Domestic Violence Act, 2005

An overview of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005

2. NEED FOR THE ACT
DomesticViolenceisundoubtedlyanissue
regardingtheHumanRights&aseriousbridle
todevelopment.Thephenomenonofdomestic
Violenceiswidelyprevalentbuthasremained
largelydeceptiveinpublic.
ThecivilLawdoesnotaddressthis
phenomenoninitsentirety.Inordertoprovide
aremedyinthecivillawfortheprotectionof
womenfrombeingsuffererofthedomestic
violenceandtoavertdomesticviolenceinthe
society“THEPROTECTIONOFDOMESTIC
VIOLENCEACT”wasintroducedandcame
intoforcein2005.Itguaranteesarticle
14,15,and21oftheIndianConstitution.

3. IDENTIFYTHEACTSOFDOMESTICVIOLENCE
PhysicalViolence
•Beating,
•Slapping,
•Hitting,
•Biting,
•Kicking,
•Punching,
•Pushing,
•Shoving,or
•Causingbodilyinjuryorpaininanyothermanner.

5. •ForcedIntercourse,
•Forcedyoutolookatpornographyoranyother
obscenepicturesormaterials,
•Anyactofsexualnaturetoabuse,humiliateor
degradeyouorwhichisotherwisevioliativeofyour
dignityoranyotherunwelcomeconductofsexual
nature,
•ChildSexualabuse.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE

6. VERBAL & EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE
•Insults
•Namecalling
•Accusationsonyourcharacterorconductetc.
•Insultsfornothavinganymalechild
•Insultsfornotbringingdowryetc.
•YellingandScreaming
•Preventingyouorthechildinyourcustodyfrom
attendingschool,collegeoranyothereducational
institutions.

7. Contd:
•Preventingyoufromtakingupajob,
•Forcingyoutoleavejob,
•Preventingyouorthechildinyourcustodyfromleaving
home,
•Preventingyoufrommeetinganypersoninnormalcourse
ofevents,
•Forcingyoutomarrywhenyouarenotwillingto,
•Preventingyoufrommarryingapersonofyourown
choice,
•Forcingyoutomarryaparticularpersonofhis/their
choice,
•Threattocommitsuicide,
•Anyotherverbaloremotionalabuse.

8. ECONOMIC VIOLENCE
•Notprovidingyoumoneyformaintainingyouoryour
children,
•Notprovidingfood,shelter,medicinesetc.foryouoryour
children,
•Stoppingyoufromcarryingonyouremploymentor,
•Disturbingyouincarryingonyouremployment,
•Notallowingyoutotakeupanemployment,
•Takingawayyoursalary,income,wagesetc.,
•Forcingyououtofthehouseyoulivein,
•Stoppingyoufromusingoraccessinganypartofthe
house,
•Notallowinguseofclothes,articlesorthingsofgeneral
householduse
•Notpayingrentifstayingarentedaccommodationetc.

9. WHO IS THE VICTIM ? (AGGRIEVED PERSON)
Everywomen (aggrieved
person)orachildwhois,orhas
been,inadomesticrelationship
with the perpetrator
(respondent)ofthedomestic
violencecantakehelpofthe
PWDVACT,2005.

10. WHO IS THE ABUSER/ PERPETRATOR OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Anyperson(perpetrator)whois,orhasbeen,in
adomesticrelationshipwiththeaggrieved
person(victim).
Alsoanaggrievedwifeorfemalelivingina
relationshipinthenatureofamarriagemayalso
fileacomplaintagainstarelativeofthehusband
orthemalepartner.

11. DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIP
Arelationshipbetweentwopersonswholiveor
have,atanyoftime,livedtogetherinashared
household,whentheyarerelatedby
consanguinity(blood),marriage,orthrougha
relationshipinnatureofamarriage,adoptionor
arefamilymemberslivingtogetherasajoint
family.

12. SHARED HOUSEHOLD
AHouseholdwherethevictimlivesoratanystageoftime,
havelivedwithinadomesticrelationshipeithersinglyor
alongwiththeperpetratorandincludessuchhouseholds
whether
•Owned,
•Tenantedeitherjointlybythevictimandtheperpetrator,
•Orownedortenantedbyeitheroftheminrespectofwhich
eitherofthemorbothjointlyorsinglyhaveanyright,title,
interestorequityandincludessuchahouseholdwhichmay
belongtothejointfamilyofwhichtheperpetratorisa
member,irrespectiveofwhethertheperpetrator(respondent)
orthevictim(aggrievedperson)hasanyright,titleorinterest
inthesharedhousehold.

13. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ?
•Raiseyourvoice.
•Talktoyourfriendsandrelativesaboutit.
•TakethehelpofanNGOorpolice.
•Takethehelpoftheprotectionofwomenagainst
domesticviolenceact,2005(PWDVACT,2005)and
contacttheprotectionofficerofyourareaandregister
DIR(DomesticIncidentReport).
•Youcanalsogodirectlytothemagistrate.

14. HOW LAW CAN HELP YOU ?
UnderthePWDVAct,2005youcangetthefollowing
reliefs/orders:
•Protection(fromanyactofdomesticviolence)order
•Residenceorders–righttoreside.
•Monetaryreliefs.
•Custodyorders.
•Compensationorders.
•Interimandex-parteorders.

15. CASE LAW: SURESH v. JAIBIR (2009)
Themagistrateisnotonlyempoweredtogrant
monetaryreliefwhilefinallydisposingoffan
applicationundersubsection(1)ofsection12ofthe
act,butempoweredtograntmaintenancetothe
aggrievedpersonasaninterimarrangementduring
thependencyoftheapplicationbywayofpassingan
interimorder.

16. WHERE YOU CAN FILE A CASE AGAINST THE
PERPETRATOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ?
Youcanfileacaseinthecourtofjudicial
magistrateoffirstclassorthemetropolitan
magistratewithinthelocallimitsofthearea
where:
1.You,permanentlyortemporarilyresidesor
carryonbusinessoremployed;or
2.Wheretheperpetratorpermanentlyor
temporarilyresidesorcarryonbusinessor
employed;or
3.Thecauseofactionhadtakenplace.

17. HOW CAN YOU CLAIM ORDERS/RELIEFS ?
AGGRIEVED PERSON
PROTECTION
OFFICER (DIR)
SERIVICE
PROVIDER
POLICE
STATION
MAGISTRATE
PERSON INCHARGE
OF MEDICAL
FACILITY
MAGISTRATE
1.Within3daysofreceiptoftheapplicationbythecourt,firstdateofhearingisfixed.
2.Noticeofthedateofhearingshallbeservedtotherespondent,withintwodaysofits
receiptfromthemagistrate,bytheprotectionofficer.
3.Ifrequiredex-parteorinterimordersarepassed.
4.ThemagistrateshallEndeavourtodisposeoffeveryapplicationwithin60daysoffrom
thedateofitsfirsthearing.
5.Thereshalllieanappealtocourtofsessionwithin30daysoftheserviceoftheorderto
anyoftheparties.

18. CASE LAW: PRECELINE GEORGE (Dr.) V. STATE
OF KERELA 2010 (5) CRJ 195 (KER)
•Noticeoftheapplicationfiledundersection12oftheact
shallbeservedasprovidedinthesection13,complying
withtheprocedurelaiddowninrule12oftheprotection
ofwomenfromdomesticviolencerules.Alsothenoticeto
beservedontherespondentshallbeaccompaniedbycopy
ofapplicationfiledundersections12and23ifany.
•Themagistratecanpassinterimordersundersection
23(1)exparte.Butthatexparteordercouldbepassed
onlyafterserviceofnoticeasprovidedunderrule12(3).
•Ifonserviceofnotice,therespondentfailstoappear,
Magistrateistopassafinalexparteinterimorderunder
section23(1)withorwithoutmodificationsofthead
interimorder.

19. PWDV ACT, 2005 –A BROADER INTERPRETATION
TheProtectionofWomenagainstDomesticViolence
act,2005needstobeinterpretedwithmuchmore
rationalityandopen-mindedness.
ThefactisthatmostmenthinkthatthePWDVact,2005
isagainstthem,whichisnotso.Thisactisagainst
Violence.Thepointisdoesthetroubledwomanhavethe
power,supportandnegotiatingabilitiestostopthe
violencemetedoutonher?Weneedtochangeour
perspectivetowardsthisAct.
Wealwaystalkaboutthemisuseoflaw;whynottalk
aboutitsproperuse.Thespiritandobjectiveofthislaw
needstobeunderstood.Sadly,mostwomenarenot
awareofthebenefitsofthislaw.

20. IS PWDV ACT, 2005 CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD
PROPERLY ?
Domesticviolenceisaconceptwhicheventhepoliceoftenfinds
difficulttounderstandandinterpret.Thepolicedonotunderstand
theirrole.
AccordingtotheHumanRightsandFamilyCourtlawyer,Mr.
AsimSorode,thejudiciary'sinabilitytocorrectlyinterpretthe
natureofviolenceorharassmentfacedbyawomanisalsoa
lacuna.Hefurthersaysthatveryoften,judgesconcerneddonot
understandtheapplicationofDVA.Mostofthemarenotawareor
aresensitiveenoughtounderstandissuesofdomesticviolence.
Thenatureofmentalharassmentinsuchacasecannotbe
measured.Thislawallowsauditingofthevarioustypesof
harassment,butthefocusisoftenononlyphysicalharassment.
Mental,sexualandeconomicharassmentarenottakenseriously
bythejudgesthemselvesbecausethevictimcannotalways
produceevidenceforthesame.Understandingawomanasa
humanbeinginarelationshipisveryimportant,butthisisnot
happeningandleadingtocontradictoryjudgments.

21. CRITICISM TO THE ACT
•Men'sorganizationssuchasSaveIndianFamilyandSaveFamily
Foundationhavecriticisedthelawsinceabusedmenarenot
covered.Moreover,itmightbeabusedbywomenandtheirfamilies
duringfamilydisputes.
•AccordingtothepresidentofIndia,PratibhaDevisinghPatil,
"Anotherdisquietingtrendhasbeenthatwomenthemselveshavenot
beeninnocentofabusingwomen.Attimeswomenhaveplayedan
unsavoury,catalyticroleinperpetratingviolencewhetheragainstthe
daughter-in-law,themother-in-laworfemaledomestichelps.
Instancesexistwherebyprotectivelegalprovisionsforthebenefitof
womenhavebeensubjectedtodistortionandmisusetowreakpetty
vengeanceandtosettlescores.Somesurveyshaveconcludedthat6
to10percentofdowrycomplaintsarefalseandwereregistered
primarilytosettlescores.Itisunfortunateiflawsmeanttoprotect
womengetabusedasinstrumentsofoppression.Thebottom-line
therefore,isthefairinvocationoflegalprovisionsandtheirobjective
andhonestimplementation."

22. •TheActnotcoversphysicalharassmentandmentalharassment.
Evenasophisticatedjudgemayhavedifficultydecidingifanact
reallycausedmentalharassment.Onseveraloccasions,thejudge
changeshismindmanytimesondecidingifanactismental
harassmentornot,butthelawsaysthatshecangotothe
protectionofficertofilethecase.Inmanycases,womenfilethis
casejusttoearnmonthlyinterimmaintenancefromhusband.
•Thereisnopenaltyforfilingfalsecases;therefore,false
litigationisrisinginmatrimonialdisputes,helpinginthe
breakingsocialfabricofIndiansociety.

23. CONCLUSION
Thebourgeoissystemwherebywomen,especiallypoorworkingwomenaredoubly
enslaved,cannotofferanylong-termsolutionfortheemancipationofwomenor
theirfreedomfromviolence.Itisonlysocialismthatcantrulyemancipatewomen
bynotonlymakingherequalunderlawandgivinghereverylegalprotection
but,farmoreimportant,reversingtheinjusticesofthepastthousandsofyearsby
socializingthemeansofproduction,bringingthewomanbackintosocial
productionanddecision-making,freeingherofherdomesticenslavementbythe
statetakingresponsibilitythroughcrèches,communitykitchens,old-peoples'
homesetc.Butitslimitationsmustbekeptinmind.Withintheexistingunjustand
unequalbourgeoissystemhereisanactoflegislaturethatgivesoppressedwomen
somerespite,butaverytemporaryoneasitwillnotendthehypocrisyofbourgeois
monogamy.Hopefully,thecontradictionswillbesoheightenedthatsocietywill
havetogoinformorelong-lastingsolutions.
AccordingtoKarlMarx,whenthethesis(femalesociety)willclashwiththe
anti-thesis(MaleSociety)thentherewillbeformationofAnti-thesis(equality).

24. PREPARED BY :
PRASHANT SINGH
STUDENT, BALLB(H)
THANK YOU