Empowerment and Domestic Violence

rate, infant and foetal death. The education of children, the intimacy with husband

and children etc. in the family are also adversely affected. Planner and policy

makers are confused to prescribe any suitable policy or to implement any Act to

abolish domestic violence as the women generally conceal the domestic violence

against them due to apprehension of more violence, fear of loss of the shelter,

and for protecting family reputation. So it is quite impossible to have reliable

information on it. In India, status of women is far below their male counterpart

in term of access to and control over resources, participation in productive work

and remuneration. This patriarchal and feudalistic nature of the society may be the

cause of domestic violence. The prevalence of domestic violence against women

is reported to be very high in India. West Bengal has got some defamation in

this respect. According to National Crime Record Bureau (2011) West Bengal

ranks first in term of percentage of share of crime committed against women in

India. In this state rate of rape, kidnapping and abduction, dowry death, cruelty

by husband and relatives are 2.6%, 4.1%, 0.6% and 21.6% respectively. Based on

2008 statistics of The National Crime Records Bureau, The Telegraph, December

27, 2010, reported that West Bengal has the highest number of battered wives

among the Indian states. The rate of domestic violence against women in this state

is the highest in the country. In dowry-related deaths, it comes fifth among the

states. The man in Bengal seems bravest at home; he is too shy to demonstrate his

muscle outside. He also values his public image as the well-bred gentleman.

Table 1. Descriptions of the Indicators of Economic Empowerment

Number

Percen-

Number

Percen-

Indicator

(=1)

tage

(=0)

tage

Having own physical asset

62

49.6

63

50.4

Earner

79

63.2

46

36.8

Have a bank account

76

61.3

49

38.7

Having the access to own asset

27

21.6

97

78.4

Whether the present occupation

54

43.2

71

56.8

is secure

Contribute in family expenditure

76

61.2

49

38.8

Spend independently for family

43

34.4

82

65.6

Take expenditure/ investment/

86

68.8

39

31.2

saving decision

Having the access to formal

65

52

60

credit

48

Source: Authors’ field survey 2010

429