RIGHT INTENTION, NOT SO RIGHT OUTCOME: ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WOMEN'S CELL

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to understand the ways in which the Indian State responds to and constructs the issue of domestic violence through collaboration with civil society organizations. Women’s groups have for a long time attempted to infuse gender sensitivity into state machineries in various ways for a better handling of women’s cases. For this purpose they have conducted gender sensitization campaigns, workshops and conferences with police, lawyers and judges. Another such attempt is the establishment of women’s cell within the premises of the police stations. These women’s cells run by Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in collaboration with, and within the structure of police system aims at helping the police deal with cases of domestic violence in a gender sensitive manner. My paper attempts at an understanding of the functioning of one such women’s cell at Orissa, India. The paper looks at the terms on which the Orissa police collaborate with local NGOs and studies the impact of such an initiative upon women’s quest for justice. In this effort it is to be seen whether the state machinery (i.e. the police system) subsumes the civil society organization (i.e the NGO) or vice versa, or is it mutually beneficial for both. My paper also focuses in critically analyzing the different functions performed by such women’s cells (members of which come from both police force as well as NGOs) especially its everyday dealing with cases of domestic violence. The attitude of women’s cell personnel as regards the issue of domestic violence is analyzed. Methods such as observation of cases at women’s cell within police stations, content analysis of the monthly booklet published by such cells and interviews of women’s cell personnel is used to collect data for the study. This study brings forth the ways in which women’s cell personnel interpret and implement existing laws on domestic violence and in the process construct and reinforce concepts such as ‘women’, ‘marriage’, ‘family’, ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’. My paper also illustrates that the capacity of the women’s cell to fulfill many of their original objectives is necessarily limited by their problematic position within the police bureaucracy. Yet in the current social scenario, where general police stations are dominated by a masculinist culture these women’s cell do provide a more gender friendly environment. Thus women complainants might find this space more accessible and compassionate than a police station where they fear sexual harassment in addition to other problems.