The Delhi High Court is likely to hear on Friday a plea seeking to implement immediate and effective measures for victims of domestic violence and child abuse amidst COVID-19 lockdown.
The petition has been filed by NGO — All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties & Social Justice (AICHLS) — seeking direction to all authorities “to adopt and implement immediate and effective measures to help victims of domestic violence and child abuse during the lockdown”. The plea highlighted that there was a “horrific surge in domestic violence cases since the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdowns”. “Helpline numbers across the country have received about 92,000 calls based on domestic abuse and violence in the first 11 days of the lockdown alone,” it said.
The plea said the health impacts of the violence particularly, intimate partner/domestic violence, on women and children are significant. It results in injuries, serious physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems, including sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and unplanned pregnancies.
“Many women state that they are witnessing fights and violence like never before. The NGO has received many calls seeking help,” the NGO said noting that intervention of the Court is required in view of the peculiar situation since access to other ordinary channels such as courts, police, protection officers, friends, and relatives is remote.
