The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005: Evaluating Legal and Social Impact in India
Keywords:
Domestic Violence, Women’s Rights, Legal Protection, Social Impact, PWDVA, Judicial InterpretationAbstract
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) was enacted to address the issue of domestic violence, providing civil remedies alongside criminal provisions. This paper evaluates the Act’s legal effectiveness and its social impact over the past two decades. It examines the extent to which the Act has provided relief to victims, the challenges in its implementation, and its role in transforming societal attitudes towards domestic violence. The study also highlights judicial interpretations, case law, and statistical trends to assess the success and limitations of the legislation. Recommendations are proposed for strengthening enforcement mechanisms and ensuring better access to justice for victims. The paper underscores the need for a multi-faceted approach involving legal, social, and policy reforms to achieve the Act’s objectives
Downloads
References
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
Indra Sarma v. V.K.V. Sarma (2013) 15 SCC 755
Hiral P. Harsora v. Kusum Narottamdas Harsora (2016) 10 SCC 165
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Reports
Reports from National Com
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, No. 43 of 2005, INDIA CODE (2005)
Indra Sarma v. V.K.V. Sarma, (2013) 15 S.C.C. 755 (India)
S.R. Batra v. Taruna Batra, (2007) 3 S.C.C. 169 (India)
Hiral P. Harsora v. Kusum Narottamdas Harsora, (2016) 10 S.C.C. 165 (India)
Law Commission of India, Report on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2021)
Nat’l Crime Records Bureau, Crime in India Report (2023)
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, No. 43 of 2005, INDIA CODE (2005)
(Law Commission of India, Report on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2021)
Ministry of Women and Child Development, “Annual Report on the Implementation of PWDVA,” 2022
Centre for Social Research, “Domestic Violence in India: A Study of PWDVA Cases,” 2021
ICRW, “Assessing the Impact of PWDVA in India,” 2023
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, “NFHS-5 Report,” 2021
CHRI, “Status of Women’s Rights and Law Enforcement in India,” 2022
NCW, “Challenges in Implementing the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,” 2019
Ministry of Women and Child Development, “Annual Status Report on Protection Officers,” 2022
CWJ, “Access to Justice: Evaluating the Effectiveness of PWDVA,” 2023
IIPA, “Implementation Gaps in Domestic Violence Law,” 2022
Oxfam India, “Gender Justice Report,” 2022
UN Women, “Perceptions of Domestic Violence in India,” 2021
NHRC, “State of Shelter Homes in India,” 2022
ISD, “Women’s Economic Rights and Domestic Violence,” 2023
UNDP, “Enhancing Civil Society Participation in Domestic Violence Prevention,” 2022
IIPA, “Economic Barriers to Seeking Legal Remedies for Domestic Violence,” 2022
NIMHANS, “Mental Health and Domestic Violence: The Need for Integrated Care,” 2023
Supreme Court of India, “Judicial Oversight in Domestic Violence Cases,” 2023
NCW, “Annual Report on Domestic Violence Trends in India,” 2023
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
