A Study of Gender Based Violence: An Absolute Cause of Threat on Women Globally During Covid-19

ABSTRACT

Violence against women has consistently plagued society and has been a chronically underrepresented problem throughout history. Women, who bear the responsibility of upholding the familys name and maintaining their acceptable in society, frequently refrain from speaking out about domestic violence perpetrated by their husbands or their husbands families, even during ordinary times. This rsults in the failure of the laws and legal system, as only a limited number of cases are brought to public attention while the majority remain concealed within private residences. The condition has further deteriorated owing to the recent COVID-19 situation, which has resulted in a lockdown and mandatory stay-at-home and work-from-home practices. The apprehension over joblessness, lack of job stability, and increasing ambiguity about normalcy is generating discontent, clashes, and assertive conduct, which subsequently manifest in diverse manifestations of violence towards susceptible individuals. The global reports on the surge in instances of domestic violence against women perpetrated by spouses or intimate partners are unfortunate consequences of the same issue. Several measures have been considered to address this pressing issue of violence against women during the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, India appears to have neglected this matter, as policymakers have not included any preparatory measures to combat such violence in domestic settings when announcing the lockdown. This paper examines several innovative, feasible, and effective measures implemented in other countries to address this urgent issue. It presents a comprehensive list of measures that could be implemented in India, including government-funded initiatives, the establishment of well-equipped relief centers staffed by healthcare professionals, the utilization of digital and telecommunications advancements to provide helpline services connecting victims with police, legal, or medical assistance, and the establishment of facilities such as e-counseling and telemedicine to empower victims and help them cope with future situations.

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