|
|
|
Violence Against Women Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cases Studies
|
|
|
| Case
1: |
|
Survival
from death…
|
| |
Anjum,
a resident of an urban village in south district
of Delhi was married to Saleem resident of
village Gunawat near Gurgaon, Haryana at the
age of 19 years. Her father was a labourer.
Although there were no dowry negotiations
before marriage but immediately after the
wedding, a demand was raised for a motor bike
by Saleem’s family. Anjum’s family was in
no position to fulfil their demand. Therefore
her in-law’s family including her husband
subjected her to cruel treatment. Somehow
her parents came to know of their daughter’s
plight and reached Gunawat along with Panchayat
members. Because of social pressure by Panchayat
members, her in-laws got frightened and apologised
for their behaviour but this was short-lived.
In the meantime, she gave birth to two children.
After a few days of leading a normal life,
a new demand for Rs. 50,000 was raised. Saleem,
her husband threatened to kill her if his
demand was not met with. After getting to
know of their plans, her parents along with
Rekha Dubey, our counsellor rushed to save
Anjum’s life. On their way they informed the
local police and took two constables along
with them. Anjum was locked up in a room.
Forcefully, police got entry into the room.
She broke down on seeing her parents and told
about the plans hatched to kill her. She also
informed them that they did not give her food
and water instead gave her hot water to drink.
She pleaded that she should be sent back to
her parental home. Since majority of the village
members was from the same caste, they took
it as their personal issue. They turned violent
and started throwing stones at the police
and the counsellor. An extra police force
was also called for to protect Anjum and her
brother including the Counsellor from the
mob. With police help she was rescued and
brought back safely to her parental home.
Although Anjum’s in laws approached her because
they were scared of legal action, she outrightly
rejected their plea. For the last eight months
she is staying with her parents along with
her two children and is into a job now which
has given her economic independence.
|
| |
| Case
2 |
| A
New beginning after trauma….. |
| |
| Sarita
is a resident of Dera village, New Delhi.
Her parents died when she was six years old
so her paternal uncle brought her up. At the
age of 18, she married Naresh of Sonepat district
of Haryana State. It was an arranged marriage
and as per customs some gifts were given according
to the capacity. Naresh was an alcoholic and
a vagabond. On the very next day after the
wedding, Naresh took Sarita to a brothel with
the intention of selling her. When, innocent
Sarita was waiting outside for her husband’s
return she was intercepted by a beat constable
on duty. She informed the constable that she
was waiting for her husband who had gone inside
the house to meet someone. The constable told
her that it was a brothel and then beat up
her husband black and blue when he came out.
Since she did not have any support system
from her parents’ side, she decided to stay
back with him. On reaching home the husband
took revenge of the insult inflicted on him
by the police. After this, violence became
a regular feature of Sarita’s life. The matter
became worse when her husband demanded Rs.
50,000 in cash from her, otherwise he threatened
to sell her off.
Sarita
was frightened and she ran away from her
matrimonial home to hide in one of her neighbour’s
house when he fixed the negotiation to sell
her for Rs.12,000. Her neighbour then informed
Sarita’s uncle about her condition who immediately
reached the place and brought Sarita back
with him. She came to our Counselling Centre
in Chattarpur to seek help and narrated
her case to the Counsellor. She expressed
that she would not like to go back to her
husband and wanted her streedhan (gifts
given to her during marriage). The Counsellor
registered her case with the Crime against
Women’s Cell (CAW) in Amar Colony. Suddenly
one fine morning her husband appeared with
ten other persons from his village to forcibly
take back Sarita. Her relatives called the
Counsellor who rushed to the spot and informed
the police and villagers that Sarita’s case
had already been registered. At this juncture
Naresh could not compel her to go with him.
For unknown reasons, Police who had supported
Naresh also stepped back. As per request
made by both parties our Counsellor fixed
a Panchayat meeting. On 5th September 2002,
the Panchayat listened to both the parties
and authorised the counsellor to take appropriate
decision. Accordingly our Counsellor after
taking pros and cons of the case into consideration
and keeping in mind the economic position
of Sarita and the subsequent brutal behaviour
of her husband, an amount of Rs. 90,000
towards maintenance was fixed to be given
to Sarita. Naresh’s father agreed to pay
Sarita in cash in the presence of the Counsellor,
Panchayat members and our Field Coordinator.
They were declared mutually separated. The
amount was fixed deposited in her name.
Now Sarita has remarried and is living peacefully
with her second husband.
|
| |
| Case
3 |
| Alcohol
– curse for family life…. |
| |
|
Anita
Devi, resident of Dakshin puri New Delhi
got married at the age of 18 to Munna Lal
of Tigri area in South Delhi. A rag seller
by profession, he was an alcoholic and a
drug addict. Whenever Anita would ask for
household expenses he would beat her up
badly. It became a routine. Munna Lal’s
paternal aunt who stayed with them, used
to instigate him to beat up Sarita. In the
meantime, Anita gave birth to two sons and
two daughters. For some time, Anita’s parents
supported her. Sensing no change in his
habits, Anita started working as domestic
help to earn her livelihood. Munna Lal stopped
going to work and demanded money for alcohol.
On refusal he battered her and used to indulge
in her character assassination. During one
of our regular surveys, our Counsellor from
Sangam Vihar Counselling Centre came to
know about her plight. Neighbours told our
Counsellor that Anita was very hard working.
Some of her employers were paying the school
fees for Anita’s two children. Counsellor
told Anita that when her husband would beat
her up next time she should immediately
approach our counselling centre. The Counsellor
this time took Anita to Sangam Vihar Police
station and registered a complaint. In the
meantime, Munna Lal ran away from home and
threatened Anita of dire consequences. At
this, the Counsellor escorted Anita to Crime
against Women’s Cell of Delhi police and
boosted Anita’s morale to fight her battle
for justice. Munna Lal was summoned by the
CAW several times. After few counselling
sessions, he started going to work and giving
money to Anita for household expenses. Our
Counsellor in several follow-up visits found
that normalcy in relationship has established.
Today Anita knows her rights and helps other
sisters to protect them from violence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CSR Network
