ITANAGAR, Sep 26: A national ‘legal awareness webinar’ on domestic violence against women was jointly organized by the Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA), the SLSAs of Delhi, Punjab and Manipur, the Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti and the NSS units of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College on Saturday.
Starting off the webinar, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Associate Professor Shivani Goswami said that “even though there are provisions under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act that are women-friendly, they fail to fulfill its main purpose practically,” and cited reasons for its failure.
Former Supreme Court judge Gyan Sudha Misra spoke on the types of domestic violence, like physical violence, emotional violence, economical violence, sexual violence and verbal violence. She emphasized the need for having representatives of victims of domestic violence to assist them in getting justice, “since women become weak after abuse.” She also said that “boys should be taught on how to behave with women.”
APLSA Member Secretary Jaweplu Chai spoke on the issues affecting the women in the state, like polygamy. She said it has been found that most cases of domestic violence against women are due to the practice of polygamy by men. She also said that, under the customary practices, polygamy is not treated as a crime.
Chai also spoke on the importance of marriage registration and the various steps taken by the APSLSA to eradicate all forms of domestic violence.
The webinar was streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, and included judicial officers, legal aid counsels, paralegal volunteers, NGOs’ representatives, faculty members and students of colleges and universities in various parts of India.
The programme was held in collaboration with the NSS cell of JC Bose University of Science & Technology, the YMCA in Haryana, New Delhi-based Divinity Heals, New Delhi-based Pride: Voice of Rights, the women studies centre and the NSS cell of Rajiv Gandhi University, and the faculty members of arts and social science of UP-based Swami Vivekananda Subharty University.
