Skip to main content

Policy, Prevention and Reforms

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Domestic Violence and Health Care in India
  • 476 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter offers a critical analysis of institutional, ideological and social obstructions, often by these same entities, which can constrain women’s efforts towards lives free of domestic violence. It focuses on plan and policy, and discusses a range of legal initiatives designed to address domestic violence. In addition, the ‘right to health’ framework is also elaborated in this chapter. In addition, it reviews various aspects of a public health approach to prevention and new interventions in a variety of contexts to prevention and the possible strategies along with intervention programme. The chapter provides an overview of various programmes designed to address this issue and prevent domestic violence. The prevention programmes have been drawn from the literature and described as to how they have been applied in different settings with various population groups. Prevention may be regarded as the most viable solution for reducing the prevalence and the harmful consequences of domestic violence. Further, it explores religious faith and spirituality in the lives of the abused women, and as to how it effectively positions themselves as site of intervention and empowerment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Census of India. Office of the register general and census commissioner. SRS statistical report. New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  2. International Institute for Population Sciences. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2014–2015: India. Mumbai: International Institute of Population Sciences, Macro International; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  3. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Crime in India. Compendium. Ministry of Home Affairs. New Delhi: Government of India; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  4. UN World Conference on Women. Conference document released by UN Women. 2014. Retrieved from http://www.unsceb.org/content/un-world-conferences-women.

  5. UNFPA. State of world population 2005. The promise of equality: gender equity, reproductive health & the MDGs’. New York: United Nations Population Fund; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  6. UN Women. The Beijing platform for action: inspiration then and now Retrieved on 1 May 2016 from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf.

  7. WHO/SEAR. SEA/RC51/16-Regional implications of the decisions and resolutions of the Fifty-first World Health Assembly and the 101st and 102 sessions of the Executive Board and Review of the draft provisional agendas of the 103rd s session of the Executive Board and the Fifty-second World Health Assembly. New Delhi: WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia; 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  8. The United Nations work on violence against women. Retrieved on 7 August 2016 from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/news/unwvaw.html.

  9. Ashford Lori, S. New population policies: advancing women’s health and rights. Population bulletin. Washington: Population Reference Bureau; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hust Evelin. Women’s political representation and empowerment in India: a million Indiras now?. New Delhi: Manohar Publications; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Duflo Esther. Women empowerment and economic development. J Econ Lit. 2012;50(4):1051–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Rege S. Caste and gender: the violence against women in India. In: Jogdand, editor. Dalit women in India. New Delhi: Gyan Publications; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Grown Caren, Gupta Geeta Rao, Pande Rohini. Taking action to improve women’s health through gender equality and women’s empowerment. Lancet. 2005;265(5):541–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Report of high level committee on the status of women in India. New Delhi: Government of India, MWCD. 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  15. National Alliance of Women (NAWO). Engendering the eleventh five-year plan 2007-12-removing obstacles, creating opportunities. Support by MWCD, UNDP, UNIFEM. 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Guidelines. Government of India. 2011. Retrieved from http://wcd.nic.in/schemes/sabla/IGMSYImpGuidelinesApr11.pdf.

  17. Planning Commission. Twelfth Five Year Plan 2012–17. 2012. New Delhi: Planning Commission, Government of India.

    Google Scholar 

  18. NITI Aayog. Three year action agenda (2017–18 to 2019–20). New Delhi: NITI Aayog, Government of India; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). National policy for women: articulating a vision for empowerment of women (Draft). New Delhi: MWCD, Government of India; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  20. National Commission for women. Reviews the constitutional and legal safeguards for women and all policy matters affecting women http://ncw.nic.in/.

  21. National Human Rights Commission New Delhi, India. Retrieved on 18 May 2016 from http://nhrc.nic.in/.

  22. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). United Nations Human Rights. Retrieved on 19 May 2016 from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Health/Pages/SRRightHealthIndex.aspx.

  23. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved on August 2014 from http://ncpcr.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&&sublinkid=14&lid=607.

  24. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. New Delhi: MWCD; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Department of Justice. Family Courts Act, 1984 Ministry of Law & Justice. Govt. of India, http://doj.gov.in/.

  26. Ghosh B, Choudhuri T. Legal protection against domestic violence in India: scope and limitations. J Fam Violence. 2011;26:319–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. The Gazette of India. The protection of women from Domestic Violence Act. September 14. Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. New Delhi: Authority; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Duffy L. Achieving a sustainable livelihood after leaving intimate partner violence: challenges and opportunities. J Fam Violence. 2015;30(4):403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Swadhar Greh: a scheme that caters to primary needs of women in difficult circumstances. New Delhi: Government of India, MWCD. 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  30. CMS. Base line survey report on domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. Supported by Break Through-building human rights culture. 2008. Retrieved on November 14 2016 from www.breakthrough.tv.

  31. Singh SP, Mahapatro M. Institution and Abused Women: An interactional model to access justice in India (Accepted); 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Deosthali P, Maghnani P, Malik S. Establishing Dilassa: documenting the challenges. Mumbai: Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT); 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Census of India. Office of the register general and census commissioner. SRS statistical report. New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994. Retrieved on 12 Feb 2017 from http://www.ncpcr.gov.in/.

  35. Yee A. Reforms urged to tackle violence against women in India. Lancet. 2013;381:1445–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Sharma P, Unnikrishnan MK, Sharma A. Sexual violence in India: addressing gaps between policy and implementation. Health Policy Plann. 2015;30:656–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Carpenter S, Walker B, Anderies J, et al. From metaphor to measurement: resilience of what to what? Ecosystems. 2001;4(8):765–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Holling CS, Gunderson LH. Resilience and adaptive cycles. Washington: Island Press; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Shaurya Dal. Transforming lives (a document on Shaurya). Madhya Pradesh: Directorate of Women Empowerment, Department of Women & Child Development. Retrieved on 14 Nov 2016 from http://www.projecttejaswini.com/shaurya.pdf.

  40. Lado (An innovative initiative for eradicating child marriages). Replication of good governance initiatives (recognized with PM’s awards for excellence in public administration). Government of Madhya Pradesh. 14 Nov 2016 retrieved from http://pmawardsreplication.in/Lado.php.

  41. Norris FH, Stevens SP, Pfefferbaum B, Wyche KF, Pfefferbaum RL. Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness. Am J Community Psychol. 2008;41:127–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Rainey DV, Robinson KL, Allen I, Christy RD. Essential forms of capital for sustainable community development. Am Agric Econ Assoc. 2003;85(3):708–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Allen NE, Larsen SE, Walden AL. An overview of community-based services for battered women. In: Renzetti CM, Edleson JL, Bergen RK, editors. Sourcebook on violence against women. 2nd ed. USA: Sage Publication, Inc.; 2011. p. 245–64.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Making the Case for Domestic Violence Prevention through the Lens of Cost-Benefit-A Manual for Domestic Violence Prevention Practitioners. FY 2005/06 GRANT #FV05081181 http://www.ncdsv.org/.

  45. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). One stop centre. Implementation Guidelines for States, UT Administration. New Delhi: MWCD; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  46. The Times of India. Shaurya Dals to be formed across MP: CM. City Bhopal: Times of India; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP). Vision 2018: an agenda for development, change and good governance. Department of Planning, Economics and Statistics, Government of M.P.; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Ramsay J, Richardson J, Carter YH, Davidson LL, Feder G. Should health professionals screen women for domestic violence? Systematic review. BMJ. 2002;325:314.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Kalra N, Di Tanna GL, García-Moreno C. Training healthcare providers to respond to intimate partner violence against women (protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2. Art. No.: CD012423. 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Crooks CV, Goodall GR, Baker LB, Hughes R. Preventing violence against women: engaging the fathers of today and tomorrow. Cogn Behav Pract. 2006;13:82–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Berkowitz AD. Working with men to prevent violence against women: an overview (part I). National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, VAWNet Applied Research forum. 2004:1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Tolman RM, Edleson JL. Intervening with men for violence prevention. In: Renzetti CM, Edleson JL, Bergen RK, editors. Sourcebook on violence against women. 2nd ed. USA: Sage Publication Inc.; 2011. p. 351–68.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  53. Chamberlain L. A prevention primer for domestic violence: terminology, tools, and the public health approach. Harrisburg: VAWnet; 2008. Retrieved 18 Feb 2016 from http://www.vawnet.org.

  54. Edleson JL, Tolman RM. Intervention for men who batter: an ecological approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Douglass U, Bathrick D, Perry PA. Deconstructing male violence against women: the men supporting violence community accountability model. Violence Against Women. 2008;14:247–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Bronfenbrenner U. The ecology of human development: experiments by nature and design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Mills LG. Insult to injury: rethinking our response to intimate abuse. Princeton: Princeton University Press; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Dutton DG, Corvo K. Transforming a flawed policy: a call to revive psychology and science in domestic violence research and practice. Aggress Violent Behav. 2006;11:457–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Gondolf EW. Evaluating batterer counseling programs. Aggress Violent Behav. 2004;9:605–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Babcock JC, Green CE, Robie C. Does batterers’ treatment work? A meta-analytic review of domestic violence treatment. Clin Psychol Rev. 2004;23:1023–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Feder L, Wilson DB. A meta-analytic review of court-mandated batterer intervention programs: can courts affect abusers’ behavior? J Exp Criminol. 2005;1:239–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Gondolf EW. Batterer intervention systems: issues, outcome, and recommendations. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  63. Bancroft L, Silverman JG. The batterer as parent: addressing the impact of domestic violence on family dynamics. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  64. Edleson JL, William OJ. Introduction: involving men who batter in their children’s lives. In: Edleson JL, Williams OJ, editors. Parenting by men who batter. New York: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 3–18.

    Google Scholar 

  65. Scott L, Francis K, Crooks C, Kelly T. Caring dads: helping fathers value their children. Victoria: Trafford; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  66. Stanley N, Graham-Kevan N, Borthwick R. Fathers and domestic violence: building motivation for change through perpetrator programmes. Child Abuse Rev (Special Issue: Fathers). 2012;21(4):264–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Stover CS. Fathers for change: a new approach to working with fathers who perpetrate intimate partner violence. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2013;41(1):65–71.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. Center for Urban Families. Baltimore Responsible Father Project. 2009. Retrieved 18 Nov 2010, from http://www.cfuf.org/BRFP.

  69. Carillo R, Tello J. Fathers in recovery. In: Edleson JL, Williams OJ, editors. Parenting by men who batter: new directions for assessment and intervention. New York: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 131–6.

    Google Scholar 

  70. National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute. Fatherhood lessons. 2003. Retrieved 9 Nov 2015, from http://www.nlffi.org.

  71. Fletcher R, Wroe J, Knowles J. An early intervention role for goodstart to address family violence—including fathers. 2017. p. 1–8. Available at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/An-early-intervention-role-for-Goodstart-to-address-Family-Violence-in….pdf.

  72. American Psychological Association. Commission on youth and violence summary report: vol. i. violence and youth: psychology’s report. Washington: Author; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  73. Crooks CV, Jaffe PG, Wolfe DA, Hughes R, Chiodo D. School-based dating violence prevention: from single events to evaluated, integrated programming. In: Renzetti CM, Edleson JL, Bergen RK, editors. Sourcebook on violence against women. 2nd ed. USA: Sage Publication Inc.; 2011. p. 327–47.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  74. Wolfe DA, Wekerle C, Scott K, Straatman A, Grasley C, Reitzel-Jaffe D. Dating violence prevention with at-risk youth: a controlled outcome evaluation. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003;71:279–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Gillum TL. Community response and needs of African American female survivors of domestic violence. J Interpersonal Violence. 2008;23(1):39–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Potter H. Battered black women’s use of religious services and spirituality for assistance in leaving abusive relationships. Violence Against Women. 2007;13(3):262–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Fortune MM. Forgiveness: the last step. In: Adams CJ, Fortune MM, editors. Violence against women and children: a Christian theological resource book. New York: Continuum; 1995. p. 201–6.

    Google Scholar 

  78. Schneider RZ, Feltey KM. No matter what has been done wrong can always be redone right: spirituality in the lives of imprisoned battered women. Violence Against Women. 2009;15(4):443–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Yick AG. A metasynthesis of qualitative findings on the role of spirituality and religiosity among culturally diverse domestic violence survivors. Qual Health Res. 2008;18(9):1289–306.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Levitt HM, Swanger RT, Butler JB. Male perpetrators’ perspectives on intimate partner violence, religion and masculinity. Sex Roles. 2008;58:435–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Knickmeyer N, Levitt HM, Horne SG, Bayer G. Responding to mixed messages and double binds: religious-oriented coping strategies of Christian battered women. J Relig Abuse. 2003;5(2):29–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. Nason-Cark N. When terror strikes at home: the interface between religion and domestic violence. J Sci Study Relig. 2003;43(3):303–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Arnette NC, Mascaro N, Santana MC, Davis S, Kaslow NJ. Enhancing spiritual well-being among suicidal African American female survivors of intimate partner violence. J Clin Psychol. 2007;63(10):909–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Gillum TL. The benefits of a culturally specific intimate partner violence intervention for African American survivors. Violence Against Women. 2008;14(8):917–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. El-Khoury MY, Dutton MA, Goodman LA, Engle L, Belamaric RJ, Murphy M. Ethnic differences in battered women’s formal help-seeking strategies: a focus on health, mental health, and spirituality. Cult Diversity Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2004;10(4):283–93.

    Google Scholar 

  86. Watlington CG, Murphy CM. The role of religion and spirituality among African American survivors of domestic violence. J Clin Psychol. 2006;62(7):837–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Hassouneh-Phillips D. Strength and vulnerability. Spirituality in abused American Muslim women’s lives. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2003;24:681–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Abraham M. Speaking the unspeakable: marital violence among South Asian immigrants in the United States. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  89. Mattis JS. Religion and spirituality in the meaning-making and coping experiences of African American women: a qualitative analysis. Psychol Women Q. 2002;26:309–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Pargament KI. The psychology of religion and coping: theory, research, practice. New York: Guilford Press; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  91. Stephanie K, Baig A, Balice G, DiRubbo C, Placencia L, Skale K, Thomas J, Flitter J, Mirzad F, Moeckler H, Aquino S. Contribution of media to the normalization and perpetuation of domestic violence. J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2014;1(4):1018.

    Google Scholar 

  92. Funk JB, Baldacci HB, Pasold T, Baumgardner J. Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization? J Adolesc. 2004;27:23–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Bemiller ML, Schneider RZ. It’s not just a joke. Sociol Spectr. 2010;30:459–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  94. Borwankar R, Sommerfelt E, Diallo R, Oluwole D, Goings S. Domestic spousal violence against women in Sub-Saharan Africa: promoting evidence based advocacy to influence policy. In: Donta B, Shah I, Puri CP, editors. Gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health. Mumbai: NIRRH; 2010. p. 279–99.

    Google Scholar 

  95. Planning Commission. State Development Reports-Madhya Pradesh Development Reports. 2014. New Delhi: Planning Commission, Government of India.

    Google Scholar 

  96. Annual Health Survey Report. A report on core and vital health indicators. New Delhi: Office of the Register General & Census Commissioner, India; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  97. International Institute for Population Sciences. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2005–2006: India. Mumbai: International Institute of Population Sciences, Macro International; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  98. Lado. LADO-An innovative initiative for eradicating child marriages Madhya Pradesh. Project Replication Framework (PRF). Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  99. Breakthrough’s Bell Bajao! A Campaign to Bring Domestic Violence to a Halt. Retrieved on 7 Nov 2014 from http://www.bellbajao.org/.

  100. O’Dell A. Why do police arrest victims of domestic violence? The need for comprehensive training and investigative protocols. In: McCloskey KA, Sitaker MH, editors. Backs against the wall: battered women’s resistance strategies. New York: Routledge; p. 49–68.

    Google Scholar 

  101. Suchita Srivastava & ANR. v. Chandigarh Administration (Civil Appeal No. 5845 of 2009) Retrieved on 28 Aug 2014 from http://www.stf.jus.br/.

  102. Global Health Rights. Retrieved on 18 April 2016 from http://www.globalhealthrights.org.

  103. Human Rights Law Network. Retrieved on 19 April 2016 from http://www.hrln.org/.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Meerambika Mahapatro .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mahapatro, M. (2018). Policy, Prevention and Reforms. In: Domestic Violence and Health Care in India. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6159-2_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6159-2_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-6158-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-6159-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics