Magazine 2014
International Peer-Reviewed Journal
RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 4 JULY 2014
VIOLENCE AGAINST DALIT WOMEN
Twinkle Sanghavi
ABSTRACT
The paper is concentrating on the status of Dalit overall and violence against Dalit, especially the Dalit
women. Roughly 80 million women are identified as Dalit in India. Poor, uneducated, discriminated
against and the most susceptible to violence, they are preyed upon due to their low status in society.
Who are ill-treated otherwise also being women but here the three way violation one can see because
they are poor, they are women and they are Dalits. Dalit women are not only exploited by the dominant
caste but also within the family they are being exploited. It also tries to analyse how lack of primary study
has resulted in the overlooking of the problem pertaining to Dalit women, also how law has its limitation
in reaching out to them.
Keywords : Dalit, Women and Violence
Introduction
In India and other countries of south Asia people have been discriminated on the basis of their work
and decent for centuries. Over 200 million peoples are Dalits also known as untouchables or outcastes.
Dalit is a contemporary term for the untouchables of India also known as Schedule Caste (SC), who
have been demoralized and subjected to bloodbath due to social stratification of Indian Society.
Even after more than 70 years of Independence, where the constitution guaranteed equal rights and
civil liberties to every citizen in many cases Dalit are easily embattled, for centuries together. They are
victimised religiously, socially, culturally and most of all economically.
Many scholars have tried to give explanation about the oppression of Dalits and also raised questions
like:
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Are the Dalit not part of Indian Nation?
How is it that this vast community has become so dejected and rejected, so it is important to study
the Dalit.
Definition
Who are they? The various Scholars tried to define Dalit. The Term Dalit derives from the Sanskrit, dal
to crack to open and split Dalit is also a Marathi word for those who have been broken ground by those
above them in a deliberate and active way.
th
The present use of the term originated from the 19 century Marathi social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao
Phule who used the word in connection with the Suppressed.
The Dalit leader and father of Indian constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar, said that the word describes
the oppressed and broken victims of the caste –ridden society. The term specifies the outcaste and
despised community.
There are three factors that has come in light which historically makes it difficult to understand the
originality of Dalit they are
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They differ about the origin of Dalits and Dalits fear it as a global conspiracy of the non- Dalit
historians.
Inadequacy of Dalit literature, due to their illiteracy and social backwardness they could not edit
their history.
Finally manipulation of history.
Sociological understanding about Dalit is that they are, the native possessed an advanced civilization,
and although they are reduced to an insignificant people they inherit a glorious past. They were hard
working self reliant, civilized and sincere. They were caring for the rest of the society while the priestly
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International Peer-Reviewed Journal
RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 4 JULY 2014
class concentrate on feeding their deities; the Dalit had to work in the field to feed the rulers and their
military. They inherited cultural programmes like folk Dance and traditional entertainer.
Objectives
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To understand the position of Dalit women.
To understand the government policy for Dalit women.
Sources of Data Collection
To understand the atrocity of Dalit (SC) women, the secondary source of data collection has been used
i.e. books, articles, online journals etc. are being read and analysed. The findings are based on the
available written material.
Review of literature
The condition of Dalit women can be better understood, by the narratives Dalit women themselves.
One of the interviews of Dalit women where she (Shanta Bai) expressed her experience, where she
tells that while travelling from one place to another some of the higher caste Pandit took away their
bullocks and asked them to first do Salam (bow) then only they will be allowed to pass the village,
because they are from Mahar community (the lowest Dalit community), the second incident she narrates
where she went to take her friend to school who was Brahmin, while she went to her place the friend’s
mother did not allow to enter the home because she was from the Mahar community
Other narratives by Baby Kondiba Kamble (213) her experience of humiliation is where when Dalit
goes to shop for buying food eatables they are always asked to stay away from the shop let all higher
caste buy things and then towards end the shopkeeper use to throw the food grains in the clothes by
maintain the distance and the Dalit women use to keep the money on the door.
Condition of Dalit Women
Vulnerably positioned at the bottom of caste, class and gender hierarchies, Dalit women experience
widespread gender- and caste discrimination and violence as the outcome of severely imbalanced
social economic and political voice when combined with the dominant risk factors of being Dalit and
female, increase their coverage to potentially violent situations while simultaneously reducing their
capacity to flee. This is the wide spread phenomenon found in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka where caste
based discrimination subjects to millions of Dalit women to inhuman living conditions and systematic
human right Violations.
In India the Dalit constitute about 16.20% of India’s Population in 2001 which is little less than half
being women, which means that 80 million Dalit women faces multiple forms of discrimination in this
country alone.
Standard of living and qualification
Education wise till some years ago, many Dalit women were ill treated and educationally backward
in spite of the facilities for free education. The reasons for the high rate of illiteracy among Dalit
women are many.
The following are the main reasons:
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Resistance from the family to send girls to schools.
Fear of insecurity in villages.
Lack of physical facilities like accommodation, school, transport and medical facilities.
The girls were forced to take care of the siblings when the parents are away at work.
Girls were forced to do domestic chores which prevent them from attending school.
Working to earn for the family prevent the girls from attending school.
Working with parents to earn their livelihood in beedi factories or other unorganized sector made
them illiterate.
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Because of the sick and unemployed parents girls were forced to work.
Many were forced to get married at young age, which stop schooling.
0 Social restriction is that the girls should stop education after marriage.
1 In some areas there are complaints from Dalit women teachers of misbehaviors, blackmail and
exploitation by the male staff of other high caste people.
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2 Distance of schools from home.
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The human development has often been shown by its composite index, which basically has three key
components- longevity, knowledge and standard of living, reviled beside consumption poverty the
mortality and morbidity rate is also high, the poor nutritional status, higher undernourishment and
higher incidence of anaemia among children and women. Child mortality rate actually indicates the
standard of living of that community.
Historical Understanding
History and tradition have deemed that Dalit women are forbidden from worshiping in temples, attending
proper schools and even collecting water from village wells or bore holes. Inadequate access to such
essentials place women at a disadvantage for having their basic needs met and thriving. The daily
struggle is one of survival.
Religious Condition
The Davadasi system is still practiced in some parts of India where girls as young as 6 years old
become “brides of Gods” and are raped by men of higher castes in temples. Young women are also
later forced into prostitution through this system. The victims’ families are afraid they have no choice in
this as it has been an accepted practice for so many years.
Economic Life
These women lead difficult lives often being forced to perform the lowest of jobs such as night sweepers
and manual scavengers. Obtaining employment in the “organized sector” is extremely rare. Women
are fortunate if they secure a job that pays about 30 rupees for a day’s work. The occupation of many
SC women can be divided in the following heads:
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Agriculture labourer.
Marginal Cultivators.
Fisherwomen.
Traditional artisans.
Leather Workers.
Weavers.
Scavengers and sweepers.
Midwifery.
Beedi factories and unorganised sectors.
The Work Participation Rate (WPR) of SC population is said to be for males 22.25% and for females
5.98%.
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The contribution of SC women to the economic development of our country is significant especially in
the agricultural sector. They are exploited by the higher caste landlords. They are paid very marginal
salary for the hard work in the field for the whole day. In leather industries the tanning process is
considered to be an unclean job which is done only by socially backward class. Traditional artistes get
very more benefit because the middleman exploits them. The condition of scavenger and sweepers is
very deplorable and they the most vulnerable sectors among SC. The working condition is very poor
and the remuneration is also very poor.
Violence against Dalit Women
Dalit women meet violence, on a regular basis. Direct violence to these women is complex. There are
different forms of violence against Dalit Women. First is the violence in general community and Violence
within the family.
Violence in general community includes:-
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Physical Assault
Verbal abuse
Assault
Rape
Sexual Exploitation
Forced Prostitution
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Kidnapped
Abduction
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Whereas Violence within the Family includes:-
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Female Foeticide
Infanticide
Child Sexual Abuse
Domestic Violence from marital family members.
Child Sexual abuse in terms of particularly early child Marriages and Sexual Relations with minor
Dalit girls below the age of 16 years is also prominent.
Verbal abuse, physical assault, sexual assault, rape, and forced prostitution are examples of abuses
Dalit women face at the hand of men belonging to dominant castes. Unfortunately, women also
experience violence beginning in the home. Family norms are another means of oppression and
committing violence against these women.
Sexual violence is suffered by Dalit women systematically as a means of punishment, control and
dominance by men of higher castes. Rape is an especially difficult situation to be dealt with. In addition
to shame, women also face a stigma associated with that type of physical assault. A large number of
rapes go unreported due to fear of ostracism and victims being threatened with further attacks if they
come forward. Other villagers and sometimes even family members may avoid contact and cut ties
with the victim if she is “found out.”
Evidence from official statistics
Studies on violence against Dalit women in India presents clear substantiation of widespread exploitation
and discrimination against these women subordinated in terms of power relation to men in patriarchal
Society, as also against their communities based on caste.
The crimes against Dalit are at very high rate and again in that crime against women is very high the
national survey shows the detail form wise discrimination of Dalit women and crime against them.
The official statistic during 1990 to 2000, specify that a total of two and half lakh (precisely 252370)
cases of a mixture of crimes were registered nationwide by the Dalits. If one looks at the form of crime
and atrocities, we get to know that on an standard (average for ten years): 553 Murders, 2990 Hurt
Cases, 919 Rapes, 184 Kidnapping/ abduction, 47 Dacoity, 127 Robbery, 456 Arson, 1485 civil right
violation under OCR ACT, 6174 atrocities under atrocities Act and 12.995 other offences were registered
every year by the Dalits.
During the year 2000 the break-up of the atrocities and violence include 473 cases of murder, 3139
case of serious hurt, 251 cases of fire-raising and 992 cases of rape, 631 case under PCR ACT,6350
cases under PA ACT 12149 cases of other offences.
In 2000 in all 10, 0891 cases were pending in Courts countrywide against Dalits.
Whereas National Survey indicates that in 2008 and 2009 the following number of cases took place.
Total No of Cases Reported
Total No of Rape Cases Reported
2
008
2009
2008
2009
3
3,615
33,594
1,457
1,346
All of these illegal practices, traditions and beliefs make it difficult for Dalit women to attain higher
aspirations in life. Violent atrocities occur regularly in the names of tradition and religion. How can we
maintain tradition without using it as an excuse to violate human rights? Will tradition ever catch up to
human rights? Senseless acts of violence also put these women in a constant state of fear. They live
each day not knowing if one of them will “offend” someone of upper caste, having their homes or
villages destroyed or if they will be attacked. Women feel powerless against such a long history and
may not be aware of any other way. In many other countries these repeated acts would be seen as
human rights violations. The public, journalists and media influencers must do more to expose these
awful situations and demand justice.
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Protection from Ill-treatment
Most women are illtreated even today. Disputes on land, minimum wage for SC workers bonded
labourers, in debatedness – problem.
SC/ST under privileged, regarded less than human beings assigned lowest of the low status in society.
Untouchability and Illtreatment :
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Non-access to temples, places of worship.
Non-access to hotels and eating-places.
Not available – barber services for SC/ST Tamil Nadu.
Not allowed in gramsabha sittings – Tamil Nadu.
Discrimination in educational institution, public health services.
Not allowed to participate in social ceremonies – Tamil Nadu.
General untouchability – Tamil Nadu.
Enforcement of removal of carcasses – Tamil Nadu.
Not access to public cremation / burial ground / public pathways/roads.
0 Not allowed in residential premises of high caste.
1 Access to Dharmasalas – denied.
Untouchability is acute in villages. There is a gradual change in rural areas because they have become
aware of their rights. Spread of education, improvement in economic conditions, welfare measures.
Measures to be Taken for Upliftment
Basic Common Needs
The following facilities should be provided:
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Nutrition:
Malnutrition in female children high infant mortality should be corrected.
Health:
Unclean surroundings – proper accommodation should be provided.
Family welfare:
SC – women get married very soon high fertility – affect health.
Safe drinking water.
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Electricity in village.
Essential goods and medicines.
Retail outlets not available.
Fair price shops – necessary.
Slum Improvement at the Government Base
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Conservation of assets of SC.
Provide land to SC women.
Train them in new fields for employment.
Ensure minimum wages.
Compulsory education up to 35 years.
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Introduce new employment facilities.
Self-employment program for women.
Modernizing existing traditional activities.
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Liberate the women from scavenging work – alternative arrangement for dignified work.
0) Eradicate social untouchability.
1) Provide minimum basic facilities.
2) Positive discrimination. i.e. policy of reservation should be continued both in Government and
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public sector.
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3) Fee exemptions, age relaxation for direct recruitment – separate interview.
4) Atrocity control room:
Close watch, monitoring of atrocities against Dalit women.
Present Position
The present position is better because of education, literacy rate for boys 31.48%, and girls 10.93%.
Now they have lot of self respect, aware of their rights, organizations to voice their feelings. The
creamy layer is well aware of the Government welfare schemes. Among SC Dalits executive positions
in associations are occupied only by men, very poor representation by women. Feedback about the
welfare programme is very essential.
References
Rege Sharmila (2006), Writing Caste/ Writing Gender: Narrating Dalit Women’s Testimonios, Published
by Zubaan ,an Imprint of Kali for Women, New Delhi Print.
Dr. A.S Sujatha (2013) Caste Violence and Dalit Deprivation, Published by ALP Books, New Delhi
Print.
Srivastava Amitabh (2012), Aboriginal Women: Crime and Abuse, Published by Surendra Publications,
New Delhi Print.
Shirman Rachel (2004), World of Dalit Women, Published by Economic and Political Weekly,
December 11, 2004 Print.
Malik Bela (1999), ‘Untouchability and Dalit women’s Oppression’, Published by Economic and
Political Weekly, February 06, 1999 Print.
Ms. Twinkle Sanghvi : Head, Dept. of Sociology, Maniben Nanavati Women’s College, Mumbai
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