A take on domestic violence.

Domestic violence is any act of violating a person’s human rights with violent or aggressive behavior within a domestic setting.
The main reason behind domestic violence is social and financial insecurity. In a family, where there is violence between husband and wife, the children also get affected.

The light in which masculinity is portrayed does not suit today’s environment. Today, the differences in responsibilities and social image of men and women are reducing by the minute. This is a change men need to get acquainted with and adjusted to. We have almost reached a point where the concept of gender superiority is no more. Men and young boys need to be sensitized about this.

Let us shift our attention to financial insecurity. With women getting increasingly independent as the days pass by, men are beginning to feel less important and more confused about their role in the family. This causes them to try and find other ways to keep their position intact, resulting in violence, both physical and mental. Talking about a financially unstable family, this problem digs deeper. Due to the frustration of not being able to provide for the family and the notion of incompetence coupled with natural aggression, men succumb to their need for power and resort to violence.

We should always look at both sides of the coin, no matter what the issue. With increased independence, comes ego and also insecurity in women. They are walking hand in hand with men in all aspects of life and domestic violence is not an exclusion. There have been cases of violence between sisters, between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and of women harassing their husbands in the past. This can be attributed to the unfamiliarity in their evolved roles and balancing everything that is thrown at them.
These issues tend to persist in Indian families because of their concern for social image and many a time, lack of familial support. Culture, beliefs and orthodox ways add to the problems. Inducing change in their outlook through education, cultural diversity programs and empowerment initiatives are a definite way forward.

The sacred space for us as human beings around each other is primarily the existence of the energy that we emit. This energy needs to be of the positive kind for us to have a positive sense of self. A very basic human right is our right of existence. Be it a woman or a man, everyone has this right to exist peacefully and with dignity.”