response can help victims leave a violent relationship or, conversely, the
victim, believing that nothing and no one can assist them, may remain in
an abusive, violent setting.
A. Reasons for violence against Women
Violence against women is a violation of their dignity, safety and human
rights. The problem is immense and multi dimensional, particularly with
regard to dowry harassment, rape and domestic violence. Yet it is often
seen as a private matter, something that goes on behind closed doors. The
Police, it is believed, need not interfere in the personal matters of the people
and does not have a specified role, unless women actually reach out for
help.
Police, does not work in a vacuum, they are a part of the society and are as
much likely to be influenced by the societal trends, like others. The
patriarchal mindset which is there in the society is reflected in the attitude,
mindset and behaviour of the policemen, so when women victims or their
families reach out to the police for help, the tendency is to blame the women
for the misdeeds that have occurred with them. This is particularly true
for the cases of rape, domestic violence and honour killings. The response
of the police force is often guided by the prevailing mindset.
Another reason why the police does not respond in time or does not respond
at all to the complaints is due to the widespread corrupt practices like
bribery and influential connections. They tend to overlook or hush up the
matter.
B. Dowry Harassment
Payment of a dowry gift—often financial, has a long history in many parts
of the world, including India. There are civil laws, criminal laws and special
legislative acts in the country against the tradition of Dowry. Someone
accused of taking dowry is therefore subject to a multiplicity of legal
processes. The payment of a dowry was prohibited in 1961 under Indian
Civil Law. Subsequently, Sections 304B and 498 A of the Indian Penal Code
were enacted to make it easier for the wife to seek redress from potential
harassment by the husband’s family.
The cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act have increased (in the year
2009) by 1.7% as compared to the previous year (5,555). 24.1% cases were
reported from Andhra Pradesh (1,362) followed by Bihar (1,252) accounting
Manual on Human Rights for Police Officers
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