One of India’s greatest assets lies in her youth. We have more young people than most other countries in the world. Technical education has penetrated even into remote areas and we are becoming a tech-savvy country. Truly a reason to feel proud.
But, what is happening to the quality of mind? Hundreds and thousands of children come from broken or breaking homes. Marital strife is a common part of their lives and in the battle between their parents, the children bear the brunt of trauma. Many of them spend their nights in fear. Their fathers come home intoxicated, abuse their moms and sometimes even them. A hysterical mother, screaming and throwing things around, is also common. The children watch how the stronger parent wins the day, right or wrong. The lesson from this all? Bullying works.
The state has responded with the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (DV Act ) that came into force in 2005. The proceedings under this Act is meant to be completed within 60 days. But they are not accomplished even in 600 days. There are no designated courts for these, not even additional staff. The Protection Officers provided under the Act are helpless in providing any relief from day-to-day violence, since they have not been given any infrastructural support.
A pizza delivery reaches our door within half an hour of call. Is it so difficult for the State to put into place a machinery where it can respond in half an hour to a distress call from a man, woman or child between 6. p.m and 6 a.m.? f this can be done, violence within homes will abate and children will learn that no one gets away with violence.
Unfortunately, we are yet to wake up to the fact that as we grow in terms of economic development, a good percentage of our country’s workers will not be at their performing best due to childhood trauma and domestic violence. The world applauds India for her family values. But we are running the risk of losing it.
Ignorance, frustration and our cultural perception that parents know best have become impediments in good parenting. Unlike most developed countries we do not have state intervention for parental violations. Two Indian families that struggled with Child Welfare authorities in Norway and Sweden and had their children taken away from them haven’t taught us any lessons. We need to have state mechanisms to protect our children, sometimes from their own parents. Courts are seldom able to provide instant relief of removing the children from these emotionally harrowing experiences.
Preventing domestic violence is no longer a women empowerment issue. It is about securing our nation’s future. The women are only one of the beneficiaries.
