For the first time in India marital abuse, including rape, emotional and physical abuse have been recognized as crimes. Yesterday a new law came into effect and finally women, until now safe in the sreets, will be safer at homes too. Yes, this is true. Indian streets are very safe even to strangers but, as reported by the Independent, every six hours a married Indian woman is either murdered or commits suicide because of marital abuse.
Often the cause of marital abuse is related to the issue of dowry. Husbands and their families, if unhappy with the dowries, often abuse or even kill the woman. Women are still being burnt to death and often these crimes are hard to prove. Sometimes women are thrown out from family houses, which makes them destitute and homeless. The new law also legislates against that.
One supposes that even with new laws, it will take time to change attitudes. As Hillary Clinton once remarked, these issues are not women's rights, they are human rights. A democratic society cannot be modern and liberal and at the same time remain oppressive towards its women. The problem is that if until now Indian husbands - apparently in large numbers - felt it was OK to beat and abuse their wives, they will hardly have a change of heart overnight. But on the positive side, new laws serve to educate and show that the wider society doesn't tolerate illegal and abusive practises. Hopefully women because of new legislation will have courage to report on the crimes knowing that the Indian lawmakers are on their side. Hopefully this large Asian country can finally adapt itself to modern concepts of gender equality and human rights.
posted by Emilia.kk @ 11:49 AM
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