THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram top in domestic violence, shows SCRB data. As per the provisional data, in the first half of this year, there were seven dowry deaths in the state. Of them, three were in the most populous Malappuram district and two each in Thiruvananthapuram, the second most populous, and Kollam. Coming to cases of cruelty by husbands or relatives, 289 such cases were registered in Kozhikode. Malappuram registered 268 cruelty cases and 203 in Thiruvananthapuram.
As per activists, the number can only be higher as many killings of wives by husbands were classified under the category of murder and not cruelty of husbands or dowry deaths. “We don’t have even a primary data to gauge the level of violence against women as wife killers are booked under 302. A section of judiciary exhibits chauvinistic mentality by not adding sections of domestic violence act to such murder cases,” said a woman and child rights activist. They say most such murders happen after cycles of domestic violence not addressed through interventions.
According to earlier studies by the NGO Sakhi, nearly 40 per cent of all married women had undergone domestic violence at some point in time. As per rules, there should be protection officers for victims of domestic violence on the lines of childline workers in states, but all districts in Kerala do not have them. “Though authorities like Women’ Commission and Vanitha police station exist in Kerala there is a mental block to approach law enforces against the husband,” the activist added.
