Sandhya Mridul's Appeal To People: Report Domestic Violence

The coronavirus scare has locked us within our houses. The entire globe has been shut down to contain the transmission of the disease. But amid all the fuss that has been caused by the shift in our lifestyles, the sufferings of some people are beyond boredom and monotony. Since many women and children are stuck at home with perpetrators, there has been a significant rise in the number of domestic violence cases, as per reports. To raise a voice against this issue and bring it to focus, actress Sandhya Mridul released a video talking about the plight of women facing domestic violence. And she appeals to people to report domestic abuse as a survivors and as a witness.

⁦@sandymridul⁩ on Domestic violence and how we become culpable of we look the other way .Very powerful pic.twitter.com/6pIo0h5IeB

— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) May 9, 2020

Also Read: Domestic Violence and Connected Laws Indian Women Should Know Of

The video

The video was shared by the veteran actress Shabana Azmi and the Twitterati applauded the effort. The video starts with the visuals of household items like the hammer, knife, scissors and a rolling pin. While in the background, Mridul makes a bold statement, "kabhi kabhi toh dare see nikli huyi cheekh bhi sochti hogi ki padosi kya kahenge," which implies how the women don't even shriek when enduring such violent acts.

She further talks about how the Indians have a habit of poking their nose into the personal affairs of their neighbours and acquaintances but look over when it comes to these evils which wrought the society. She says that we're no different than the malefactors if we don't speak up for the victims of domestic violence. Although the lockdown was put in place to ensure the security of the masses, it has rendered many people vulnerable to violence.

What does the data say?

Rekha Sharma, the chief of the National Commission for Women (NCW) said, “Domestic violence cases have doubled than what it was before the lockdown. The cases of domestic violence are high in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab.” The commission has seen a surge in the number of cases from across the country. Most of the complaints were registered through emails or via the WhatsApp number that was released since women scared of going to the police. The team is shifting these survivours to hotels or their parents' houses to help them escape these abusive households.

What can we do?

This is the time when we need to show solidarity and extend a helping hand. The least we can do is to reach out to friends and neighbours and in case, they are facing something, we can assist them in this regard. Many women might not be aware of the means to file a complaint. Many others might be trapped inside their houses and thus would not have access to contact the outer world. Here are the helpline numbers for those stuck in abusive relationships.

Also Read: NCW Chief Rekha Sharma On Its Initiatives To Address Domestic Violence

Saavriti is an intern at SheThePeople.TV.