Lockdown Affecting Relationships? NCW Got 69 Complaints Of Domestic Violence Since March 24

The ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown has been stressful to most of us, to say the least. As most of the employed population started working from home and started spending more time with their partners and coupled with the stress around the COVID-19 outbreak, are having an impact on personal relationships.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has received over 250 complaints since the country-wide lockdown was imposed to control the spread of coronavirus out of which 69 were cases of domestic violence, which it said has been increasing since then.

Since the lockdown was imposed, a total of 257 complaints related to various offences against women were received, out of which 69 complaints are related to domestic violence, the data released by the NCW showed. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said the number of cases of domestic violence must be much higher but the women are scared to complain due to the constant presence of their abuser at home.

She said from March 24 till April 1, the NCW has received 69 domestic violence complaints and it is increasing by the day.

"Women are not approaching the police because they think that if they take her husband away, the in-laws would be torturing her. Because of the lockdown, women are not able to reach out to the police. They don't even want to go to the police because they are afraid that once their husband comes out of the police station, he will again torture her and she can't even move out. "

"Earlier women could go to their parents' place but now they are unable to reach. The NCW is in touch with these complainants," she said.

According to Vani Subramanian, a member of the women's group Saheli Trust, "captivity anyway drives people crazy and abusive situations only make it worse". Ranjana Kumari, the director of the Centre for Social Research, said everyone was at home due to the lockdown and women were not getting the courage to contact for help.

Mental health experts had warned that such situations could lead to troubles in relationships.

"Having everyone at home is also not easy, especially for those who are not used to being like that. So there will be some conflicts over the mealtime, dividing work, etc," Tanya Vasunia, the Lead Psychologist at Mpower - The Centre, a Mumbai-based mental health counseling center said.

This, however, is not something that is limited to India. In China, the country which went to lockdown first there is an increase in the number of divorce cases. There has also been an increase in domestic violence reports.