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Violence against women is a pervasive issue faced by women both in India and around the globe. The United Nations defines this violence as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.”
According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1 in 3 (30%) women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. These statistics, derived from population-level surveys, provide crucial insights into the prevalence of violence against women.
Understanding the Scope of Violence
On an international scale, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines the term as follows: any act of gender-based violence likely to result in physical, sexual, or psychological harm to women, including threats, coercion, or deprivation of liberty, whether occurring publicly or privately.
Currently, there are 1,585 legislative measures across 193 countries aimed at addressing violence against women. The forms of violence covered include:
- Domestic Violence
- Trafficking
- Child and Early Forced Marriages
- Femicide
- Sexual Harassment
- Stalking
Recent global estimates from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime indicate a harrowing statistic: on average, more than 5 women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their own family—equating to one death every 11 minutes. In 2020, around 47,000 women and girls lost their lives worldwide due to violence from intimate partners or family members. Asia reports the highest number of victims in absolute terms, with an estimated 18,600 victims, while Africa has the highest rate relative to its female population.
Violence Against Women in India
In India, the National Commission for Women (NCW) registered 28,811 complaints of crimes against women in the previous year, with about 55% of these complaints originating from Uttar Pradesh. The data revealed that the largest number of complaints pertained to the right to dignity category, which encompasses harassment beyond domestic violence, accounting for 8,540 complaints. Other notable statistics include:
- 6,274 complaints of domestic violence
- 4,797 complaints related to dowry harassment
- 2,349 molestation complaints
- 1,618 complaints regarding police apathy toward women
- 1,537 complaints of rape and attempted rape
Complaints of sexual harassment numbered 805, with 605 related to cybercrime, 472 for stalking, and 409 for honor crimes. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of complaints at 16,109, followed by Delhi with 2,411 and Maharashtra with 1,343.
While there was a decrease in complaints compared to 30,864 received in 2022—the highest since 2014—the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly worsened violence against women and girls (VAWG). The pandemic exposed and intensified existing inequalities, reversed progress in women’s participation in the labor market, increased extreme poverty among women, and amplified the burden of unpaid care and domestic work—all of which heighten the risk factors and drivers of VAWG.
The Pandemic's Impact
Since the onset of the pandemic, 45% of women reported that they or someone they know has experienced a form of VAWG. Seven in ten women believe that verbal or physical abuse by a partner has become more prevalent, and six in ten perceive an increase in sexual harassment in public spaces.
Costs of Violence Against Women
The repercussions of violence against women extend beyond individual victims to the state, communities, and society as a whole. These costs are both direct and indirect, tangible and intangible. For instance, salaries for staff working in shelters represent direct tangible costs. Ultimately, the financial burden falls on various stakeholders, including victims/survivors, perpetrators, government entities, and society at large.
Conclusion
Violence against women is a critical global issue that demands urgent attention and action. Addressing this problem requires a comprehensive understanding of its prevalence, the underlying factors contributing to it, and the collaborative efforts needed to combat it effectively. By raising awareness and implementing robust legislative measures, we can strive towards a future free from violence against women.