PANAJI
NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), involved in rescuing and rehabilitating victims of abuse, has highlighted serious gaps in the State’s response to domestic violence cases while urging reforms in the legal process, better support services and stronger coordination among agencies.
In its comprehensive study, the NGO also revealed that many victims of physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and financial abuse refrain from pursuing legal action due to social stigma, financial dependence and delays in court procedures.
As per the report titled “Shining a Light on Domestic Violence: Challenges and Solutions”, 60 cases of domestic violence were reported in Mormugao in the past year, but only one was formally registered. The Block Development Officer’s office in Mormugao alone recorded 39 cases during the same period.
“Women often don't want to register cases due to shame or loss of reputation in society, financial instabilities, reluctance to engage in court proceedings and delay in orders passed. Victims are scared of reaction by in-laws and lack of support from parents,” the study states.
Stakeholders interviewed for the study, including police, protection officers, crisis centre staff and NGOs, reported challenges such as shortage of female counsellors, lack of awareness about One Stop Crisis Centres (OSCC), absence of infrastructure, and weak follow-up on court orders. Victims also expressed dissatisfaction with legal aid services, alleging that lawyers demanded money or showed indifference to their cases.
“One of the major and common problems is slow court cases. Further, the court orders are not being followed (by concerned agencies)... NGOs are presently helping in creating awareness about domestic violence, offering counselling to victims and legal aid, but they also struggle due to lack of resources and non-cooperation of other agencies,” NGO Director Arun Pandey said.
Among several recommendations, the study called for streamlining of legal processes to ensure domestic violence cases are decided within the mandated 60 days, as well as the appointment of full-time, better-supported protection officers in each taluka.
It also stressed the need for more temporary shelters, 24x7 support services, improved training for police and legal staff, and stricter enforcement of court orders.
