New Delhi: As per the information received from National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for the period of April 2020 to June 2020, legal aid and assistance have been provided in 2878 domestic violence cases and a petition has been filed in 452 cases under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA). Of these, as many as 694 cases have been resolved through counselling and mediation.
The increase is expected due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in India since March, but it is also related to domestic violence and atrocities on women and children who were sexually abused and assaulted.
On Thursday, the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani in Rajya Sabha shared the statistics in the Parliament on various atrocities women faced in the ongoing pandemic crises.
Minister Irani said, "the NALSA in the duration between April 2020 to June 2020, had set up a legal aid and assistance has been provided in 2878 domestic violence cases and a petition has been filed in 452 cases under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA). Of which as many as 694 cases have been resolved through counselling and mediation."
The Ministry issued its advisory dated March 25, 2020, to ensure that during the nationwide lockdown, its One Stop Centres (OSCs) under One Stop Centre Scheme and Women Helplines (WHL) under the Universalisation of Women Helpline Scheme via a toll-free telephonic shortcode 181 which support women on matters pertaining to the safety, remain operational.
In the same advisory, Protection Officers under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and 'Dowry Prohibition Officers' under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 were also directed to continue their services related to providing protection and support to women affected by violence during the lockdown.
