Women at Risk: Understanding Power and Violence in Kashmir

Abstract

From times immemorial, Patriarchy has always been an instrument of oppression and exploitation against women resulting in the various forms of gender based violence. It occurs in all settings; at work, in the home, in the streets and the community at large, in situations of armed conflict and is perpetrated by men. Most significant fact is that women and girls experience violence primarily at the hands of men they know and within the so-called ‘safe heaven’ of the home and family. In all of these situations gender power differentials and other inequalities play an important role in the dynamics of violence. Women in Kashmir equally share the sorrows and fortunes of life with women in order parts of world, although the practice of infanticide, foeticide, dowry deaths are not resorted to, women are generally abused and maltreated, subjugated and physically victimized right from their childhood because of the socially structured inequality.The present paper examines the nature and extent of domestic violence against women in Kashmir and to come up with the strategies to deal with such violence against women. The research paper is based on the empirical findings.

Keywords: N.A.

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