DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, A MENACE IN SOCIETY: AN ANALYSIS

Domestic violence against women is one of the most persistent and widespread violations of human rights in modern society. It refers to abusive behaviour occurring within domestic relationships such as marriage, cohabitation, or family settings, where one person seeks to dominate or control another through force, fear, intimidation, or coercion. Violence may take several forms, including physical assault, verbal abuse, emotional harassment, sexual violence, social isolation, and economic deprivation. Although domestic violence can affect individuals of any gender, women remain the most vulnerable due to historically unequal power relations and patriarchal social structures. The issue of domestic violence is often hidden within the private sphere of the home, making it difficult to identify and address. Many women endure abuse in silence because of fear of social stigma, concern for children, financial dependency, emotional attachment, and pressure from family members to preserve the marriage. In many communities, domestic violence is normalised as a disciplinary or personal matter rather than recognised as a serious social injustice. This normalisation allows cycles of abuse to continue across generations. From a socio-legal perspective, domestic violence is not merely a family dispute but a matter of public concern involving constitutional rights, legal accountability, and social reform. It affects the dignity, equality, liberty, and mental well-being of women. Therefore, the state has a duty to create effective laws, support systems, and awareness mechanisms to prevent violence and protect victims. Studying domestic violence through both social and legal dimensions helps in understanding not only why it occurs but also why existing remedies often fail to provide complete justice.