There are gaps in the implementation of the domestic violence act and insufficient funds for it, Centre for Social Research (CSR) director and activist Ranjana Kumari said on Tuesday.
"Statistics show an alarming decline in the number of cases registered and an improper budget allocation for the implementation of the act," she said, at an event organised by her organisation and Oxfam India to discuss 10 years of Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act in India.
"(There is) 50 percent decrease in the number of protection in the number of protection officers for the implementation of the act in the country. These are serious problems and need to be addressed on a priority basis," she added.
Speakers highlighted the glaring gaps in the implementation of PWDVA and to various problems surrounding it including lack of awareness amongst many others.
In 2013, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 309,546 cases of violence against women of which 118,866 were cases of domestic violence. In 2014, NCRB for the first time published data on the act, with only 426 cases registered under the act for the entire year.
Speaking to IANS, Prof Bijayalaxmi Nanda of Miranda House said: "People generally do not report on verbal abuse. They do not report much on mental abuse as they would do on physical abuse.
I believe if there are good, progressive judgments (on domestic violence case) which can be highlighted, if women start recognizing that they have a right to dignity.. then that become the first step."
CSR and Oxfam India plan to prepare a memorandum with action points specific to each component of the act and send it to the prime minister's office.