Domestic Violence and Untouchability

Domestic Violence and Untouchability

The present day society is heading towards modernity and undergoing modernization. However, traditional ways of life and customs are still in practice (use). It is not that everything of the past has to be sacrificed at the altar of modernity. There are some good practices of the past that deserve their continuation but those practices which promote domination and discrimination within the family, community and society must be discarded. One such practices that deserves immediate rejection is the discrimination based on gender and caste because its ugly manifestation comes in the form of domestic violence and untouchability. 

A. Domestic violence: Domestic violence means the inflicting of physical or/and emotional injury by one family (or household) member on another either irregularly or regularly. Domestic violence is a chain of abusive human behaviors which affects all the family members: men, women and children. However, women are the worst victims of domestic violence at various levels in most of the cases. Domestic violence can be targeted against the children by adult members or children may also target adults. Mostly, disputes between husband and wife leads to abuse of each other ending up as domestic violence. Husband may also be the victims of domestic violence but the social structure in most of society makes women the likely victims. Domestic violence creates horrifying situations in the family. There is a very huge probability that children whose parents have an abusive relationship feel either depressed or becomes abnormally aggressive (violent). A family having a history of domestic violence becomes the breeding ground of psychological diseases and in extreme cases may lead to grievous injury on victim's body, suicide or even killing. 

Domestic violence is abusive behavior that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an individual. The types of abuses vary from being physical (slapping, stabbing, punching, drug abuse, choking, shooting), emotional (insult, criticism or humiliation), sexual (such as molestation, rape) and financial (when supply of money is stopped and movement is checked). Domestic violence is  a widespread problem in world. Cultural, economic and religious factors reinforce (strengthen) male dominance and female subservience. There are various reasons behind domestic violence like dispute of family property, lack of trust between husband and wife, cheating (deception) by wife or husband, criminal or addicted personality of a marriage partner or any other member of a family, poverty, illiteracy so on and so forth. 

Effects of Domestic Violence 

1. Living in continuous mental tension, anxiety, fear and depression
2. Lack of focus (concentration) on work and in hand, day-dreaming and mental deflection (mood swing) 
3. Poor decision making ability, prone to drug addiction and alcoholism, showing suicidal tendencies 
4. Frequent quarrels in the family and breaking off relationship with family members 
5. Earning disrepute in society, running family prestige and getting alienated or ostracized in the society 
6. Generation of feeling of insecurity and negative emotions in old members and children. 

Measures (steps) to Stop Domestic Violence 

1. Spreading awareness regarding peaceful and harmonious family life 
2. Raising the consciousness level of family members so that they understand the importance of mutual love and respect more than greed and ghastliness.
3. Behaving with other family members in accordance with their sensitivities and not forcing things against their will (desire), taking important decisions by involving them 
4. Maintaining equality in treatment in a group of family members without showing obvious preference to one or the other member 
5. Respecting the adults and showing affection to young ones in the family 
6. Listening to each other's problems and offering solutions to them with sincerity 
7. Getting united to check a family member who becomes violent or abusive towards others. 
8. Informing police or law-enforcing agencies in case a family member is unstoppable in his/her abusive behavior 
9. Keeping positive feelings and thoughts even in the face of disputes or discords with another family member 
10. Acting and being civilized and disciplined in thoughts and behaviors 

Domestic violence adversely affects the dependency relationship within a family than anything else. Every sector of civil society in Nepal responds to domestic violence by encouraging compromise between the family members. It is because breaking off a family exposes women, children and old persons to uncertain future. All of them are in the dependency relationship. It is only in extreme cases where victims are left with no option except to leave the family, legal actions are taken against the abusers in regard to domestic violence. 

B. Untouchability: Untouchability is the social injunction not to touch or be in association with a human being of a certain caste or sub-caste. Untouchability is not only a social practice but it is also an attitude held by domineering castes (communities) against the lower castes (communities) referred to as Dalits. Untouchability is a direct product of the caste system. Untouchability is the social problem because its practice violates the dignity and respect of fellow human beings branded as the suppressed and marginalized ones. In addition to this, nobody is to be discriminated or simply declared as untouchable because s/he does menial or manual work. Once again it is gross disrespect to right to work and dignity of labor. Every work is important in its own way and hence those who are engaged in manual work must not be degraded to or treated as untouchables. At the village level They are barred from using wells used by rich people, forbidden from going to the barber's shop and entering temples because they are considered impure and polluted. This is so disgraceful that the practice of untouchability turns fellow human beings worse than animals. As animals can wander around but not the Dalits, they are humiliated on the basis of birth for no fault of their own. Dalits usually live in separate areas away from the dominant castes. In case one rebels against this treatment, the entire Dalit community fears aggression, attack and arson on or against them. 

Untouchability is a demeaning practice which defiles (pollutes) the human birth. Although the caste system in Nepal was officially abolished a century ago, it continues even today in varying degrees all over the country. Even in the new Muluki Ain (2020 B.S.), prevalence of such practice was declared illegal. The Constitution of Nepal (2072) has strictly banned any form of 'untouchability' in any part of the country and has made this practice punishable by law (Article 24, Part-3 of the Constitution). The social stigma of groups like Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists suffer from it. For example, the jugis have been placed at the bottom of the Newar caste hierarchy and are among the poorest of the lot. Jugis are traditionally associated with the work related to tailoring, funeral rites and music making. Just like the Dalits, they face discriminatory treatment as untouchables. 

Effects of Untouchability 

1. Developing feeling of inferiority and self-denigration 
2. Unable to get needed facilities and opportunities to make progress in life 
3. Losing social respect in a society 
4. Existence of social disputes and divisions 
5. Mounting conflicts, tensions and resentments in a society 
6. Weakening social cooperation and goodwill 

Ways of ending untouchability 

1. Raising the consciousness of the people and spreading awareness on this issue, 
2. Making education accessible to all to change the attitude and behavior of the people, 
3. Strict implementation of laws and the decisions of the Supreme Court on ending untouchability. 
4. Promoting people's participation and community involvement in development work at local level 
5. Maintaining social inclusiveness in all the festivals and occasions, 
6. Provisions for positive discrimination in order to give scholarships and admissions to educational institutions and creating jobs (works) for their survival and dignity