Ensure protection to domestic violence survivors as per court orders: women’s panel

‘All establishments should set up internal committees to prevent violence against women’

Illustration for The Hindu | Photo Credit: Satheesh Vellinezhi

Protection as per court orders should be ensured to survivors in domestic violence cases, Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson P. Satheedevi has said.

She was speaking after a two-day sitting of the commission here on Wednesday.

Ms. Satheedevi also called for setting up internal committees in all establishments to prevent violence against women.

She said the commission had submitted recommendations seeking framing of rules to ensure protection to women as per court orders and implementing the POSH (Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace [Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal] Act.

The commission, she said, was receiving complaints about denial of protection in cases of domestic violence despite court orders to the effect. The commission was examining this seriously. Those concerned should take steps to ensure that adequate protection was given to survivors, she said.

Internal committees were a must in workplaces, including government offices, that had more than 10 employees. Failing to set up such panels was a punishable offence. Fine would be imposed on those in charge of the workplace if these were not formed. The commission would take steps in this regard, Ms. Satheedevi said.

‘Inform women staff’

Often, women employees did not know if an internal committee had been formed. So, when such committees were formed, information should be put up in a way that all employees were aware of it. The law also laid down that all employees should be aware of the internal committee office-bearers. However, workplaces did not adopt this attitude.

Most of the domestic violence complaints were from very young women. They included women who had got married as per their family’s wishes and own wish. Jewellery, property, or land that women get from their families at the time of marriage was their right, as per law. This could not be misused by the husband or his kin, Ms. Satheedevi said.

83 complaints

Eighty-three complaints were addressed at the sitting. Twelve were sent for reports, and four for counselling. As many a 326 complaints were postponed to the next sitting.

Commission members Indira Raveendran, V.R. Mahilamony and P. Kunhaysha, director Shaji Sugunan, circle inspector Jose Kurian, advocates, and counsellors attended the sitting.