cruelty against women
Cruelty against women has been age-old phenomenon, where women have been subjected to brutality and inexplicable exploitation for one reason or the other.
In the male-dominated world, she has been treated not better than a commodity, a mere puppet in the hands of her so-called protector, be in the form of father, brother or subsequently her husband for the rest of her life.
Her position has been reduced next to nothing to the extent that she cannot take a decision of her own. By virtue of this pathetic plight, she has been enduring cruelty meted out with her at the hands of her husband and his relatives.
In the wake of such widespread violence and cruelty inflicted upon women, section 489A has been inserted in the Indian Penal Code, which specifically deals with cruelty towards a woman by her husband or his relatives.
This provision brought some relief to women, whose life has become miserable because of torture and violence perpetrated against her by her husband or his relatives and at the same time, the impugned provision pays a tribute to those, who chose to commit suicide after being frustrated by persistent harassment causing them to suffer from mental as well as physical agony.
It was for the first time that the impugned provision made it punishable for a husband or his relatives to subject a woman to cruelty. The law explicitly recognised mental cruelty and mental health as well.
Cruelty was defined as any conduct likely to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb, and the mental or physical health of a woman or to drive her to commit suicide. Harassment or coercion of a woman or her relatives to fulfill demands for money or property was included within the definition of ‘cruelty’.
Since its inception, this provision has drawn flaks from various quarters in a quite systematic and sustained manner. The opponents to this provision termed it as unfair and responsible for the victimization of husbands by their wives and her relatives.
The
In the male-dominated world, she has been treated not better than a commodity, a mere puppet in the hands of her so-called protector, be in the form of father, brother or subsequently her husband for the rest of her life.
Her position has been reduced next to nothing to the extent that she cannot take a decision of her own. By virtue of this pathetic plight, she has been enduring cruelty meted out with her at the hands of her husband and his relatives.
In the wake of such widespread violence and cruelty inflicted upon women, section 489A has been inserted in the Indian Penal Code, which specifically deals with cruelty towards a woman by her husband or his relatives.
This provision brought some relief to women, whose life has become miserable because of torture and violence perpetrated against her by her husband or his relatives and at the same time, the impugned provision pays a tribute to those, who chose to commit suicide after being frustrated by persistent harassment causing them to suffer from mental as well as physical agony.
It was for the first time that the impugned provision made it punishable for a husband or his relatives to subject a woman to cruelty. The law explicitly recognised mental cruelty and mental health as well.
Cruelty was defined as any conduct likely to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb, and the mental or physical health of a woman or to drive her to commit suicide. Harassment or coercion of a woman or her relatives to fulfill demands for money or property was included within the definition of ‘cruelty’.
Since its inception, this provision has drawn flaks from various quarters in a quite systematic and sustained manner. The opponents to this provision termed it as unfair and responsible for the victimization of husbands by their wives and her relatives.
The