Cruelty And Violence by Wife
In India, domestic violence is often portrayed as a scenario where husbands are aggressors and wives are victims. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that wives can also inflict cruelty and violence upon their husbands. Explore this lesser-discussed aspect of domestic dynamics. Despite being frequently disregarded or underestimated, this problem is a severe reality that demands attention. It is a term often associated with male perpetrators, and is a grave concern that transcends gender boundaries. While it’s true that women are disproportionately affected by domestic violence, it’s crucial to recognize that men can also be victims to domestic violence and women the perpetrators.
Domestic violence against men
It is perpetrated by their wives, is an issue that remains largely unspoken and underreported. This can mostly be credited to the non-existence of any form of social awareness around this. The social stigma from the potential public opinion if they ever raised their voice. Even reactions from their families and friends makes sure that these acts go unreported. These instances are a lot of times directed towards ridiculing the man’s perceived masculinity. In reality, men who face cruelty and violence from their wives undergo profound emotional damage, just like any victim of domestic abuse. Their mental health and self-esteem are weakened by the constant fear, humiliation, and degradation. Their capacity to trust others and build solid connections in the future may be hampered by the emotional wounds left behind. Men who are subjected to abuse and violence by their wives frequently go unreported out of fear of being judged, laughed at, or treated disrespectfully. They may be prevented from getting assistance or speaking out about their experiences by feelings of shame or emasculation. Abuse is only continued and allowed to continue unchallenged by this silence.
Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC) Cruelty punishment
This Section punishes the husband or any relative of the husband who subjects a woman to cruelty. There is no similar law for violence committed by a wife on the husband. A law recognising mutual aggression exists in the Hindu Marriage Act,. And, the THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023 (new bill 121 of 2023) under Section 84 states, “Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,
“cruelty” means— (a) any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or (b) harassment of the woman where such harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security or is on account of failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand.”
— (a) any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or (b) harassment of the woman where such harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security or is on account of failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand.”
This has led to a huge unavailability of statistics and data regarding this issue, but studies and anecdotal evidence suggest this issue to be way more widespread than originally believed. Various studies have unanimously agreed to this notion. Women who assault their partners are much less likely to be arrested than their male counterparts due to them being viewed as a ‘victim’ by the law enforcements.
Like all forms of domestic violence, violence by wives against their husbands is a complex issue with multifaceted causes. Some contributing factors may include power imbalance between the spouses, unresolved conflicts as well as mental health issues.
Domestic Violence committed by wives has seen more discussions and studies in developed nations than India.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that 97.2% of men did not report domestic violence, while National Crime Council of Ireland reported only 5% of men reported domestic violence against them. The field has been riddled with various types of different theories such as the gender symmetry theory which suggests that spousal violence is at roughly the same rates on both sides. In the 1975 U.S. National Family Violence Survey carried out by Murray A. Straus and Richard J. Gelles on a nationally representative sample of 2,146 “intact families”. The survey found 11.6% of women and 12% of men had experienced some kind of intimate partner violence in the last twelve months, also 4.6% of men and 3.8% of women had experienced “severe” intimate partner violence. Controversial theories such as bidirectionality exist which suggest mutual aggression in spousal violence in most cases. Bi-directionality occurs in many cases but still in terms of recorded data many more male perpetrators exist than female perpetrators.
Statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
According to statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), instances of cruelty by wives on husbands have been on the rise. In 2019 alone, there were over 7,000 reported cases of cruelty by wives on their husbands across the country. These numbers are alarming and cannot be ignored.
In recent years, conversation around male victims of spousal violence at the hands of their wives has risen considerably. Critics have rejected claims around gender symmetry citing MRA(Men’s Rights Activists) come from a misogynistic standpoint rather than actual want to tackle the issue. While this might be true it cannot be denied that male abuse at the hands of their wives is a very real problem that needs to be talked about more. The most proactive way in dealing with violence against husbands by wives is to first be aware that this problem exists. Domestic violence permeates Indian society from the root deep. While women are disproportionately affected it is crucial to recognise that the opposite happens as well and the best way to go about solving this is unity between the genders.
Conclusion
Cruelty and Violence by wives is a harsh reality that often goes unnoticed or dismissed. It is crucial for society to recognize and address this issue, providing support and resources for male victims. By breaking the silence and challenging stereotypes, we can create a society that acknowledges and supports all victims of domestic violence, regardless of their gender. Most recently in the month of August the Hon’ble Delhi High Court, having a bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait,has ruled that a wife’s persistent insistence on living separately from her husband can constitute cruelty and serve as a ground for divorce. The Hon’ble Court emphasized the importance of mutual trust and understanding in a marital relationship, and that a husband’s refusal to accommodate her can result in severe mental distress for the other spouse. The ruling highlights the legal perspective on cruelty in marital relationships and the marriage was dissolved under Section 13(1)(i-a) & (i-b) of the Hindu Marriage Act,on the grounds of cruelty and desertion.
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Previous Relevant: Domestic Violence in India
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. In the context of domestic relationships, what does a wife view to be cruelty and violence?
A1. Any destructive or abusive behaviour committed by wives towards their husbands in the home is referred to as cruelty and violence by wives.
Q2. Is this problem widespread in India?
A2. There is evidence to suggest that wife abuse and violence is more common than is generally believed in India, despite the fact that these concerns are frequently underreported or unreported.
Q3. Does the law handle domestic violence committed by wives against their husbands?
A3. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, created under Section 84, recognises and penalises women who are cruel, despite the fact that there is no explicit law addressing this issue.
Q4. Why is this ISSUE less talked about?
A4. Because of societal stigma, prejudices, and fear, there is less discussion of the topic.
Q5. What effects do male victims experience emotionally and psychologically?
Men who have been treated cruelly or violently by their wives may experience severe emotional harm, which may have an impact on their future relationships, mental health, and sense of self-worth.
Q6. Do male victims of these incidents report them?
Due of concerns about societal criticism, shame, or feeling emasculated, many male victims choose not to report such assaults.
Q7. What do statistics on domestic violence against husbands in India show?
A7. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports an increase in recorded incidences of cruelty by wives towards husbands, with over 7,000 occurrences in 2019.
Q8. How does the judicial system deal with domestic violence?
A8. The Delhi High Court and the legal system acknowledge that in some circumstances, cruelty inside a marriage may constitute grounds for divorce.
Q9. Are there resources for male domestic violence victims?
A9. Although support networks and public awareness of male domestic violence victims are progressively growing, more has to be done to offer resources and support.
10. How can this problem be effectively dealt with?
In order to effectively combat cruelty and violence committed by women, it is important to acknowledge the problem, dispel preconceptions, and promote harmony between the sexes.
