What exactly is Domestic Violence? It is the violence happening within the home towards a family member and can be physical, sexual and emotional in nature. Domestic violence against women is what it is associated with 99.9% of the time. In Punjab the scenario is extremely shocking and economic prosperity isn’t always a sign of social progress. The social fabric of Punjab is minutely interwoven with the threads of class, caste and community. Another factor is that status of women is not defined as there is an absence of a homogenous social cultural and economic structure. There are huge regional differences in this tiny state which may seem large –hearted but is quite small. The obvious diversities in women’s situation in the different regions of the State extend to health, literacy, education and sex-ratio of mortality, employment, incidence of poverty, political participation and so forth. These are all in turn dependent on the existing levels of development, availability of natural resources, policies of the state government and regional socio- economic beliefs.
The recent gender study of 2006 indicates that dowry deaths, torture or cruel treatment of women in northern states including Delhi and some Union territories such as Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Dadra leads to shorter life span in adult women. The southern states have a longer life, better sex –ratios, for that matter the tribal groups also have a better ratio than the women of Punjab due to the historical prevalence of matrilineal, women’s control over property and resources and their greater participation in decision making.
The success of the Green Revolution had provided an impetus in economic jump to the Punjabis but relegated the Punjabi women into the private domain. They lost their economic independence, and their higher status within their class, because with increased income, and consequent higher social status for the families as whole, women were the first to be withdrawn from the work force as symbols of the newly gains status.
Violence is an integral part of the patriarchal work system and Punjab is one of the most feudal states maybe in stiff competition to Haryana .Previously she had to bear the family or the culture but now the market forces have also ganged up against her ..The use of PNDT Techniques resulting in female feticide. In other words the modernization, urbanization has resulted in increase in violence be it at home, or the workplace or sexual harassment at Workplace, Molestation and Eve Teasing. Another factor is the increase in alcohol and psychotropic drugs which has resulted in increase in menace. Women in Punjab also face the pressure due to patriarchal and feudal values which are prevalent and women are not oriented to come back to their parental house in case of dispute with her husband and in-laws and since either there are very less support systems available they either bear the torture or commit suicide. This was highlighted by Dr. Gurcharan S. Kalkat, Chairman Farmer’s Commission Punjab. In his extensive public life he has come to this conclusion that girls/ women feel alienated and left out due to the pressures of societal mechanisms. In a span of a day and half two women reported under conditions of anonymity of the torture meted out to them by their in-laws and husbands. Gurdev K. Sangha in her present tenure as Punjab State women Commission states that there is violation of liberty, human rights and violence leading to physical blows. Nandini( name changed) , has a leading position in the media was so severely beaten up by her husband that the Dr. in attendance was stunned and warned her that any further blow would leave her a paraplegic. .This senseless violence is not limited to a single class or it’s not demarcated to the lower middle classes, the rich are also prey to it. Women in the higher strata are actually more submissive to this kind of pain which leaves physical scars but has deeper mental ones. The department in a leading private hospital in Chandigarh states that 75% of the depression cases are of abuse which is more often emotional and there is a rising incidence of physical abuse and harassment.
Punjab is also being known as the NRI widow state where the plight of abused married girls who are deserted by their husbands who actually to put it crudely enjoy with them for the stipulated 3-week holiday and then leaves them waiting. This is an alarming situation in the state of Punjab where 42% of the girls get trapped into these so called savior marriages. The commission states that poverty; lure of a foreign country and promises of more money and the ultimate dream of immigration makes these young girls the scape goat.



There is not a single day when we do not hear or read about Domestic Violence against women. Be it for the cruelty of husbands and in-laws for dowry or burning the brides irrespective of culture or background women in India are becoming victims of this crime. The submissive quality in women in India and the general mindset of the society that women are physically and emotionally weaker than the males make them vulnerable to domestic violence.
Domestic violence is a silent termite eating away the foundations of the society leaving the framework with its vestiges of public personas and façade intact but sadly empty, hollow from the inside which would crumble at the first blow.This problem which we can’t conveniently blame anyone or the aliens or the Martians. The onus of this problem lies on us ; it’s the collective us which turn a blind eye .the sheer indifference which is plaguing the society is the root cause of the rise of domestic violence , the abuse goes along unabated as unless it happens to someone close incidents like are skimmed over. Indian women consider their husbands in place of their God. How can we expect Domestic violence to end when women are still reluctant to report abuse to the police and suffer as if it is their duty to their husbands? Another interesting factor the psychiatrists note is that there is an innate sense of shame in reporting this or the first step in even admitting that abuse exists in the relationship.
Vijay a veteran in the department of Women’s commission has horrifying tales to tell which prick the soul and he remarks,’ Women are treated , abused with electric prods, burnt, starved and in some cases which are being brought to light are used as sex-slaves. This degradation of women is in the region which reveres the largest amount of Goddesses in India. The increasing criminalization of society, media images of violence, poor enforcement of legal provision and rising incidents of alcoholism and addiction along with erosion of traditional values have all added to this violence which is silent but at the same time is creating large noise to which we all need to waken up to.
As Gandhiji said, ‘We must be the change we want to see in the world.” It is up to all of us to take collective, positive responsibility to change the status of women and not be passive bystanders. And as , change is messy do not get deterred by it but change with what you have , where you are and let the natural order of things fall in place. No action is small it actually perpetuates a storm.

Ravneet Sangha