Lockdown and Domestic Violence – A Nationwide Increase
Category : COVID-19 | Sub Category : Lockdown Posted on 2020-04-30 00:00:51
According to
many Criminologists across the world like Gabriel Tarde, Bonger and others;
social crimes occur more during times of Pandemic or war or economic
turbulences. During the Industrial Revolution in the UK in the 1880s, many
manual labourers lost jobs. At that time domestic violence increased in the
country. Due to lack of adequate salary during Lockdown period in India from
April 2020, food and clothing got constricted and families compromised with
bare necessities. From the time Lockdown started in India, majorities of
families are in mental depression. The COVID 19 Pandemic has categorically
brought the economy to a standstill position.
Employees of
private companies are working online and balancing the domestic needs at odd
hours of the day. The result is serious mental unrest and quarrels with wife
and children. The childline India received more than 92000 calls in the last 20
days in Northern states in India. While the fathers who are capable of using
physical force are in the houses for more hours and the victims, the wives and
children are helpless and cannot go out. The National Commission for Women
(NCW) received more number of complaints about the last 25 days than before.
Between March
23rd 2020, to April 1st 2020, 257 complaints were filed before the National
Commission for Women (NCW). That shows with an increase of lockdown, the
frustration of bread earners are badly delegated to the wives and children.
Both the vulnerable groups are helpless.
Neither are the
women and children being able to make private calls to the police, neither can
they go to alternative friends or relatives homes as lockdown resulted in lack
of public transport. The helplessness is increasing and increasing. Other
countries like Brazil, China, and Italy are facing the same problems. In recent
Workshop on Social Justice Day on 20th February 2020, the stakeholders echoed
the same sentiments although the COVID 19 Lockdown did not start at that time.
Krish Das, Deputy Secretary, US Consulate General, introduced the workshop and
said the problem of domestic violence is not only the problem of India or
developing countries but is a problem of capitalist countries like the USA,
Canada and also Japan. At the end of the Workshop, there was a panel discussion
where the panellists included Dr Souvik Chatterji (HOD, Law, JISU), Advocate of
Minority affairs and Member of Social organization. It was said that laws are
enacted for social change but the success of the laws are dependent on the
change of mindset of the society.
As far as
solutions are concerned certain states in India like Kerala have created a WhatsApp
number to lodge complaints against domestic violence during Lockdown period.
The 24-hour helpline is started by Directorate of Women and Child Development.
Even the Chairperson Leela Ganguly, Chairperson (West Bengal Commission for
Women’s rights), has given her helpline number to victims of domestic violence
on 11th April 2020.
The husbands and
alleged offenders in every house require serious counselling. Lockdown due to
COVID-19 is an emergency. Nothing is there in the hands of the wives and
children. So there is no point in abusing them and create a situation where
life looks more miserable to them. Frequent seminar, workshops and online
webinars should be conducted to reach the message to millions of Indians.
By: Dr Souvik Chatterji (Associate Professor and HOD, Department of Juridical Sciences, JIS University)
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