What is Causing Rise in Violence Against Women in India?

"Deeply rooted patriarchal attitudes perpetuate violence, while systemic inadequacies in the legal framework and financial dependence on perpetrators trap women in abusive situations. Social stigma and victim-blaming further silence survivors and perpetuate the cycle of violence," said Kumari.

"This is largely due to the threat of ridicule or shame on the part of the potential reporter, as well as the immense pressure not to damage the family's honour. For similar reasons, law enforcement officials are more motivated to accept offers of bribes from the family of the accused, or perhaps out of fear of more serious consequences such as honour killings," Sharma told Sputnik India.

"These cases accounted for about 23% of the more than 30,900 complaints registered by the NCW in various categories of crimes against women," Sharma said.

"In patriarchal societies, violence against women is an expression of unequal power relations between men and women... From early childhood, young girls are given less access to education than their male counterparts," said Sharma.

"It has also exposed and exacerbated deep structural inequalities, reversed decades of progress in women's participation in the labour market, increased the number of women living in extreme poverty, and increased the burden of unpaid care and domestic work, all of which exacerbate the risk factors and drivers of VAWG," Sharma said.

"It is a new form of violence that I see. Instead of being rewarded for working harder, you are punished for choosing to pursue your career outside the home. It has been seen that a woman's work is always treated as secondary. It has often been perceived that a woman's work interferes with the domestic routine," said Shah.

"The abuser may make you feel that you have done something wrong. One moment they will be extremely sweet to you and the next they will be violent. Abusers never change. So you have to get out of the cycle of abuse. That is where the gap is, not in the implementation of the laws, which are quite comprehensive," said Shah.

“When we talk about violence in general, we need to talk about the empowerment of women. You have to feel the empowerment that comes from self-love. The moment we stop looking for validation from outside and take a stand for ourselves, that is the only time violence will be eliminated. You have to say to yourself that violence in any form is not acceptable," Shah added.

"Sustained collective action remains essential for a safer environment for women. Support systems such as crisis helplines have been crucial, and grassroots movements such as #MeToo have sparked conversations. But broader efforts, including systemic overhauls and cultural change, are needed for a society free of violence against women," shared Kumari.