TW: Domestic violence.
In this pandemic, some people lost their jobs, some people lost their love ones, some enjoyed living together, and some started fighting with each other.
Yes, I am talking about domestic violence. This is not really a new thing, but of course, it is of grave concern for our society. Men have been victims in instances of violence too. During the lockdown, I noticed a few families had to live together. The first few days went very well, but because the lockdown has been increased, the problems increased as well. Spouses start fighting with each other.
Women ended up at the receiving end of most instances of violence. Domestic violence includes not only physical harm but also mental and emotional misbehaviour. Many numbers of cases were registered during the lockdown.
According to The Hindu, during the first four phases of the COVID-19 lockdown, Indian women filed more domestic violence complaints than was recorded in the last 10 years. But, even this unusual spurt is only the tip of the iceberg as 86% women who experience domestic violence, including physical, mental, and sexual abuse, aren’t able to seek help in India.
As per the report by The Hindu, “among the 14.3% of victims who sought help, only 7% reached out to relevant authorities — the police, doctors, lawyers or social service organisations. But more than 90% of the victims sought help only from their immediate family.”
The Role That Men And Families Can Play
I think we have already so many laws against domestic violence, and the results are in front of us. In my vision, men and women both should work on their roles and relationships, they should understand the responsibilities, emotions. The most important thing is to respect each other and focus more on gender equality.
Gender equality and respect should not just be a part of books but should be a part of every single man and woman’s mind. And, this is the responsibility of every parent to educate their kids.