ABSTRACT
The domestic violence movement has focused on the efficient implementation of the laws against domestic violence and asking for gender-sensitive responses from the police and criminal justice agencies. Gender-typical behaviour and normative roles are emphasised and traditional expectations are stressed to arrive at a settlement, which rarely delivers justice to the woman. Caste panchayats still seem to be very strong among some communities in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and in some other parts of India including the tribal communities. Gram Panchayats are local-self-government institutions established by law and adopted by the state governments during the 1950s and 60s. Many women’s organisations have felt the need to create new community-based structures to comprehensively deal with the issue of domestic violence at the community level. Support groups of local women have been created by several organisations in villages and urban communities for preventing violence against women and supporting the survivors, and to promote a culture of taking responsibility for domestic violence.
