Union Minister Smriti Irani has debunked claims that the coronavirus-induced lockdown led to an increase in cases of domestic violence against women. Replying to a question that the lockdown has increased domestic violence and women are not being able to even lodge complaints, Irani retorted: “It is false. Every state has a police line functioning. We have one-stop crisis centres across every district of every state”. The minister for women and child development and textiles also added that there was some scaremongering done especially with some development partners who are in the NGO sector that 80 per cent of women who are now at homes in India or across the world will suffer domestic violence.
She further said, “Our police lines have been functional throughout the lockdown. Our crisis centres have been functional throughout the lockdown.” Irani said rescue and rehabilitation facilities have been provided not only for women but also children. “So far as the numbers go, I have 35 helpline numbers across all states apart from a central number that has been functioning fully throughout the lockdown period,” said the minister. She was addressing a TiE talk event hosted through a virtual platform recently.
Earlier, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had raised an urgent alert about the increasing number of domestic violence cases since the national lockdown began. NCW chief Rekha Sharma had stated that the lockdown imposed fresh challenges for women as they are unable to reach the police even if they want to. In the first week of March, NCW received 116 domestic violence complaints which rose to 257 towards the end of the month. In all, NCW received a total of 315 domestic violence complaints amid the coronavirus lockdown.
