Gender violence laws: Need for balanced reform & accountability

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The tragic suicides of Atul Subhash and police constable Tippanna Alagur in Karnataka have reignited contentious debates surrounding the alleged misuse of gender violence laws, particularly IPC 498A and the Dowry Prohibition Act. A statement by Naveddu Nilladiddare, Karnataka stated that these events have sparked a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court advocating for reform to “prevent harassment of innocent husbands.” Meanwhile, men’s rights groups and media narratives paint women as “greedy and exploitative,” threatening family institutions.

Even Karnataka’s Home Minister has fueled these fears, framing the issue as one of “men’s rights,” the statement further added. Such reactions highlight ignorance of the legal process and denial of systemic patriarchy’s role in impacting both women and men. While it is crucial to address concerns of misuse, these debates often devolve into divisive rhetoric, detracting from the structural and emotional vulnerabilities faced by men and women alike. Atul Subhash’s suicide note underscores the anguish of marital distress and child custody disputes. This mirrors the experiences of countless women who endure family violence. A critical issue lies in the misclassification of crimes by the police, who often conflate dowry harassment with IPC 498A to bolster cases. According to the statement, this approach leads to poorly substantiated cases that are dismissed in court, giving rise to perceptions of false allegations. Additionally, overzealous implementation of IPC 498A has resulted in unnecessary arrests of family members, contributing to claims of misuse. It is also true that a minority of women and their families misuse these laws, often misled by lawyers in a corrupt legal system. However, these isolated incidents should not overshadow the broader reality of pervasive patriarchy and its violence against women.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 2022 revealed that housewives accounted for 52.5 per cent of female suicide victims, with many deaths linked to dowry and domestic violence. These figures stand in contrast to narratives of misuse of women-centric laws. Rather than eroding legal protections for women, addressing the systemic flaws within law enforcement and judicial processes is essential.

Cases of male victimisation must be handled holistically without undermining the rights of women. The backlash against women’s autonomy, often dismissed as “Western” or “Marxist” feminism, must be resisted to uphold their fundamental rights to dignity, security, and life.