Lok Sabha Question No. 1984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Domestic Violence against Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1984

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2024

## DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

1984.  SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any data regarding women facing domestic violence in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of such incidents reported during the last five years, year-wise; and
- (c) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to check domestic violence in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (c):  The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes data on crimes, including crime against women, in its publication 'Crime in India' available on the website on NCRB, https://ncrb.gov.in. The said report is available upto the year 2022, that includes the details  of  complaints  registered  under  'the  Protection  of  Women  from  Domestic  Violence (PWDV) Act, 2005'. As per information available with NCRB, the number of cases registered under the PWDV Act during the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 are 579, 553, 446, 507 and 468 respectively.

Further,  'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibility  to  maintain  law  and  order,  protection  of  life  and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution of crime against women and children rests primarily with the respective State Governments and they are competent to deal with it. Section 8 of the PWDVA mandate the States/UTs to appoint such number of Protection Officers in each district as it may consider necessary and also to notify the area or areas within which a Protection Officer shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred. It is the duty of the Protection Officer to report the cases of domestic violence to the Magistrate upon receipt of complaints and to assist the Magistrate in the discharge of his functions. However, conviction of a person comes under purview of the Judiciary, who decides the matter after careful consideration of factual positions and all related aspects as per the provisions of the PWDVA.  The  PWDVA  provides  remedies  such  as  protection  order,  residence  order  etc. against it.

Nevertheless, the Central Government gives highest priority to ensuring safety and security of women and has undertaken various legislative and schematic interventions in this regard. These include  legislations  such  as  'The  Criminal  Law  (Amendment)  Act,  2018'  (now  under Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita), 'The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2006', 'The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961', etc. The schemes/ projects implemented by the Government include One Stop Centres (OSCs); Universalisation of Women Helplines (WHL) components of 'Mission Shakti', Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) which is a pan-India single number (112)/ mobile app based system for emergencies; capacity building in community through awareness programmes, setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

Under  Nirbhaya  Fund,  Bureau  of  Police  Research  and  Development  (BPR&D)  has  also undertaken  several  initiatives,  which,  inter-alia  includes  training  and  skill  development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers. BPR&D has also  prepared  Standard  Operating  Procedures  (SoPs)  for  'Women  Help  Desk  at  Police Stations' to ensure smooth functioning of Women Help Desks by focusing on four critical components, viz. infrastructure, training, human  resource development and response mechanism. A book titled 'Women's Safety and Security- a Handbook for First Responders and  Investigators  in  the  Police'  has  also  been  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  prevention  and investigation of crime against women with specific reference to the crime of sexual assault, which includes investigation, victim compensation and rehabilitation. Emphasis has been laid upon appropriate behavioural and attitudinal skills of the police in course of prevention and detection of crime against women and children and interaction with victims of crime. Webinars on women safety with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

Recognizing  the  need  for  psycho-social  counseling  to  women  affected  by  violence  and  in distress, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has engaged the services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) for providing basic and advanced training under the project named 'Stree Manoraksha' to the staff of One Stop Centres (OSCs) across the country on handling psycho-social and mental health care needs to support to such women. The Ministry undertakes awareness exercise for safety and security of women and children from time to time. Further, the Government, through institutions like the National Commission  for  Women  (NCW),  National  Commission  for  Protection  of  Child  Rights (NCPCR) and their counterparts in States have been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audio- visual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize the people about the safety and security of women and children and also about various provisions of the legislation etc. In addition,  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  and  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  have issued advisories to States/ UTs from time to time on various issues pertaining to safety and security of women and children.

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