Old-fashioned mindset to blame for domestic violence, say experts

According to the National Family Health Survey-4, 40.6 per cent of women in Tamil Nadu reported that they experienced spousal violence and nearly 6 per cent of women reported that there was violence during pregnancy.

These numbers have gone up over the years, said advocate and women’s rights activists Sudha Ramalingam. “The reasons for the prevalence of domestic abuse in Tamil Nadu could be due to many factors. The first is the patriarchal setup of family systems, where the woman is at the beck and call of her husband. The second is mental blocks that many would have surrounding the social dynamics,” she said.

Another reason for high rates of Intimate Partner Violence, according to Dr Vivan Kapil, psychiatrist, is due to substance abuse. “Unchecked substance abuse on the end of their partners has led to an increase in cases. Initially, this was not revealed until we speak to the partner and find out,” he said.

The rise in access to technology and awareness, as well as a media focus, has led to many survivors feeling more confident in coming forward with their stories, said Ramalingam. However, according to Dr Kapil, familial, societal and cultural pressures still hold women back in urban areas. Additionally, normalisation of such abuse continues to be a detrimental factor in more women coming forward.

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