Just how relevant is the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 in a place like Manipur is a question worth pondering over given the fact that there have been cases of husbands being accused of killing their wives and the family members of the woman in question raising serious allegations against the family members of the husband.

Though Manipuri women have been at the forefront in taking up a number of socially, economically and politically relevant issues, the question of the status of women in society has always been left unanswered and this column has on more than one occasion raised this point.

The new Act, which is aimed at protecting women from violence at home or from their husbands covers a whole gamut of points such as terms like ‘ridicule’, ‘insult’ ‘jibe’ etc.

We find these points interesting because violence against women can take different forms and it need not only be physical assault but also about subjecting a woman to mental trauma and public humiliation by the husband or her in-laws.

Just how effective the new Act will be remains to be seen but it is a pointer to the fact that the Government has deemed it necessary to enact such a law because of the trend of violence against women, be it dowry harassment or even dowry deaths, being deprived of all rights just because the woman in question has not given birth to a male child, denying her economic freedom and the freedom to choose her vocations etc.

Compared to the rest of the country, where there is the over bearing culture of demanding dowry and daughters are seen as something of a liability, especially if the family is not economically well off, the environment for women may be more congenial here but this should not blind us to the fact that even today, Manipuri women continue to be a harassed lot, especially within the confines of the four walls of their home.

The culture in Manipur is such that, as much as possible, domestic tiffs whether they are between husbands and wives or between brothers or between sisters-in-law are kept hushed up within the family itself, lest it becomes the topic of gossip among the neighbours.

We see the positive side to such a prevalent practice or social behaviour, but at times such culture may prove more damaging.

If women who have been continuously harassed by their husbands or in-laws are expected to bear the harassments and insults in private within the confines of their home, then it would only encourage such practices.

Our stand on the matter is clear.

Women or harassed wives and daughters-in-law need to come out in the open and lodge their complaints, though this is no guarantee that her condition would automatically become better.

However the idea is to let wife beaters and malicious in-laws know that they cannot continue with their sadistic approach towards a family member who is on a weaker position.

For the Act to really have any positive impact or positive results, the numerous women organisations of the State need to come out in the open and discuss its finer points and if possible even launch an awareness campaign and provide free counselling to women, as starters.