Paper short abstract:

The concept of 'marriage' has changed over the years. The gendered understanding of domestic violence amidst the legislative and policy reforms is being grossly challenged. In such a scenario, on whom befalls the responsibility of the health and well-being of the women?

Paper long abstract:

In the neoliberal India where 'marriage' is considered sacred, not much has changed in terms of the ideological notions of what constitutes a marriage and a family. While the composition changed, the gendered responsibilities are still very definite. With the changing mindsets, however, the laws lack deliberation. The year 2006 marked the implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA, 2005) in India. Reflected in the national reportage of the domestic violence cases, the two-decade-old legislation has been criticized for not being able to address the issue of domestic violence. There has been a shift from the idea of domestic violence being a private matter to being the state's responsibility. The stakeholders involved in the deliberation of the law - the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary have often tried to adapt a gender-neutral approach while dealing with the issue. Looking at the history and present severity of the violence against women, there are milestones yet to be achieved. The gendered understanding of domestic violence amidst the legislative and policy reforms is being grossly challenged. In such a scenario, on whom befalls the responsibility of the health and well-being of the women? The present paper uses a mixed-method approach to address the question at hand. A review of the literature would provide statistical grounds, and insights from the fieldwork will deepen the understanding of the politics of responsibility in cases of domestic violence.