27 Sep 11 Now ‘Bahu’ assumes the role of abuser

There appears to be a turn-around in respect of the traditional ‘Saas-Bahu’ equation, when it comes to abuse of the elderly in the country as it is the daughter-in-law who has, according to a study, emerged as the ‘major abuser’ in the lower socio-economic strata.

“Nationally, daughter-in-law emerged as the major abuser of the elderly (63.4 per cent) followed by the son (44 per cent) from lower socio economic strata as against the son (53.6 per cent) last year in the higher socio-economic strata,” says a report on ‘Elder abuse and crime in India’, released by HelpAge, India based on the findings in nine cities in the country.

The report lists verbal abuse including ‘speaking in loud voice, using foul langauge, name calling, accusing and blaming’ topping the kind of abuse faced by the elderly in the lower socio-economic strata.

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30 Jul 11 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A heavy side to the act

The Domestic Violence Act, which is meant to safeguard the women, has been misused by many

Taji George, a lawyer with 20 years of experience behind him, was recently approached by a client with a peculiar problem — his wife was charging him of domestic abuse. Well aware of the repercussions should the matter reach court, George’s client had been pacifying his in-laws by sending them settlements for years. His wife had sold three of the houses he owned in Bangalore, and was trying to wriggle out of the joint-ownership they shared on the fourth. The twist in this sordid tale? George’s client hadn’t laid so much as a finger on his wife. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, which is meant to safeguard the rights of women who have been harmed within their households, can actually serve as a potent weapon for wives looking to make a quick buck off their better halves. (more…)

05 Jun 11 NFHS Dharna against DV Act reported in E-Sandhya

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24 Nov 10 Sister-in-law paid help to attack senior citizens

The Gamdevi police have arrested the sister-in-law of Ila Gandhi, 62, who was killed after she and her mother, Chandaben, 78, were attacked at their flat in Sunita Apartments at Grant Road on Sunday night. Rupal, wife of the victim’s brother Deepak, has been charged with murder. The police have also arrested the couple’s domestic help Ramachandra Ganpat Gomane, 23.

Deepak, who stays on the third floor of the building, was on his way home when he saw the main door of his mother’s first-floor house ajar. However, The safety door was locked.

When nobody responded to his knocks, Deepak rushed to his home to get the duplicate keys. When he opened the door, he found his mother on the floor and his unconscious sister on the sofa.

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23 Nov 10 Woman had sis-in-law killed: Cops

Written by Preety Acharya Gamdevi police say Rupal Gandhi, fed up of looking after her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, ordered a servant to kill both

Investigations have revealed that it was a domestic dispute that led to the murder of a 62-year-old woman on Sunday. The Gamdevi police said Ila Gandhi and her 78-year-old mother, Champa Gauri Gandhi, were assaulted at the behest of Champa’s daughter-in-law Rupal, who has now been arrested.

The police say that the information came to light when a severely injured Champa managed to nod at the name of their domestic servant Ramchandra Gomane when asked who had attacked her and her daughter. The family live in Sunita Apartments on Peddar Road.

“Gomane, 23, told us that Rupal had asked him to kill both women for the sake of the flat in which they were living, which is worth crore of rupees,” said a police officer from Gamdevi Police Station.

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26 Sep 10 Agony of moms-in-law

IN Indian families, mothers-in-law are usually described as shrewish and the source of all domestic conflict. However, reality and popular perception are often poles apart as many mothers-in-law maintain that they are hounded by their daughters-in-law. Highlighting their plight, some of these women have come together under the banner of the All India Mothers-in-law Protection Forum.

The forum was created in Bangalore and very soon it had branches in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Nagpur, Lucknow, Chhattisgarh and Guwahati with more than 1,000 members.

Neena Dhulia, coordinator of the forum, says the laws of the country are loaded in favour of daughters-in-law. The complaints of women who have been harassed by their daughters-in-law are not taken seriously by the police or courts. Forum members held a candlelight protest in Bangalore recently to create awareness about the plight of hapless mothers-in-law.

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