• For emergency complaints the Control Room 100 can be contacted. 3. Review Mere existence of the provisions of law does not, however, work unless there is will to implement them vigorously. As a result a large number of cases go unreported or do not enter within the domain of the law. The Dowry Prohibition Amendment Act, 1986, enjoins the state government to appoint dowry prohibition officers u/s 8(b) with a hope that dowry prohibition officers would render assistance to persons subjected to dowry demands and help in collection of evidence and prosecution of the offenders. The fact remains that dowry prohibition officers are not functioning in most of the states.19 While for long, Section 498 – A, helped disadvantaged women to fight against harassment, in the past few years courts have come across various incidents, where women have misused it to harass the members of their matrimonial homes and to extort money from them. Police is expected to play their role vigilantly in such cases. A thorough investigation must be done before booking someone under the Section by the police.20 While discharging their duties towards women, the policemen, must not violate the rights of accused. C. Domestic Violence Domestic violence includes physical, psychological and sexual attacks against women in the home or within a family context. It can include violence towards a woman by a family member other than the husband (such as a son, mother-in-law or other relatives) and also violence perpetrated by the husband, which is sometimes referred to as “spousal abuse”. In spousal abuse, violence against women is about the abusive use of power and control, with the violence sometimes being directed not only towards a woman in an intimate relationship, but also towards her children, relatives, friends, family and other supporters. 19 Human Rights and Inhuman Wrongs - Sen,Sankar; Saujanya Books, 2010 20 Delhi HC pulled up the Delhi Police for registering a case of dowry against a person without carrying out a proper probe. Court noted that the law is being misused with innocent family members of the husband also being booked under the provision. Misuse of dowry law sparks concern- TOI, Times City, 8/3/11 Manual on Human Rights for Police Officers 35