Post-Covid India and Domestic Violence: Critical Analysis of Government's Response

Background. Despite existing legislation and services to promote gender equality and protect domestic violence victims, in India, every 4.4 minutes, a woman experienced domestic abuse prior to Covid-19. Overpopulation, corruption, insufficient education and healthcare, and traditional cultural norms obstruct the implementation of anti-domestic violence campaigns. In the context of existing challenges and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s National Commission for Women Helpline reported a fivefold rise in domestic violence-related complaints from March to April 2020. Using the intersectional feminist and social equity theories, we reflect on India’s approach to domestic violence campaigns and explore how the Indian Government response challenged the intersectionality of women’s experiences. We define domestic violence as any physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological abuse perpetrated by a partner to gain control over the other intimate partner.

Methods. This analysis is based on publicly available documents and studies by Indian and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) published since 2018. Analytical steps involved a.) A comprehensive review of the social inequities facing Indian women, b.) A highlight of the existing anti-domestic violence programs, and c.) Critical assessment of how the anti-domestic violence campaign reflected existing social injustice experiences of Indian women.

Results. The Indian Government’s initiatives were mired in macro-level concerns. During lockdown women lived stressful lives subject to scrutiny from family members: they would have benefited from comprehensive and strength-based clinical assessments. The 52 government helplines lacked monitoring for quality assurance -they often did not function properly. Before Covid-19, domestic abuse was reported by mail or physical visits. The Government enforced lockdown led to women reporting abuse via email or phone, disregarding the country’s gender divide in technology. The NGOs were left to raise money to support domestic violence victims and maintain staff and training guidelines without full government support. NGO-government collaboration would have led to more comprehensive initiatives. The shelters remained open; however, the lack of funding juxtaposed the intersectionality of cultural, socioeconomic, and Covid-19 needs, i.e., counseling, financial assistance, enhanced sanitation, and childcare. The Government broadcasted-domestic violence messages were challenged by the cultural norms preserving the subservient role of women.

Conclusions. Results have implications for clinical and macro-level social workers working globally with domestic violence survivors. Domestic violence victims suffer from various complex traumatic experiences resulting in increased severity of abuse. Holistic, long-term care models must be developed for these victims that consider these complex traumatic experiences. Online mental health and counseling services could have offset the effect of the severe shortage of mental health professionals. Caregivers in healthcare and education settings could have been trained in conversing with individuals they suspect are experiencing abuse. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the first step is acknowledging that someone is in a challenging situation; the next is to be non-judgmental, supportive, and listen. The Indian Government could initiate an international best-practice conference where international communities of policymakers, NGOs, and community activists could share ideas on long-lasting multi-dimensional support targeting victims of domestic violence in the post-Covid-19 world.