
labourers followed by housewives.
• Police officials, social workers and general public agree that the crime rate has
increased in the last ten years.
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• Police officials, social workers and general public were more concerned about the
increasing crime rate among the old and children.
II. NATURE AND CAUSES OF CRIMES
• 51.4% of the crimes are related to domestic crimes.
• Direct and indirect domestic violence exists.
• Poverty coupled with alcoholism are the root causes for crimes against women
• Various types of sexual assaults from eve teasing to rape come under the category
of crime against women.
• Child abuse and old age abuse are seen in Kerala which were not registered in the
past
• Cheating and blackmailing are additional crimes.
• Women who are vulnerable are those who are between 16-30 years according to
police officials and social workers. .
• Domestic violence is seen more among the women who are between 26 to 40
years. (44.9%)
• Sexual assaults are more among the women who are in the age group of 16-30
years.
Direct domestic violence seen in the present study are
‐ Wife beating
‐ Verbal abuse
‐ Denial of food
‐ Driving away the wife from the house
‐ Asking the wife to bring more money from her parental house
‐ Blackmailing in the name of past
Indirect domestic violences are :
‐ Sending the wife for jobs which she doesn’t like
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‐ Beating and abusing the children.
‐ Relatives of the wives are abused
‐ Going away from the house.
Sexual assaults include
‐ Eve teasing
‐ Cracking jokes in the presence of girls/women
‐ Touching whenever there is an opportunity
‐ Non verbal actions- touching, looking and other types of body languagetowards
girls/women
‐ Rape ( 12.3% in the present study) both common and within the marriage
Girl children abuses are
‐ Touching and playing with the private parts of girl children
‐ Rape
Old age abuse include
‐ Blackmailing
‐ Verbal abuse
‐ Cheating
‐ Driving away from the house
‐ Denial of basic necessities like food, clothing, place to live, etc.
Other forms of crimes are
‐ Cyber crimes
‐ Neighbourhood conflicts
‐ Street conflict
‐ Conflict at the work place
• Among the crimes registered in the police stations the highest is domestic
violence . Domestic violence and dowry problems together come to 42.6%.
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• Registered rape, molestation and sexual assault are 13.3%, 12.0% and 9.6%
respectively.
• 8.8% of the registered cases are cyber related crimes.
• Other crimes registered in the police stations include child abuse, eve teasing,
robberies, black mailing and one case of women murder.
CAUSES FOR CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN
• General causes are poverty and alcoholism
• Most of the crimes in the study area have direct causes
• Indirect causes like anger, jealousy, revenge etc are not seen in the study area
• 99.6% of the respondents say that alcoholism is the main cause of crime against
women
• 87% of the respondents mention abuse of drugs as the cause of crimes against
women
• Income of the accused and the crime on women are correlated. Lesser the income
more the hatred to the women in the family
• 91.9% of the respondents (Police officials, social workers and general public) say
that there is a negative correlation between good family background and crime
against women. By good family background one refers to good value system
(respect for women, the old etc) and good social control mechanisms ( religion,
family values etc)
• Educated men show fewer tendencies to attack women. 56.7% of the respondents
say that the higher the educational status of men in a social group lesser the
number of crime committed by them against women.
• There is no correlation between the region and crime against women.
Other causes that emerged during the FGD
• Erosion of societal values
• Religion’s role in the individual’s life is reduced
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• Pressure of nuclear families such as: a. going behind money, b. feeling of poverty
by comparisons, c. diseases, d. frustrations, e. no sincere relationships.
• Cutting the boundaries of male- female relationships
• Alcoholism among the women
• Economic independence of women
• Women are not aware of their position.
• Lack of self-satisfaction
• No respect to the opposite sex
• Homosexuality
• No proper socialisation and as a result of this children are going away
• Families are engaged in parties and other activities and children follow the same
without understanding the context.
• Erosion of good values in the family such as sincere love, respect to members,
responsibility, patience, etc.
• Pregnancy and abortion before marriage
• Behavioural problem of the partners.
• Extra-marital relationships and its consequences.
• Slavery to mobile phones and Internet.
• Valueless education
• Lack of proper sex education
• Misunderstanding about sex
• Unnecessary celebrations
• Deterioration of societal values because of changing political scenario
• Belief that women are free and therefore she can do anything
• Going for employment outside the country without clearing all the papers
• Men above the age of 50 are not getting the expected satisfaction from their wives
and go to ‘other women’ for sexual satisfaction.
• Behaviour of the conductors in the private buses. (99%)
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• Dressing pattern of women
• Men are protected in the society and boys are protected by parents
• Use of mobile phones by young girls and boys
• Misuse of memory cards in mobile phones
• The present laws are not strong enough to take action against the culprits
• Use of media
• High consumerism
• Many women have begun responding to the crimes against them. This irritates
men and initiates them to commit more crimes on women
• Availability of pornographic films, especially to boys.
• Tutorial colleges of the area, private buses, train journey etc.
III. VICTIMS AND THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS
• Women are protected by a strong legal system
• Creation of KELSA is a boon for women victims
• Police department is a friendly institution today
• Majority of the police officials are more friendly and helpful than in the past
which is reflected in the changing attitude of the people towards police
• Only 58.6% of the women victims register immediately after the crime is
committed on them
• Not all the crimes committed against women are registered. As per the police not
even 40% are registered and social workers say that only 30% are registered
• Political parties interfere in the cases and it becomes a big issue for the victim,
accused and the police.
• In many cases, it is found that victims can go to the police station only with the
help of members of the Panchayat.
• Police try to do justice but their hands are tied because of the interference of
politicians.
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• Women are reluctant to go to the police station for the fear of the society.
• Police have to win over the confidence of people so that more people seek the help
of police.
• Women police officers have to change their attitude towards the victims and
accompanying persons, as majority of the respondents say that women police
officers are more “stiff” when compared with their male counterparts.
• Police officers and social workers enlighten the victims and her relatives regarding
the laws and other aspects of the case.
• People are concerned about the inordinate delay in the legal proceedings.
• 28.9% of the police officers, 28.6% of the social workers and 8.8% of the public
say that all the cases registered will be disposed. But the rest of the respondents
are not sure about this as they say that most cases are dropped in between by the
parties due to reasons unknown to them.
• Public has a strong feeling that they will not get justice in the police stations.
• Many a time, the accused is given bail for strong cases and the cases are usually
diluted afterwards.
• Cases of domestic violence are ‘settled’ by compromise which does not have any
positive impact on the life of the victim.
• 80.4% of the victims know that they have to register a case with the police if they
are faced with any type of crime.
• Victims say that they have problems in registering cases and going to the police
such as fear, ignorance, status of the family, suppression etc.
• 80.4% of the victims reported to the police on their own.
• 91.5% of the victims know the basic rights and privileges of a woman who meets
with a crime for no fault of hers.
• Family support is seen for more than 80% of the victims.
• 34% of the victims faced threats from either family or society. 42% of the threats
are from the family itself.
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• 81% of the victims are aware that the state has a role to play in the protection of
the women victims.
• 73.8% of the victims are aware about the existence of laws to protect women, who
have not committed any crime but are used by others as an object of crime.
• 66.3% of the victims are not aware of the existence of KELSA
IV. WOMEN AFTER THE CRIME: SOCIAL ISOLATION, LOSS OF
INDEPENDENCE AND CURTAILMENT OF FREEDOM
• The victims shy away from the public and prefer to stay alone
• Initial emotional isolation is seen to be universal in all the victims
• Victims need strong support system along with counselling during this time.
• Negative self image may develop during this time
• Physical and mental health will decrease during the period of isolation.
• Formal and informal counselling will help the victims to return to normalcy
• Police officers, social workers and public provide counselling.
• Fear is the first reaction of the victim towards social isolation
• The age group which faces maximum isolation is that of ‘below 18 years’
• 85% of the victims received some form of counselling but only 22% are benefitted
from counselling so as to return to normalcy
• 75.5% of the victims received the support of family but only 52.8% returned to
normalcy through the support of family
• 27% of the victims feel that they were isolated completely by the society
• Among the persons who were isolated, 20% are isolated by their parents, 45.3%
by other family members and 34.7% by the community
• For most of the victims who were supported by their family, the support is
peripheral and very often they are teased by the members of the family in the
name of the crime met by the victim.
• 34.8% of the victims were denied of freedom in one way or the other
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• The denial of freedom was expressed by:
‐ Forced to leave the home (36.3%)
‐ Not permitted to go in front of others ( 43.0%)
‐ Denial of food ( 21.1%)
‐ Denial of education (22.6%)
‐ Not permitted to move around (44.0%)
‐ Not permitted to go for auspicious occasions (37.0%)
‐ Not given due share in parental property (22.8%
‐ Denied right to employment (33.7%)
‐ Forceful marriage (22.4%)
‐ Denial of marriage (16.7%)
• 26.9% of the victims were working at the time of crime
• Among them 20.5% had difficulties in the work place after the incident
• 40% of the victims felt that there is no meaning in continuing their lives
• 22.6% of the victims’ families say that they are affected by the crime
• 22.5% of the victims’ family say that they lost their previous social status due to
the crime.
• Many women are of the opinion that women are powerless today inspite of the
measures taken by the Government, civil society and public.
V. SUGGESTIONS GIVEN BY THE VICTIMS AND RESPONDENTS
• Use of alcohol is to be considerably reduced
• Beverages Corporation has to frame laws regarding sale of alcohol so that boys
below the age of 20 are not given to alcohol.
• Number of outlets is to be reduced.
• Use of drugs is to be banned
• Dressing pattern of the girls can be modest to protect them.
• Bus conductors should be strictly warned to behave properly with girls.
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• Tutorial college is another canter of crime against girls. Staff of tutorial colleges
use the girls for mild to serious crimes on girls. Therefore they should be
monitored or they should be warned so that they behave properly.
• Value education in families, schools and religious institutions.
• The use of Internet and mobile phones are to be controlled by parents
• Children are to be taken care of by the parents to avoid child abuse.
• Children are to be given strict instructions with regard to child abuse.
• Interaction between parents and children are to be made a regular practice.
• Men, over 50 years, who are wandering in public places - near the bus stops,
railway stations, religious institutions etc- may be monitored.
• Auto drivers may be given strict instruction on how to behave with girls and
women.
• Mass awareness programmes are to be conducted for different sections of people.
(In schools, households, for auto drivers etc.)
• Every two months concerned people should be provided awareness programmes.
• Sex rackets in the near by areas (eg; near the Thampanoor Bus Stand) are to be
wiped off
• Education is to be given utmost importance.
• Women can avoid wearing gold ornaments.
• Girls can avoid going alone in the night and early morning.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Government should frame a strict policy regarding the structure and functions of
the Beverages Corporation.
• Beverages outlets in the rural areas are a nuisance for the girls and the women who
use the pathways nearby or stay near the outlets.
• Use of drugs is to be totally banned and people who sell or buy drugs should be
punished.
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• The institutions and organisations who employ boys and men are to be oriented
towards the consequences of crime against women
• Training and orientation programmes may be given periodically to private bus
drivers, conductors and cleaners. Auto drivers may also be included in this
category. (This problem is more in the rural areas. In Trivandrum, Valiyasala area
is notorious).
• Shop owners who employ girls should be punished on the spot if they are found
misbehaving.
• Police beat may be given in front of schools and colleges to check antisocial
elements.
• As part of school linkage programme, Government can take up programmes to
enlighten girls regarding the provisions available to protect them from crimes
against women.
• KELSA should come forward to provide mass level awareness programme to
various categories of women.
• More police beats to be employed in and around Thampanoor bus station,
especially after 7.00 pm and during early hours, owing to the considerable number
of women and girl passengers who travel during this period of time..
• Janamaithry police stations can be provided more personnel so that work can be
effective and satisfactory.
• Police have to take the public in confidence so that the people, especially women,
come forward to express their grievances.
• Women police officers should be more friendly with the women victims
• Police officials may be given training on the victims’ psychological state of mind
once the crime is committed.
• Government may take the initiative to make counselling more scientific and
systematic.
• Police officers should be given training for counselling.
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• Residential associations may be made active so that men and women can be
enlightened to respect women which would reduce domestic violence. In the rural
areas and lower income residential areas, social workers and government officials
may be given periodic talks to reduce domestic violence. Anganvadies can be the
venue for such talks.
• Installation of a toll free number so that women can seek help whenever required.
• Anti Sexual Harassment cell to be strengthened in all schools, colleges and offices.
• A separate cell consisting of a police officer, advocate, social worker and medical
practitioner to be formed in all areas to help the victims.
• Judicial system must see to it that the cases are quickly disposed, women get
justice and the accused are punished.
130