Domestic Violence in India

Domestic Violence can be described as when one adult in a relationship misuses power to control another. It is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The violence may involve physical abuse, sexual assault and threats. Sometimes it’s more subtle, like making someone feel worthless, not letting them have any money, or not allowing them to leave the home. Social isolation and emotional abuse can have long-lasting effects as well as physical violence.

Domestic Violence isn't just hitting, or fighting, or an occasional argument. It's an abuse of power. The abuser tortures and controls the victim by calculated threats, intimidation, and physical violence. . Although both men and women can be abused, in most cases, the victims are women. Children in homes where there is domestic violence are also abused or neglected. Although the woman is usually the primary target, violence is sometimes directed toward children, and sometimes toward family members and friends.

Many women in India are the victims of domestic abuse. Domestic violence is a CRIME and you must seek help.

Forms of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can take many forms and variations and can happen once in a while or all at the same time. Domestic violence can be Psychological Abuse, Social Abuse, Financial Abuse, Physical Assault or Sexual Assault. Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault or injury (hitting, beating, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse ( forced sexual activity), or stalking.

Common Forms of violence against Indian women include:

Female feticide (selective abortion based on the fetus gender or sex selection of child), Domestic violence, Dowry death or harassment , Mental and physical torture, Sexual trafficking, and Public humiliation.

How children can get affected by domestic violence at home:

1) Children can themselves get physically abused or hurt.

2) Witnessing violence actions can be mentally damaging

Children often try to intervene to protect the adult victim, which puts them in a dangerous situation

Children can copy the violent behavior they witness, both as children and as adults

They may develop stress-related problems in health

They can loose self- confidence, be afraid/angry, and blame themselves for what is happening or feel guilty.

If you are being abused, REMEMBER

You are not alone

It is not your fault

Help is available.

Social Issues of India

Even though colonialism and British barbarianism are the major reasons for the decline of India’s wealth, prosperity and technological advancement, there are some socio-cultural issues made it easier for the colonialists and accelerated its impact. Religious customs and social framework made possible the independent self-sufficient communal villages of ancient India. But the restrictions on travel, education, division of labor and social customs restricts people from acquiring skills necessary for the self improvement and social advancement.

Division of labor among the members is necessary for a self-sufficient independent community. But this division should be based on skills and experience rather than color of the skin or family. The possibility to change labor and class will allow competition to acquire skills and further advance technological achievements.

In ancient Indian society the system of social stratification and social restrictions was mainly based on labor alone. The four major classes were the Brahmins (teachers, scholars and priests), the Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), the Vaishyas (traders, landowners and some artisan groups), and Shudras (agriculturists, service providers, and some artisan groups). Memberships to these classes were assigned by merit. So this stratification or caste system had a major role in preservation of order in the society, integration of foreigners and invaders into the society, economic activity in the society and preservation of culture in the society.

Later the caste system become more rigid and the caste become inherited rather than acquired by merit. Educational opportunities were denied to people in the lower caste which produced millions of illiterates and forced people to stay within the strata. When the literate in the society was a few and from the same group, it was easy for them to interpret the laws and customs the way they wanted. So the Brahmins get an upper hand in the society. More social restrictions added later to continue the supremacy in the society. Not only deny the opportunity for education but also deny the right to visit temples, access to public roads, right to have property and right to have a compensation for the labor.

This rigid caste system causes social injustices, disabilities and inequalities among a vast majority of the people. The continued practice exposed the weaker sections of society to unjust exploitation by the socially and politically privileged groups in the name of religion and tradition. The caste system became an instrument of oppression in the hands of socially privileged castes and they exploited the lower castes and subjected them to inhuman treatment. It promoted disunity, distrust and prejudices among the people. Soldiers were recruited based on the caste not based on the physical ability. Also the caste system divide the soldiers based on caste line which made the co-ordination difficult. This resulted in failure to defend the country against foreign invasions. Less qualified or incompetent members of the upper classes often chose for the highest positions rather than well qualified and experienced low caste members. This resulted in slowing economy and contributed to the fall of India.

The caste system is still alive in India. The inter-caste marriages are not allowed in some traditions especially in rural areas. Caste based organizations are exist today and conflict between them sometimes become violent. The government has caste based reservation policy to uplift the low caste members in the society. More castes wanted to be included in these reservation categories. At the same time the organizations associated with upper classes against reservations and quotas. Caste is a powerful factor in politics and many

Water problem in India

Summers are here and the cities in India are already complaining about water shortage not to mention many villages which lack safe drinking water. In the list of 122 countries rated on quality of portable water, India ranks a lowly 120.Although India has 4% of the world’s water, studies show average availability is shrinking steadily. It is estimated that by 2020, India will become a water-stressed nation. Nearly 50% of villages still don’t have any source of protected drinking water.

According to 2001 census 68.2% households have access to safe drinking water. The department of drinking water supply estimates that 94% of rural habitations and 91% urban households have access to drinking water. But according to experts these figures are misleading simply because coverage refers to installed capacity and not actual supply.

The ground reality is that of the 1.42 million villages in India, 1, 95,813 are affected by chemical contamination of water. The quality of ground water which accounts of more than 85% of domestic supply is a major problem in many areas as none of the rivers have water fit to drink.

37.7 million People –over 75% of whom are children are afflicted by waterborne diseases every year. Overdependence on groundwater has brought in contaminants, fluoride being one of them. Nearly 66 million people in 20 states are at risk because of the excessive fluoride in water. While the permissible limit of fluoride in water is 1 mg per litre in states like Haryana it is as high as 48 mg in some places. Delhi water too has 32 mg.But the worst hits are Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Nearly 6 million children below 14 suffer from dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis.

Arsenic is the other big killer lurking in ground water putting at risk nearly 10 million people. The problem is acute in Murshidabad, Nadia, North and South 24 Paraganas, Malda and Vardhaman districts of West Bengal. The deeper aquifers in the entire Gangetic plains contain arsenic.

High nitrate content in water is another serious concern.Fertilizers, septic tanks, sewage tanks etc are the main sources of nitrate contamination. The groundwater in MP, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Kanataka and Tamil Nadu has shown traces of nitrates. However it is bacteriological contamination which leads to diarrhoea, cholera and hepatitis which is widespread in India. A bacteriological analysis of the water in Bangalore revealed 75% bore wells were contaminated.Iron; hardness and salinity are also a concern. Nearly 12,500 habitats have been affected by salinity. In Gujarat it is a major problem in coastel districts. Often babies die of dehydration and there are major fights in villages for freshwater. Some villages have seen 80% migration due to high salinity.

Health is not the only issue; impure water is a major burden on the state as well. Till the 10th plan the government had spent Rs 1,105 billion on drinking water schemes. Yet it is the poor who pay a heavier price spending around Rs 6700 crore annually on treatment of waterborne diseases.