A STATE LEVEL EVENT
'' JUSTICE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS''
Consultation with health group
EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT
Organized By Mahila Jagran kendra & Care India
THE WORKSHOP
Mahila Jagran Kendra organized a
workshop with the help of Care India on 19th December 2015 at A.N.Sinha
Institute. It was a state level workshop on “Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence”. The participants were
from three blocks of Patna and Samastipur ( Barh, Maner, Masauri Vidyapatinagar,Ujyarpur, and Saraiganj) they were Doctors, ANM and Aasha Workers.
Presently this organization is
working with the support of Care India in 2 districts of Bihar that are Patna
and Samastipur on women welfare. Earlier the organization was working with the
Police Officers, PRI Members and Protection Officers but with the support from
Care India it also started working with the health officers. It is very
important to work with the health officers because primarily health is affected
from the violence on women. To eradicate this problem from our society we need
to make small steps. There are many laws made for the welfare of people, but
people are unaware of these laws. We should work together to make people aware
of these law. Every women of the country must know about her rights and by
working with health officials we can reach every woman. Considering all this we
organized a one day workshop in District and State level on “Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence”.
The participants were the members of Gram Panchayat, CDPO, Anganwadi Workers,
Aasha Workers, Mamta, ANM, Doctors, Police officers and members of Health Workers.
There was also a state level workshop with the advocates and Police Officers.
Our today’s workshop is for the
Aasha and ANM workers, so that whenever they are on their field visit to the
local houses and come across the victims of Domestic Violence, they could help
the victims by telling them about the laws and conventions made by the
government. This workshop is different from all the workshops we have conducted
earlier. They merely discussed about gender, violence and domestic violence
act. But during our follow-up visit we found out that they were not capable
enough to counsel or guide the victim of domestic violence. In this workshop we are aiming to make them capable enough so that they can counsel the victims
individually and make them aware of their rights. To discuss about these laws
we have two resource persons with us; they are Dr. Meeta Mohini (Advocate of
Patna High Court) and Ms. Pramila Kumari (Protection Officer of Women Helpline
of Patna.
First of all we offer the stage to Dr Meeta Mohini (Advocate of Patna High
Court) to come up and tell the participants about today’s discussion.
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The speaker Dr. Meta Mohini said that women are undergoing violence inside their own house and the family hides this thing from the outside world. Earlier we saw male dominant society. But from the starting itself men and women have been given equal importance. Women are worshiped as deity. Girls are given less education than boys, they are forced to leave the school and sit at their homes to get married. But on the other hand, for the sons, parents sell their farm lands for their further education. Boys have their own choice for education but at the same age girls are married. The minimum age of girl’s marriage is 18 years but they can also be married at the age of 20-25 or 30. When girls are married at tender ages they undergo physical and mental violence.
Also at some places they have to
face sexual harassment by some family members. Girls have no prior
knowledge of being sexual harassed. Like for example, there are many relatives
inside the house like uncle, brothers, brother-in-law and other male members
who forcefully make them see dirty pictures against the wish of the girl. When
the girl tell about this to their mother, instead of rising their voice against
this injustice they tell their daughters to sit at homes for maintaining the
family reputation. In the house when a woman asks for money for their children
fees, the husbands tell them to get it from their maternal homes. But it is the
right of the women, that if they are living with their husbands it is the
responsibility of him to look after the needs of his family rather than asking
for money from others.
One of the participant there Gayatri Devi told us about an incident about her own home where the husband and wife wants to live together but the mother-in-law does not allows them to live together because she demands for a car from her daughter-in-laws father.
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Another participant there Mr. Vinod Tiwari told us about an another incident where the girl used to cry the whole day, when the local people asked for the reason she said that her mother-in-law will only accept her when she fixes her teeth. Even after fixing the teeth when she tried to get back home, the family did not accept her. Then with the help of local people she filled a case against her family. After filling the case the family accepted the girl.
One of the
Aasha workers told us about her own sister. Her sister used to live with her own
parents after getting married. After few days her husband passed away in an
accident and the brother-in-law of the girl signed all the property to himself.
Telling that the girl is mad and she do not require any share.
Presently the family is fitting a
case against the in-laws family.
Ms. Archana from Samistipur told that, this is the story of every
house that whenever the male person gets sick they are immediately taken to
hospital for their medication. Whereas when women get sick they are kept back
home telling that there is no money at present and in this delay women dies.
Another participant there Manju
told us about an incident where a child was sick from many days. He was
suffering from stomach upset, when the people told the father to take him to
doctor, the father said that he has eaten some unhygienic food and that’s why
he is sick. The people told the family to take him to doctor but the family did
not reacted, as a result of it the boy
died the next day. And now her mother is suffering from depression.
If a women comes to a hospital
after being tortured from domestic violence than it is the duty of everyone
present there to help her in getting justice. We all should know that what are
our roles n the society. We are living in a society where we all should help
one another. This should be the common agenda of everyone to follow their
duties faithfully. The doctors should help their patients in getting justice.
The teachers should look after the children, helping them not to go in mental
depression due to any reason.
Dr. Mohini said that the common women of the house are suffering
from cough and cold from many days but they are not taken to doctors. Parents
do not pay attention to the running nose of their children. People avoid these
things because they do not have proper knowledge about it.
They are unaware of the fact that
these small things can result in some dangerous diseases. If a woman is not
given proper food and she is beaten up every now and then, then she should be
taken to the protection officer.
One of the participants there said
that, there is a Muslim women who is always sick, her husband tells her to go
to her native place because of her ill health. If that woman argues further
then the husband threatens to leave her. When the local people tells the
husband to take her to doctor he says that he is not a devil and he has taken
her wife to doctor to get proper medication. But she is sick from head to toe
and he cannot help her in that way. He has tried everything and he cannot do
anything further.
Listening to this Dr. Meeta Mohini said that this is a
domestic violence; there should be a trial for justice. There are three ways to
approach, one is by meeting the protection officer, another by complaining in
the nearby Police Station or by directly meeting the District Magistrate.
Our second speaker Ms. Pramila Kumari, Protection Officer under Women Helpline of Patna,
said about the counseling of the suffering woman. The woman can get justice in
just 3 days under the Women Helpline wing. It is better if the case is solved
by counseling. One of the reasons for domestic violence is the money, if the
woman earns even Rs. 10 and brings it to home then we must support her in this
so that she is encouraged to bring more. We should not fight for every small
thing rather we should solve it by talking to one another. Every house is like
school, whoever has a problem in the house it must be solved quickly. If the
problem is not solved by counseling we should move towards the local Police
Station. The person should truthfully fight the case. In today’s generation
women itself are the enemies of women. If mother-in-law has undergone violence
than she treats her daughter-in-law in the same manner. The mother-in-law in
her time used to get up early in the morning to grind the wheat but now she
gets jealous of her daughter-in-law when she sees that her daughter do not need
to do these things. The best school is ones home. A woman needs to be strong
enough to face her own problems alone. The women must tolerate only to a limit.
Duties and rights of both men and women should be same.
Our Third speaker Ms. Shruti Singh, Advocate of Patna
High Court said about the Dowry Act. There have been many improvements in the
cases of domestic violence after the law of PWDV Act of 2005. We approach court
for the welfare of women, so that they could get equal importance and they are
free to do work according to their own will.
There are many solutions under the
PWDV Act of 2005. Usually mean go for second marriages because they are not getting
a child. There’s no need of getting again married they could rather adopt a
child. We are facing so many problems these days, but we do not know a correct
way to solve them. We should keep a note of the fact that the laws are not misused.
If a girl wants to be married by her own choice than her father should not stop
her in this. Giving respect to your daughter is also a way of showing love.
The children should respect their
mother. In some cases the ex-party are so dominant that they get the divorce
done without the permission of women. Government is also not playing its role
properly. The women should be allowed to work according to her need. In today’s
generation if the girls are working then they gets more suitable boys for
marriages.
For women the only way to solve
problem is not to fight but should solve it by talking to their children and
husband. If a girl wants her share in her father’s property than she can
immediately stop the selling orders of the land. Even wife’s have an equal
right in his husband’s property.
Dr. Ram Singh (PHC In charge, Vidyapatinagar Samastipur) explained
the true meaning of wife. He said about the importance of one another in life.
The man is incomplete without his wife. They must work together for a
successful future.
Dr. Rashmi (Manner) said that, in today’s
world women should come forward. It is very important for the women to be
educated. If a women has 4 children of her own and the doctors are advising her
to get operated for no more children than she tells that she will only be
operated when her husband and mother-in-law allows her.
Dr. Pankaj (PHC Samastipur) said that, if a person takes help
from law, there are more complications, so they should solve their fights by
counseling rather than going to courts.
Dr. Ram Singh said, most of the cases coming to him is about the mental
tension of women because they do not get enough money for the household
affairs.
Dr. Arjun Kumar said, the most important thing to remember is
morality. Today the government is openly advertising about the use of condoms,
but they are not taking about being a good person. If a person has good moral
values than he will need a condom.
Ms. Neelu chairperson of Mahila Jagran
Kendra said, earlier we had male dominant society; we don’t say that we want a
female dominant society now; we only want to get respect from others. In
today’s generation if women are working than the men cook for them. If women
Dr. Ashok Kumar (Patna) said, we do not get education from degree.
Education in morality is also very important. There should be an equal
importance given to both. Son and daughter and men and women should be treated
equally.
Dr. Nityananda (Barh, Patna) said, in today’s world we should pay
more attention to the mistakes of men. Somewhere women themselves tortures
women, like the mother-in-law harassing her daughter-in-law. Son also helps
their mother’s in threatening their daughters.
Dr. Ashutosh ( Masuri, Patna) said, if the women is pregnant than
her family must know about this. People should be aware of the duties. The
husbands should be aware that if they do not take care of their wife’s properly
then there may be further complications. It does not happen always that the
family do not give proper food, sometimes the women herself do not eat
properly.
After this the first session of the
workshop ended for a break.
The second session started by a traditional song by Ms. Archanna.
There was an open session for
answering the questions of the people present there. The three people on the
stage were, Shrutee Singh (Protection Officer, Women Helpline, Patna), Ms.
Neelu (Chairperson of Mahila Jagran Kendra) and Ms. Shivani Chaudhary (Secretary
of Mahila Jagran Kendra).
Dr. Vinod said, from morning all the people present here have
told enough about the domestic violence. If the women are educated than we can
easily solve the cases of domestic violence. If we want to enjoy our rights we
should do our duties properly.
Dr. Sachidheshwari Singh said about the awareness. Men and
women should be aware of their rights and duties.
One of the Aasha Worker, Malti Kumari said that in her village a
husband used to beat her wife because she has already given birth to 4 girl
child the fifth child was about to come. The husband has threatened her that if
the next child born is a girl then he will not accept the child or his wife.
Accidently the child born was also a girl and then the mother left the child
with doctor and told everyone at home that the child died of cold. Later the
same child was adopted by another family.
Dr. Ram Singh narrated a story of polio drops, where the father did
not allowed her child to get the polio drops, but the mother wanted her child
to get the drops. The person who was in charge of giving the polio drops came
secretly to the house, gave the drops marked the child and went away.
Ms.Neelu said that if a woman is giving
birth to a girl than it is not the fault of the mother, it is father who is
responsible for it. The men should be educated about this. Due to consumption
liquor there are many problems growing these days. Like Domestic Violence,
Sexual Harassments and others. We should stop this, because it is the woman who
has to suffer.
The selling of liquor must be
stopped. Some people say that only cheap liquor will be banned. But we should
stand against this, and make it sure that both the kinds of liquor are banned.
There was a question aroused by the
Aasha workers, they work during the pregnancy, during monthly days, during
rains and during summers but they do not have proper place to sit. The doctors
have their own clinics, ANM have their own places and even Guards have their
own room. Only the Aasha Workers have nothing and there should also be a
discussion about this.
There was another question by Ms. Neelu
to the doctors present there; a woman is always tortured and beaten up by their
families, sometimes resulting in some serious injuries. What should be the role
of the doctors if such kinds of patients come to them?
To this question the doctors
answered that they should tell about this to the local authorities.
Dr. Ram singh said that it is a kind of disease if the women are
not given equal importance. It is our duty to make this society a good place.
The workshop ended with a promise
from all the participants of different field that they would follow their
duties properly. The workshop was concluded with a vote of thanks from Ms.
Shaila Praveen.
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