What is violence against women?
The UN describes violence against women as any act based on gender that causes or may cause physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats, force or taking away freedom, in public or private life.
Four forms
- Physical: hitting, pushing, burning, any bodily harm.
- Sexual: any sexual act without free consent, including within marriage, and sexual harassment.
- Emotional or verbal: insults, name-calling, threats, isolating her from friends, constant control.
- Economic: taking her salary, refusing money for basic needs, stopping her from working, taking her property.
Where it happens
At home (domestic violence), at the workplace (sexual harassment), in public places and online (stalking, sharing private images). Harmful practices such as dowry demands, child marriage and so-called honour crimes are also forms of violence.
Causes
Unequal power between men and women, harmful beliefs that men should control women, alcohol misuse, poverty and stress, and silence because of shame or fear.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence is abuse by someone who shares a home or family relationship with the woman: husband, live-in partner, in-laws, father or brother.
The cycle of abuse
- Tension builds: anger, blame, small fights.
- Incident: violence or a serious threat.
- Making up: apology, gifts, promises it will not happen again.
- Calm: things seem fine, so she hopes it is over.
Then the tension starts again. Knowing this cycle helps people see that an apology alone does not stop the abuse.
Why women may not leave
Fear, no money of her own, children, pressure from family, shame, or not knowing the law. This is why support services and money of her own matter.
Effects
Injury, depression, anxiety, children who grow up afraid, and loss of work and income.
The international framework
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): everyone has a right to life, liberty and security, and equality.
- CEDAW (1979): the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, often called the international bill of rights for women. Countries that join must remove discrimination in law and practice and report to a UN committee. India ratified it in 1993. The committee's General Recommendations 19 (1992) and 35 (2017) say gender-based violence is discrimination.
- UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (DEVAW, 1993): the first global text to define violence against women.
- Vienna Conference (1993): said women's rights are human rights.
- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995): made violence against women one of 12 areas for action.
- Sustainable Development Goal 5 (2015): target 5.2 aims to end all violence against women and girls; target 5.3 aims to end child marriage.
- Regional treaties: the Belém do Pará Convention (Americas, 1994), the Maputo Protocol (Africa, 2003) and the Istanbul Convention (Europe, 2011).
Each year, 25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Indian laws to prevent violence against women
The Constitution
Articles 14 and 15 give equality and allow special laws for women; Article 21 protects life and dignity; Article 51A(e) asks citizens to give up practices that insult women's dignity.
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA)
- Covers physical, sexual, verbal and emotional, and economic abuse.
- Protects wives, live-in partners, mothers, sisters and daughters living in a shared household.
- A Protection Officer helps the woman file a domestic incident report.
- A magistrate can give: protection orders (stop the abuse), residence orders (right to stay in the shared home), monetary relief, custody orders and compensation. It is a civil law: its main aim is relief, not jail.
Other key laws
- Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961: giving, taking or demanding dowry is a crime.
- Criminal law: cruelty by husband or relatives, dowry death, stalking, voyeurism, acid attack, assault and rape are crimes. These were in the Indian Penal Code (for example Section 498A on cruelty) and are now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 widened these crimes after the 2012 Delhi case.
- Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH): every workplace with 10 or more workers must have an Internal Committee to hear complaints. It built on the Supreme Court's Vishaka guidelines (1997).
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and POCSO Act, 2012 protect girls.
- Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 and the IT Act cover insulting images and online abuse.
Institutions
The National Commission for Women (1992), state women's commissions, One Stop Centres, women's helpline 181 and the emergency number 112.
Prevention: what works
- Stop it before it starts: teach respect, consent and equality in schools; challenge jokes and films that make abuse look normal.
- Economic power: education, jobs and property rights for women make it easier to leave abuse.
- Strong services: helplines, shelters, trained police, quick courts, free legal aid.
- Bystanders: friends, neighbours and teachers can notice, ask, and help someone reach a helpline safely.
Try it: a help card
Make a small card for your school notice board with three helplines for your area (for India: 112 emergency, 181 women's helpline, 1098 child helpline), the address of the nearest One Stop Centre, and one sentence a friend can say: "I believe you. You are not alone. Let us call for help together." Then use the situation picker in the 3D to check which law fits each case.
Key formulas and definitions
- Forms: physical · sexual · emotional/verbal · economic
- Cycle of abuse: tension → incident → making up → calm → tension
- Global: UDHR 1948 · CEDAW 1979 · DEVAW 1993 · Beijing 1995 · SDG 5.2 (2015)
- India: Dowry Prohibition 1961 · PWDVA 2005 · POSH 2013 · Criminal Law Amendment 2013 · BNS 2023
- PWDVA reliefs: protection · residence · monetary · custody · compensation orders
- Help chain: helpline (181 / 112) → protection officer or police → court → shelter/counselling
Worked examples
1. A husband takes his wife's whole salary every month and does not let her buy medicine. Is this domestic violence?
Yes. It is economic abuse, one of the four forms covered by the PWDVA 2005. She can ask a Protection Officer for help and seek monetary relief from a magistrate.
2. A woman's in-laws ask her parents for a car after the wedding and insult her daily when they refuse. Which laws apply?
The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 (demanding dowry is a crime), the criminal law on cruelty by husband or relatives, and the PWDVA for emotional abuse and protection or residence orders.
3. A manager keeps sending a junior colleague unwanted messages about her looks. Where should she complain?
To her office's Internal Committee under the POSH Act 2013. If the office has fewer than 10 workers, to the Local Committee set up by the district.
Common mistakes
- Thinking domestic violence means only hitting. Insults, threats and taking money are also abuse.
- Thinking the PWDVA is mainly about sending people to jail. It is mostly civil relief: protection, home, money and custody.
- Thinking CEDAW is an Indian law. It is a UN treaty; India agreed to it in 1993 and must make laws in line with it.
- Blaming the victim ("why didn't she leave?"). Fear, money and family pressure keep many women trapped.