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| India tackles domestic violence | India tackles domestic violence |
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| A landmark new law seeking to protect women from domestic violence has come into effect in India. | A landmark new law seeking to protect women from domestic violence has come into effect in India. |
| The law bans harassment by way of dowry demands and gives sweeping powers to a magistrate to issue protection orders where needed. | The law bans harassment by way of dowry demands and gives sweeping powers to a magistrate to issue protection orders where needed. |
| Punishment could range from a jail term of up to one year and/or a fine of up to 20,000 rupees ($450). | Punishment could range from a jail term of up to one year and/or a fine of up to 20,000 rupees ($450). |
| Every six hours, a young married woman is burned, beaten to death or driven to commit suicide, officials say. | |
| Overall, a crime against women is committed every three minutes in India, according to India's National Crime Records Bureau. | |
| Despite the scale of the problem, there had been no specific legislation to deal with actual abuse or the threat of abuse at home. | Despite the scale of the problem, there had been no specific legislation to deal with actual abuse or the threat of abuse at home. |
| Domestic violence, under the new law, includes "actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, emotional or economic," a statement from the federal ministry of women and child development said. | Domestic violence, under the new law, includes "actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, emotional or economic," a statement from the federal ministry of women and child development said. |
| The law provides protection to the wife or live-in partner from violence at the hands of the husband or live-in partner or his relatives. | The law provides protection to the wife or live-in partner from violence at the hands of the husband or live-in partner or his relatives. |
| Besides physical violence, the law also covers forcing a wife or partner to look at pornography. | Besides physical violence, the law also covers forcing a wife or partner to look at pornography. |
| Wall of silence | Wall of silence |
| "We have been trying for long to protect women from domestic violence. In India alone, around 70% of women are victim of these violent acts in one or the other form," junior minister for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury told the Press Trust of India news agency. | "We have been trying for long to protect women from domestic violence. In India alone, around 70% of women are victim of these violent acts in one or the other form," junior minister for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury told the Press Trust of India news agency. |
| She said the news law would help provide relief to the women suffering from domestic violence. | She said the news law would help provide relief to the women suffering from domestic violence. |
| Women's activists have welcomed the law, although many say it is not perfect. | Women's activists have welcomed the law, although many say it is not perfect. |
| They say a bill alone will not help in preventing domestic abuse; what is needed is a change in mind sets. | They say a bill alone will not help in preventing domestic abuse; what is needed is a change in mind sets. |
| A survey by the International Institute for Population Studies showed 56% of Indian women believed wife beating to be justified in certain circumstances. | A survey by the International Institute for Population Studies showed 56% of Indian women believed wife beating to be justified in certain circumstances. |
| The reasons varied from going out without the husband's permission to cooking a bad meal. | The reasons varied from going out without the husband's permission to cooking a bad meal. |
| Domestic abuse is often denied by the victims themselves. | Domestic abuse is often denied by the victims themselves. |