•
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
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