Violence Against Women: A Study on the Situation of Widows in India

Running head: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
name of the student:
name of University:
Author's note:

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Abstract
This paper aims to discuss the situation of the widows in indian and victimization on the basis
of discrimination and violation of human rights. In order to conduct the research, the
researcher has taken the descriptive research design. Both the primary and secondary data
collection methods have been applied. In the case of primary research survey and interview,
method have been followed. The survey has done on 100 widows and the interview done on 3
managers of the human rights department. It has been identified that in the current situation,
the position of widows in the society is still poor. Social cruelty and discrimination have been
considered as the important reason behind this situation. At the end of the study, the
researcher has provided useful recommendations for dealing with the situations.

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Acknowledgement
In this research, it has been experienced by me that it was one of the best knowledge of my
life. From this research, I have gathered knowledge regarding various models, concepts and
theories. Firstly I will thank the God. After GOD, I will thank my supervisor
______________ who have guided me in this research. I will also thank my parents as they
have played a supportive role in completing this research project. I will also thank my
friends for the moral support they have given.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1:...................................................................................................................................4
Introduction................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Background of the study:.................................................................................................5
1.2 Rationale of the research..................................................................................................7
1.3 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................8
1.4 Aim of the research:.........................................................................................................9
1.5 Objective of the research:.................................................................................................9
1.6 Question of the research...................................................................................................9
1.7 Structure of the research:.................................................................................................9
1.8. Summary:......................................................................................................................11
Chapter 2:.................................................................................................................................12
Literature Review.....................................................................................................................12
2.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................12
2.1. Situation of widows in India:........................................................................................12
2.2. Customs around widows:..............................................................................................15
2.3. Theoretical approaches on domestic violence:.............................................................15
2.3. Crime against widows:..................................................................................................18
2.3. legislation to restore human rights of widows..............................................................19
Chapter 3..................................................................................................................................26
Research methodology.............................................................................................................26
3.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................26
3.1 Research Philosophy......................................................................................................26
3.1.1 Justification for selected research philosophy.............................................................27
3.2 Research Approach........................................................................................................27
3.2.1 Justification for the chosen research approach............................................................27
3.3 Research design..............................................................................................................27
3.3.1 Justification for selected research purpose..................................................................28
3.4 Data collection process..................................................................................................28
3.5 Data Analysis techniques...............................................................................................28
Sampling technique and accessibility issues............................................................................29
3.6 Ethical consideration......................................................................................................29
3.7 Research limitation.........................................................................................................30

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3.8 Research Timeframe......................................................................................................30
3.9 Summary:.......................................................................................................................31
Chapter 4..................................................................................................................................32
Analysis and Findings..............................................................................................................32
4.0. Introduction:..................................................................................................................32
4.1 Quantitative analysis (for widows)................................................................................32
Table 1: Widows in Vrindavan........................................................................................32
Table 2: Occupation of survival.......................................................................................33
Table 3: Awareness about NGO activities.......................................................................34
Table 4: Meeting with families........................................................................................35
4.2 Qualitative research........................................................................................................46
Summary:.............................................................................................................................50
Chapter 5..................................................................................................................................51
Conclusion and Recommendation............................................................................................51
5.0. Conclusion:...................................................................................................................51
5.1. Linking with objective:.................................................................................................51
5.2. Recommendation:.........................................................................................................53
5.3. Future scope of the research:.........................................................................................56
6. Reference and bibliography:................................................................................................57
7. Appendix..............................................................................................................................64

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Chapter 1:
Introduction
1.0 Introduction
Widows in India are seen as the liability of the family and have no value fir their
relatives after they lost their husbands. They have profound problem as they are outcast to
suffer in poverty and isolation forever. They become the de-sexed creatures for the society
and the epithets like ‘husband eater’ and ‘unfortunate’ are used against them. In this 21st
century also, the women in India are accused to be responsible for their husband’s death
hence the widowhood brings them the state of social death irrespective of higher or lower
caste of the society (Shivakumar 2017). According to some researchers, A segment of
widows are expected to follow spiritual path with various restrictions affecting them
physically and psychologically. On the other hand, the widows living in the ashrams of
Vrindavan or Banaras often forced to prostitution by the corrupt heads. The widows in India
thus have been confronting social constrains to be a widowed woman, neglect of social and
public authorities, insufficient legal measures for them. They have been remaining
underprivileged as well as deprived of the universally accredited human rights for all
(Mishra, Shekhar and Gouda 2016). Moreover, this selected subject is problematic to explore
as these women are deprived of education and other personal development factors hence
neither can access information nor can help researchers to collect information about them.
Hence, this study is significant because Indian government has recently established very few
legislative initiatives at the national and state level to eradicate gender discrimination and
suffering of these women in the country.

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1.1 Background of the study:
For more than 50 million and growing windows in India contains more than 10
percent female population of India (Varma 2016). They are leading life of living sati which is
a reference to the mythical incident of the goddess Sati for her husband’s insult. Later the
religious heads have turned the incident and used it as a practice of burning widows with their
husbands at the same time. As discussed before, most of the widows are forced to live in the
dark and damp places in Vrindavan termed as the ‘city of widows’ where many widows are
under ten years old even (Gupta and Sekher 2018). They were once revered as mother, sister
and daughter but destined to die in that place without even meeting their families again. The
situation in this recent time has become more dangerous as the young widows are trafficked
and forced to earn though prostitution.
Below 30 percent of these widows in India are eligible for pensions among which
only 11% are actually getting their payments (Womenwelfare.org 2018). This is the reason
why more than 15000 widows have nothing to do without begging in the streets of Vrindavan
to meet their days end (Asiapacific.unwomen.org 2018). The widows who stay with their in-
laws or even their parents are devoid of being part of the family wealth as they are granted to
be unlucky for the families. Financial aid hence become most crucial for helping these
women but the number of NGOs and governmental grant are less than the actual necessity.
Widows in India seem to trail all the religious and social rules because they
internalized them. They follow other widows without moving against these worse traditions
of suffering they resign to this kind of destiny like living in destitute and placing numerous
restrictions on the healthy diet (Gupta and Sekher 2018). The orthodox Hindus do not allow
their widows to have onions, garlic, meat and fish as these contain proteins that stimulate
blood and physical growth. Therefore, these are granted to be impure for these widows but
these foods are actually necessary for avoiding malnutrition. Moreover, these widows

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observe various types of religious ceremonies for which they starve for a day thus
malnutrition even leads to death. The mortality rate of these women is higher than other
married women (Lloyd-Sherlock, Corso and Minicuci 2015). In the Indian society, across
different caste and religion, the widows are habitually perceived by their family members as
burden hence sexually threatening toward other’s marriages.
According to the national crime bureau of India, the violence against women
especially on the widows is the fastest growing crime. More than 40 million of these women
are deprived of financial support from their relatives or governments (Justice.gov 2018).
They are also devoid of maintaining basic dignity as being a widow is a sin in this country.
The fundamental human rights are being violated with these crimes against widows in one
hand and preventing these women to utilize their full potential or even survive in the society.
The government of the India is responsible to promote the rights of women and insist upon
the accountability of the perpetrators. In this respect, effective laws are to be issued so that
the violence against widows and neglected behavior perpetuating their subordinate status get
reduced in the society.
1.2 Rationale of the research
In the city of widows, more than 15000 women are struggling every day to survive
(Justice.gov 2018). They are outcast from the society or their own families to suffer in
destitute. They do not have the minimum evaluation so that they can earn for themselves nor
they have any pathway to turn around or go against the rules of the society. These women are
neglected buy the local authorities and also overlooked by the civil society organizations.
These women do not have their own organizations of interest groups so that they can
pressurize the government to aid them both socially and financially. They do not posses
power or authority in their family or guardians hence cannot protest or prevent abuse against
them. This is the reason why they endure ostracism, extreme poverty, violence, malnutrition,