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Summary

Society Class 07

## THE CLASS STARTED WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS TOPICS (04:35 PM)

## VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (04:41 PM)

- Any act of gender-based violence that results in physical, sexual, or mental harm is referred to as violence against women.
- **Extent:**
- Life cycle (Cradle to grave) of violence against women.
- **Pre-birth:** Sex-selective abortions
- **Infanthood:** Infanticide
- **Child:** Child labour, Child marriage, etc.
- **Adolescent:** Cybercrimes, trafficking, etc.
- **Adulthood:** Domestic violence.
- **Old Age:** Violence against old females.
- **Statistics:**
- According to the **NCRB Report**, 46% increase in the incidents of violence against women in the first eight months of 2021.
- As per the survey of the **National Commission for Women**,
- 86% of women (Who were victims of violence ) didn't approach any authority.
- 77% of them didn't speak about it to anyone.
- Only 14% had the intention to report, however, only 7% could reach the appropriate authority.
- According to **UN Women**, during the time of the Pandemic increased violence against women is observed also called as **Shadow Pandemic.**
- **Causes of Increased Violence against Women:**
- Institutionalization of patriarchy.
- Different processes of socialisation.
- Objectification and commodification of women.
- Gender stereotypes that women are weak, passive, and dependent.
- Traditional and cultural practices, for example, Child marriage, honour killing, female genital mutilation, etc.
- Internalization of patriarchal norms both by men and women.
- As per the **Gender Social Norm Index (UNDP)**, according to 25% of men and women think it's absolutely fine for husbands to beat wives.
- Situational factors, for example, Alcoholism or drug abuse, etc.
- It increases the likelihood of violence by reducing inhibitions or clouding judgments.
- For Women with higher economic status, the risk of violence is high as it directly threatens the male hegemony.
- In the nuclear family the incidences of violence are high because, in the backdrop of lack of social support and increasing life stress, women are used as a cushion to vent out their frustrations.
- **Institutional weakness:**
- Lack of stringent laws.
- Lack of proper enforcement.
- Gender insensitive attitude of various stakeholders.
- Lack of certainty.
- **Various Efforts are taken regarding Violence against women:**
- **Legal Efforts:**
- Domestic Violence Act.
- Dowry prohibition of Act.
- Sexual Harassment (Prevention) Act.
- **International Provisions:**
- UDHR: Article 5 (No one shall be subjected to inhuman treatment)
- **UN World Conferences:**
- |  |
  | --- |
  | - **1975-Mexico** - **1980-Copenhagen** - **1985-Nairobi** - **1995- Beijing** |
- Vienna Declaration (1993): Equal status for Women.
- CEDAW.
- **Despite increasing legal provisions violence against women in the context of India is on the rise due to multiple factors:**
- Institutionalization of law and more focus need to be put on the implementation of the law.
- Due to Bystander apathy.
- Increased commodification of women.
- Lack of legal knowledge, less reporting of violence, etc.
- Internalization of patriarchy.
- Pendency of cases
- The low conviction rate of the cases.
- Lack of gender sensitization of lawmakers and implementers.
- Fear of social ostracisation.
- **Implications of Violence against Women:**
- It will negatively impact the status of the nation at the global level and impact tourism, healthcare, and overall soft power of the nation.
- **Health:**
- It affects the mental, physical, and reproductive health of women
- **Economic Issues**:
- Direct Cost: Loss of income, Loss of Productivity, etc.
- Indirect Cost: Impact on child and child mortality, etc.
- **Question: Explain the paradox where on the one hand increased violence against women justifies strong laws, but on the other hand these laws are misused by women. (150 Words/10 Makrs)**
- **Approach**:
- **You can mention a few points as:**
- Lack of gender-neutral laws
- Revenge-seeking tendencies
- Corruption of value systems i.e. Seeking economic benefits by misusing the laws and increasing consumerist culture where alimony is seen as a means to climb the social ladder.
- Extramarital affairs.
- Lack of provisions regarding false complaints.
- It has become a part of organized crime rackets as well.
- Lack of commission for men to protect the interests of the men.
- Due to secularization, Marriage is no longer a sacred institution hence increased incidences of divorce and separation.
- Failure to meet expectations in relations has also resulted in misuse of laws.
- Similarly even under POCSO despite the consensual relation due to family and societal pressure, It often leads to false implications for the boys.
- Societal stereotyping of men.
- In Conclusion, the Misuse of the law does not justify its dilution but creates grounds for better regulation.

## DOWRY (05:34 PM)

- **It is the major reason responsible for:**
- Sex-selective abortion.
- Girls are treated as an economic liability.
- lack of investment in technical education and skill.
- Child marriage.
- Domestic abuse.
- Skewed sex ratio.
- **Causes of Dowry:**
- The culture of acceptance of dowry by both men and women. i.e. They themselves believe that there exists hierarchical relationships between men and women and hence dowry is justified.
- Culture of consumerism.
- It is treated as an investment i.e. give and take culture.
- It is also identified with the concept of groom price which is determined based on the market value.
- For Example, Caste, Education, Job, Property, Future prospects, etc.
- Sanskritization with respect to the practice of dowry.
- Lack of proper implementation of existing laws.
- The practice of dowry is associated with matters of prestige.
- **Way Forward:**
- Promoting the concept of Adarsh Marriage.
- For Example, Affluent people refrain from lavish weddings.
- Stigmatization of the practice of dowry.
- Implementing the right to inheritance in practice.
- Outlawing of extravagant weddings.
- Focus on more education and skill development for women rather than just marriage.
- Attitudinal change among men i.e. they should not be treated as commodities for sale and purchase in the marriage market.
- Educate society with respect to the ill effects of dowry.
- Equal Sharing of expenses between both bride and groom's family.
- Concept of mass wedding.

## DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (06:10 PM)

- **Reasons for increased incidents of Domestic violence:**
- Nuclear families are more prone to domestic abuse.
- Cultural acceptance of domestic abuse.
- Lack of parental support or economic dependence leads to poor reporting.
- Lack of criminalization of marital rape also increases incidences of domestic violence.
- Egodefensive attitude among males in marital relations.
- Lack of witnesses also reduces the deterrence.
- For Example, the UP state government initiated the **"Bell Bajao Campaign"**
- With respect to rural areas, violence against young widows is rising.
- **Sexual Harassment Act:**
- The Supreme Court held that the objective of the act is the protection, prevention and redressal of complaints.
- It defines what constitutes sexual harassment: Quid pro quo and Hostile work environment.
- **Section 354(a) of IPC** defines sexual harassment as Physical contact, request for sexual favour, sexually coloured remarks, etc.
- According to **FICCI**, 36% of Indian companies and 25% of MNCs have yet not constituted an '**Internal Complain Committee'**.
- **Approximately 70% of the women do not report the cases due to the following reasons:**
- Lack of understanding of the term **'Sexual Harassment'**
- Lack of faith in the complaint mechanism.
- Fear of retaliation.
- Fear of social exclusion.
- Fear of domestication due to stigma associated with violence against women.

## SURROGACY (06:38 PM)

- It is the practice where women give birth to a child for an intending couple with the intention to hand over the child after birth to an intending couple.
- **Provision of the Act:**
- It prohibits commercial surrogacy.
- Surrogacy is permitted on the basis of certain conditions/terms.
- Registration of surrogacy clinics is compulsory.
- Central/State government will appoint authority for evaluating and taking action against breach of provisions.

## TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: DIVERSITY