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Domestic violence against slum women is common in North 24 Parganas district Afsana Bibi, a resident of Rajarhat, a slum on the outskirts of Kolkata, had been a silent victim of domestic violence for many years. The beatings began immediately after marriage but it was nearly six months before the 20-year-old could even tell her parents about it. Her husband stopped the abuse for a couple of months when Afsana’s parents intervened, but it all started again soon enough. Afsana is not the only one in her locality who has faced such extreme abuse without seeking any help. The Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal has 60 government-authorised slums where domestic violence is commonplace. Points out Madhupurna Ghosh, an advocate: "The usual causes for domestic violence are alcoholism, unemployment and illicit relationships with other women. The wives have no recourse to any form of support in such cases. Their parents are usually extremely poor, with no financial wherewithal to either take care of their daughters and grandchildren or fight lengthy legal battles on their behalf. So the women just have to bear the violence, the torture." The West Bengal Crime Records Bureau registers the highest number of cases under cruelty by husband or relatives of husband in the crimes- against-women category. Fortunately, today, legal help and support is available to such victims through a legal literacy programme being run by the NGO, Sutanatir Sakhya, in different localities in and around Kolkata. Staying Alive, which began in 2009 and initially reached out to 35 wards in the Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality area, is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID). It aims to empower women with legal knowledge and provide legal support to victims, besides creating awareness of the legal system of India among schoolchildren, sensitising protection officers appointed under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and disseminating information regarding various provisions of welfare legislation in the regional language. To reach out to women in the slums, Sutanatir Sakhya banks on those who are part of the Community Development Society (CDS), which monitors all the development work in these localities. These women are trained as volunteers because they are already in regular touch with the locals and can get through to them easily. "The women representatives of different wards in each CDS have a community network in place. We simply tap this network, training the women to identify domestic violence and abuse. We also make them aware of their rights through workshops on the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure laws to prevent atrocities on women," explains Ghosh, who is also the joint secretary of Sutanatir Sakhya. These volunteers in turn go into the localities to educate women on the whole spectrum of gender-centric laws, including the Anti-Dowry Act, property laws, the law against sex selection, laws on rape and sexual harassment, as well as the Hindu and Muslim divorce and marriage laws. They also talk to women about the help available to them. "It is imperative to gain their confidence so that they can ask for support and advice. Information and education and communication (IEC) materials like brochures, posters, pamphlets are used to achieve this," says Ghosh. It was Mumtaz Bibi, a trained CDS worker, who came to Afsana’s rescue. "One day, she sent for me when her husband began his abuse. When I reached her house, I saw Afsana’s husband badly thrashing her. He also beat up her mother when she tried to stop him. When I intervened he refused to let Afsana come with me. I took her mother and went to the Rajarhat police station and lodged a complaint. The police then rescued Afsana and her two children. Seven days later I helped Afsana file a case against her husband and he was arrested," recalls Mumtaz. The legal aid cell in Rajarhat alone has helped file 156 cases in the last two years. "I filed for divorce from my unemployed husband with their help. Before marriage, he worked as a security guard but afterwards he quit and expected my parents to take care of all his expenses. Beatings were common. I didn’t know how to escape from the marriage. But now I am aware. A lawyer arranged by the legal aid cell is fighting my case pro bono," says Maya Banerjee, who suffered for two years before seeking help. Sutanatir Sakhya now
plans to introduce vocational training for the victimised women to
help them achieve economic independence. "If these women become
economically independent, it will be that much easier for them to get
out of a violent relationship and also legally fight for their
children’s and their rights," says Ghosh. — WFS
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