Lockdown is helping every country to protect its citizens from spreading of Corona Virus. Due to which people are sitting idly at home for so long which is the main cause of an increase in domestic violence and child abuse. Most women and children are not feeling safe at their home because of domestic violence and child abuse. According to PTI report in the starting of Lockdown (March 20-31), they got over 92,000 SOS calls from the ‘CHILDREN HELPLINE NO. – 1098’ from across the country for the protection of their children from child abuse. National Commission for Women (NCW) got 315 complaints from across the country in April reported another source. The complaints in NCW faced a surge of more than 50% calls regarding domestic violence than in the normal days.
The reason behind the increase in domestic violence
Domestic violence is not an option if you are frustrated. When the abuser feels hopeless and not able to control the things in other aspects of life he chooses domestic violence as an option to reduce his stress. According to Psychologist Schita Sethi “, the victim is in front of their eyes. It becomes even more acceptable to them to commit such acts” also she expresses her views on child abuse by saying “the younger ones will find it tough to understand and express their situation, while older ones will experience guilt, shame and anger”
Not just there is an increase in the domestic violence but women are also facing marital rape as well on this Poonam Muttreja, executive director of NGO population foundation of India said “not just in India, any kind of health disaster leads to increased violence, across the world, against women and children. Therefore I’d like to request our government and women commission to look at global trend, and let’s get ready for the response now, as the vaccine is many months away” also after liquor shops opened there was an increase in the no. of domestic violence and also because of lockdown women and children are forced to live with the abuser they cannot leave the house or not able to seek the help.
Due to domestic violence and children abuse, victims are going through physical and emotional breakdown as well many victims are suffering from depression, anxiety as they are not left with any option their life is getting miserable day by day and as days are passing abuser are getting uncontrollable.
How can a victim come out of this?
One of the senior police officers shared that victim can inform about domestic violence and child abuse in the police station of their area. Not only this but they can also send SOS message to Crime Against Women or through email, handwritten copy, or they can fax them and victim’s message will be directly sent to women commission or Chief Minister’s office and from there it will go to DCP and get recorded in women’s cell. A similar process is being followed with the regards to child abuseabuse, but a different unit is assigned to look after these cases.
NCW has launched a WhatsApp no. “7217735372” for filling the report against domestic violence.
Government and police can only help them if, victim raise their voice against violence. We should also keep our eyes open and look after the sign of violence nearby us.
- CHILDREN HELPLINE NO.- 1098
- WOMEN HELPLINE NO. – 1091
- NCW WHATSAPP NO. – 7217735372
With the help of these numbers, you can protect yourself or your love ones from domestic violence or child abuse.
By Anjali Sharma
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