[Reader-list] Domestic Violence in Kashmir

[Inder Salim]

Dear all

book review by J.A Mir

http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14293

The book, under review, titled “Domestic Violence against Women in the
Kashmir Valley” by Dr. B. A. Dabla is an empirical and factual study
on the subject. The book is based on four chapters—Introduction,
Methodology, Findings of the Study and Suggestions. The book has been
published by Jay Kay Book shop Srinagar. It has a wonderful get up and
a good quality paper. The cover page carries a photograph of a
distressed woman with tearful eyes, wrinkled face which perhaps
reflect the psycho-social torture that she has undergone, dried and
cracked brown lips which say everything about her miseries and at the
back side, it portrays a very beautiful face of a young girl with very
attractive eyes perhaps made or destined to meet the same fate as of
the former once she gets married. Both the pictures represent two
different facets of social life of women.

The author introduces the problem and highlights the context and
objectives of it in the very introduction of the book. In the second
chapter, the author explores on the methods and techniques used for
the empirical study. The study is based on the 200 interviews of women
out of which 157 were married, 42 un-married and a divorcee. All the
erstwhile six districts have been covered and a proper proportion has
been maintained to balance the findings of the study. Different
variables have been adopted by the author to make the work a
comprehensive one. A detailed account of methodology followed is
provided in the second chapter which will be helpful for the budding
scholars to design their field studies in effective and efficient
manner.
The study highlights that 63 per cent of the respondents feel
discriminated within the families in the areas of education, gifts,
food, property, employment etc. with varying degrees. The 32 percent
(27/87) of the working women respondents face condemnation from
In-laws for their work and 48.27 percent among them feel that their
In-laws are jealous of their work. The author contests that
“attainment of the working role by the married women develops certain
degree of jealousy among In-laws family members. In the post-marital
situation, it certainly contributes to the enormity and intensity of
domestic violence” (p 25). If pre-marital situation is analyzed, women
face a strange dilemma. I think they are caught between devil and the
deep sea. On the one side, not having a job puts them in a
disadvantageous position in getting married because job has a “market
value” and on the other side, having a job puts them into trouble
after marriage.
Though, only a minority of respondents 50/157 (31.84 per cent) and
15/157 (09. 55 per cent) claimed of physical harassment/beating at the
hands of husbands and In-laws respectively, yet this cannot be
underestimated. While majority of such women (75 per cent) experienced
physical harassment only once, yet for some (07.00 per cent) it had
been a regular feature of domestic life. More serious is the
psychological torture which was experienced by the 39.49 per cent of
the respondents. The demand of dowry has added to the complexity of
the problem. A good percentage of the respondents (39.49) had faced
the dowry demand by In-laws and only around 09 per cent of the
respondents were asked by their husbands for precious gifts. The
threat of divorce is “hanging sword on their heads” and traditional
values and religion have been instrumental in subjugating the women.
The Author argues that “the religion too, like traditions, plays a
certain definitive role vis-à-vis the practices related to domestic
violence against women. Its social dynamics partly determines the
nature, degree and efficacy of these practices. It is more so in our
societies where, in some cases, it seems difficult to differentiate
between religion and tradition. In actuality, the traditional values
in our societies have mostly been determined by the religion”
(pp—72-73).  The author precisely draws co-relation between joint
family, illiteracy and domestic violence, on the one hand, and on the
other, between nuclear family, education and non-violence within the
families. The data illustrates the same in concrete terms and it is on
this basis that the Author logically sees the remedy in the universal
education. The Author also highlights that the women are more tyrant
towards women than men. One of the most serious challenges that women
face within the family, which is least reported, is the sexual
harassment at the hands of near relatives especially cousins, In-laws,
and surprisingly grand father as reported by a respondent and distant
relatives. 33 per cent (66/200) of the respondents had categorically
mentioned molestation, 25 per cent of whom had to face it during the
raids by the armed forces, unsurprisingly, which in turn has a lot of
serious implication on the victims of molestation.
The book has some limitations. It does not speak anything about the
Domestic Violence Act 2005. The year-wise data of crime against women
is readily available at National Crime Bureau and State Crime Bureau
which, if included, would have enriched the Introduction chapter. If a
definite number of men would have been interviewed for the deeper
inquiry, it would have certainly added another dimension to such a
vital study.
All in all, the book is an objective study based on the factual data
collected through a proper method from all the erstwhile districts of
the Kashmir Valley and the arguments made by the Author are
substantially supported by the data. It is an unbiased work of a great
researcher. The book opens up many new questions for research and many
topics for serious debates and discussion. The targets have been
objectively met and the Author deserves all praise for it.


(Reviewer is Assistant Professor, P.G. Department of Political
Science, University of Kashmir. He can be reached at
darpolsc at gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam
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