Good news from India – a new law gives broad protections to women against domestic violence, specifically including the special violence that results when trying to get a larger dowry payment from the bride’s family.

The framers of the new law made provisions for abused women to complain directly to judges instead of police, who often side with men and rarely act on abuse complaints by women.

Now, when a woman files a complaint the onus is on the man to prove that he did not abuse his wife. The law also ensures the woman’s right to stay in the family home.

Women’s rights activists and civic groups welcomed the new law.

“It’s a victory for the women’s movement in this country which has been fighting for years for laws that protect the basic rights of women,” said Ranjana Kumari of the New Delhi-based Center for Social Research.

Found via Feministing

Categories: gender & feminism, violence

Tags: rape, sexual violence