GLOBAL DATABASE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENCOUNTRY-PROFILEINDIACOUNTRY SNAPSHOT
India
Region: Asia / Population: 1,407,564B / Female Population: 681,060M
image africa
Gender Inequality Index Rank
Global Gender Gap Index Rank
Lifetime Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence
Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in the last 12 months
Lifetime Non-Partner Sexual Violence
Country Snapshot Measures CEDAW
Country Snapshots were developed by UN Women on the basis of information contained in the database, completed with other relevant sources
Country snapshot is under development.
Laws & Policies
Constitutional Provisions on Violence against Women
NO
Stand-alone EVAW Law
YES
Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (1956), Dowry Prohibition Act (1961), Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (1986), Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act (1987), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005)
National Action Plan on VAW (latest one that is currently into force)
NO
Paragraph 7.1 of National Policy for Empowerment of Women 2001 lays down that ‘all forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic or societal levels, including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence. Institutions and mechanisms/schemes for assistance will be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence, including sexual harassment at workplace and customs like dowry; for the rehabilitation of the victims of violence and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of violence. A special emphasis will also be laid on programmes and measures to deal with trafficking in women and girls. National Action Plan for implementation of the policy is yet to be developed.
National Strategy on VAW (latest one that is currently into force)
NO
Law against Sexual Harassment
YES

Sections 294, 326 A and B, 354, 354 A, B, C and D, 509 of the Penal Code (1860)

The sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act, 2013

Provision against Marital Rape
NO
Under special legislation, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, girls and boys below 18 years of age are protected against penetrative sexual assault. As per exception 2, under section 375 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, married girls under 15 years of age are protected against marital rape. Under civil legislation, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, women in domestic relationships are protected against sexual violence. Under section 498A of IPC, married women are protected against cruelty by their husband and relatives of husband, under section 376B of IPC, married women living separately from their husband are protected against non-consensual sexual intercourse.
Equality in Marriage and Divorce
YES

Hindu Marriage Act (1955)

Section 27 of the Special Marriage Act (1954)

Minimum Age of Male Marriage
21
Section 2(a) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
Minimum Age of Female Marriage
18
Section 2(a) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
Law Prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
NO
For immediate and livelong harms or death, sections 319 to 326 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 dealing with punishments for voluntarily causing hurt and voluntarily causing grievous hurt
Assessment of Services for Women Survivors of Violence
Governance and Coordination
Existence of a governance structure or coordination mechanism
YES

Government of India, National Commission for Women

Government of India, Ministry of Women and Child Development, One Stop Centre Scheme, August 2016

Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Women Safety Division

Justice
Availability of administrative data on justice
YES
222,801 women beneficiaries for the period April 2022 to February 2023
Number of VAW specialized courts
1,175

Since 2019, the Department of Justice has set up 764 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and 411 Special Courts (to try CSA cases) across 28 States in India for expeditious trial relating to sexual offences

In addition, 763 Family Courts are functional across the country (as of December 2022)

Nari Adalats under Mission Shakti Scheme (2022) speaks of alternate grievance redressal systems at gram panchayat level. The data on the scheme is not available

Number of legal aid service organizations for VAW/G survivors
3,066
1 National Legal Services Authority; 39 State Legal Services Authorities; 676 District Legal Services Authorities; 2,350 Taluk/sub-district Legal Services Committees.
Police
Availability of administrative data on police
YES
Number of police stations or units specialized in EVAW
13,251
Women Help Desks established in 13,101 police stations; 150 Investigative Units for Crime against Women established in 36 States and Union Territories.
Number of law enforcement professionals trained to respond to incidents of VAW/G in accordance with a standardized curriculum
5,829

2,575 Investigating officers, prosecution and medical officers trained in collection, handling and transportation of forensic evidence by Bureau of Police Research and Development & Lok Narayan Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science in 2018-2019

3,254 police personnel trained in identifying, detecting and resolving cyber-crimes against women and children by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India in 2018-2019

Social Services
Availability of administrative data on social services
YES
Number of social services (i.e. shelters, helplines, centres offering psycho-social counselling support)
1,207

730 One Stop Centers operational in 36 districts

34 Women Help Lines (Call 181) operational in 34 States and Union Territories

441 Shakti Sadans in 30 States and Union Territories

Emergency Response Support System (Call 112) operational in 35 States and Union Territories

National Legal Aid Helpline Number (15100)

Number of women accessing social services (latest year)
1,04,33,693

8,800,000 women accessed One Stop Centers since 2015 to September 2022

1,100,145 women assisted through 181 Women Help Line in 2022

533,548 women accessed legal aid

Health
Availability of administrative data on health
YES
Number of health units that have documented and adopted a protocol for the clinical management of VAW/G survivors
N/A
Number of health units adapted the guidelines and protocol is not available. Guidelines and Protocols: Medico-legal Care for Survivors/Victims of Sexual Violence was published by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Experiencing Violence?
loading