SCHOOL OF LAW

CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)

LAVASA, PUNE

NAME: - DIVJOT SINGH.

REG NO.: - 20113069

SUBMITTED TO: - Mr. Ravi Kumar Yadav

TOPIC: - The effects of domestic violence on male victims: the law’s response to the
ultimate taboo research papers.

ABSTRACT
The main work of this research is to break down the impact of violence on men and to study the various
perspectives which generally influence men as it were. It mirrors the difficulties that a male need to look
because of aggressive behaviour at home. The saying of this exploration is to feature the secret enduring of
brutality that male individuals from the family face at home-grown spots. Males regularly face such abusive
behaviour at home when they look any relationship like marriage, family, and so forth It regularly turns out
to be difficult to distinguish the angles where males are overwhelmed by female individuals from the family
or a close connection. Males and females both have different physical and mental way of behaving and the
normal practices likewise vary for the two sexes. However, the quantity of instances of savagery on men is
less when contrasted with brutality made on ladies the standards of regulations and society have not yet
prevailed to give arrangements in the event that men face viciousness.

INTRODUCTION
The study is important as it will assess if there is validity in defining domestic abuse as a crime
against an individual and not a gendered crime. Often domestic abuse has always been viewed as a
gendered crime implying that women are always the victims. For instance, currently there is
an existence of the CP S Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG)Strategy which is an
overarching framework to address crimes that have been identified as being committed primarily but
not exclusively by men against women. Many theories exist of why men in particular may hesitate to report
domestic violence. In addition to their own feelings of shame, one reason may be fear that they will not be
believed and worry that they will be prohibited from contact with their children. Most people are not even
concerned about this another aspect of domestic violence, and they might even laugh it off by saying many
phrases like “Mard ko dard nahi hota” (a man does not feel pain) or “mard ban, biwi se kaise pit gya” (Be a
man, how can you get beaten up by your wife). Section 498A was inserted by our lawmakers with a very
noble intention to prevent violence and cruelty perpetrated by the husbands and their families, but now after
38 years, it is a law that is most misused and abused in the history of jurisprudence.
BODY
When we think about marriage, it is a beautiful and lifelong sacred bond, but the harsh reality of today is
divorce, which happens due to various reasons. Today more than 30% of marriages end up with a divorce.
The most prominent reason is domestic violence. Mainly when a marriage falls apart due to this reason, we
are of the view that it’s the man and his family who are the culprits. If a man shouts on his wife, he can be
accused of domestic violence, but if a woman shouts on his husband, there is nothing that can be done. In our
male-dominant society, it is hard to believe that a male can even go through such kind of abuse and a female
can be an offender. Though domestic violence is primarily faced by women but that cannot be an excuse to
exclude male victims simply because of their gender. There are several reasons why a man is not able to come
forward and be vocal about such an issue, but the most well-known reason is the thought, what will society
think. Other reasons might include:
 Fear of a dowry, or Domestic violence case, or a case under section 498A: The most extreme fear for
men is being accused of a false accusation of domestic violence or dowry case, as it tends to go on for
many years, and is mostly in the favour of the wife.
 For the sake of the children: knowing that this kind of experience will harm the mental health of the
child and also because getting the custody of the child is very difficult for a man.
From the very childhood, a boy is taught that he is not supposed to be sensitive. Even in school, if a boy used
to cry, his classmates used to mock him, make fun of him by saying that “you are crying like a girl.” People
start questioning the masculinity or manliness of a man if he speaks about being harassed or abused at the
hands of his wife. Due to these biases, not just a man, a woman is also not able to take a stand for herself. Our
society has made a list of traits that a man or a woman should possess within them, and if they see something
unusual or irregular, they will start being judgmental.
Due to the general view that men can’t be subjected to domestic violence and abuse, there are no such proper
remedies available to men. All the laws for domestic violence are women-centric, and a male going through
such an act doesn’t have many options.
There are many institutions like NGO which are fighting for women’s rights, but there are hardly any
government-backed institutions for men’s rights. Mostly, when a male victim approaches the police for filing
a case of domestic violence, they are ridiculed, threatened, or beaten.
CONCLUSION
Now, it would not be wrong to say that gender-neutral domestic violence laws are the need of the hour. This
misuse of gender-bias laws is not just an injustice to a man but a woman also. Anyone is capable of being a
victim, and anyone is capable of being an abuser. These incidents against men might be less common than
domestic violence against women, but these victims need some protection too. There has always been this
mindset that if a woman slaps a man, he must have done something wrong, or she has been provoked to do
the same. The same rationale is applied to a man also, but violence in any form done to anyone being a man
or woman is completely unforgivable and wrong. Though most of the victims of this act are majorly women,
it is quite surprising to know even men go through such atrocities. This side is overlooked and is even not
much talked about, but it’s high time that people and the government start addressing this issue and enact laws
that regulate this aspect of domestic violence too. Justice is the right of every individual regardless of their
gender.