The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) have started collecting data on the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005 using Ministry of Home Affairs approved revised proforma of ‘Crime in India’ since 2014. A total number of 426 cases and 461 cases have been registered under the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005 during the year 2014 and 2015 respectively.
As per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, “Police” and “Public Order” are State subjects and, as such the primary responsibility of prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crime lies with the States/UT Administrations. State /UT Governments are responsible for implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005. The Act provides for an inbuilt mechanism to facilitate the entire system of access to justice. It identifies specific functionaries such as the Protection Officers and Services Providers whose primary duty is to assist women in accessing reliefs provided under the law. All the States/UTs are required to appoint the Protection Officers, registration of Service Providers and notification of shelter homes and medical facilities. As on date, all State Governments have appointed Protection Officers.
The Central Government has been emphasising upon the need to impart training to First Class Judicial Magistrates/Metropolitan Magistrates to deal with cases under Domestic violence Act through National/State Judicial Academies. Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories for combating crimes against women which are available on www.mha.nic.in. Continuous awareness creation among men and women in the society through workshops, seminars, street plays, Nari ki Chaupals, Beti Janmotshav are being undertaken at the district level. Further, advertisements in the press and electronic media educating peoples about issues of domestic violence are also being published. Through Sabla programme of this Ministry, adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years are imparted training with regard to legal rights of women.
Different states have different assistance/ ex – gratia norms for such victims of violence. Ministry of Home Affairs has informed that no ex-gratia assistance is provided to the women victims of acid attack or any act of violence, under the new revised Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) guidelines dated 13th July, 2016 one time grant of Rs. 200 crore has been released to all the States/UTs to compensate victim women including acid attack. Additional compensation of Rupees One Lakh to the victims of acid attack under PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF) in addition to the compensation to the victims is also given by the Prime Minister’s Office.
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