KARNATAKA - of Planning Commission

Karnataka Human Development Report 2005TABLE 8.13Percentage of ever married women involved in household decision-making,freedom of movement and access to money: Southern statesStateNotinvolvedin anydecisionmakingWhatto cookInvolved in decision-making on: Who do not needpermission forOwnhealthcarePurchasingjewelleryetc.Stayingwith herparents/siblingsGoingto themarketVisitingfriends/relativesAccessto moneyIndia 9.4 85.1 51.6 52.6 48.1 31.6 24.4 59.6Andhra Pradesh 7.4 86.2 56.1 61.4 57.7 20.1 14.6 57.7Karnataka 8.1 88.4 49.3 47.3 44.5 43.0 34.3 67.0Kerala 7.2 80.9 72.6 63.4 59.7 47.7 37.9 66.2Tamil Nadu 2.4 92.1 61.1 67.4 62.4 78.5 55.9 79.0Source: NFHS-2 India (1998-99): Table 3.12, page 70.StateTABLE 8.14Percentage of ever married women who have been physically abused:Southern statesBeaten orphysicallymistreatedsince age 15Percentage beaten or physicallymistreated since age 15 byHusbands In-laws Other personsBeaten or physicallymistreated in thepast 12 monthsIndia 21 18.8 1.8 3.1 11Andhra Pradesh 23.2 21.2 2.8 2 12.8Karnataka 21.5 19.7 1.1 2.2 9.9Kerala 10.2 7.5 0.2 3.2 3.5Tamil Nadu 40.4 36 0.5 9 16.1Source: NFHS-2 India (1998-99): Table 3.16, page 79.in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh – if this cancount as a positive trend (Table 8.14).Data on crimes against women (Table 8.15)indicates there is little correlation between thenumber of registered crimes in police recordsand the widespread nature of violence againstwomen across social institutions. The fact thatcrimes against women are under-represented inoffi cial records points to the diffi culties womenexperience in reporting crimes and the resistanceof public authorities to taking legal cognisance ofoffences against women. However, one categoryof crimes i.e. a category of deaths exclusively ofwomen – mainly young, newly married women– has emerged in the public consciousness due tothe efforts of women’s groups and NGOs. In policerecords, they are classifi ed under three specifi ccategories, which invoke different sections of thelaw. These are ‘dowry murders’ (committed by thewoman's husband or members of his family foradditional dowry or non-payment of promiseddowry); ‘suicides’ (forced or voluntary, but in mostcases related to dowry demands); and ‘accidents’(a majority classifi ed under ‘stove burst’ or ‘kitchenaccident’). Deaths under these three categoriesadd up to an alarming fi gure (Vimochana, 1999).Also, in the early phase of the study, as it collatedpolice statistics, Vimochana, an NGO, noted a majoranomaly between its fi gures and those of the police.The fact that crimesagainst women areunder-represented inofficial records points tothe difficulties womenexperience in reportingcrimes and the resistanceof public authorities totaking legal cognisance ofoffences against women.185