As Covid-19 fear grips Kashmir, domestic violence cases show steep decline

Srinagar: Kashmir yet again proves its uniqueness by restraining cases of domestic violence in times when it’s showing an upward trend all around the world – courtesy: the ongoing lock down triggered by the pandemic outbreak-Covid-19. Since the outbreak of this deadly virus, the cases of domestic violence have significantly gone down in Kashmir, much to the delight of house-wives, who spent entire day at their homes unlike those having government or private jobs.
Over the years, Kashmir had witnessed immense escalation in the violence against women in Kashmir, corrected overtime by introduction of the domestic violence act. Since then Kashmiri women, who traditionally suffered violence in silence have come forth and reported abuse they have faced in their matrimonial lives.
Unlike what was expected, the valley has seen a significant decline in the reports of domestic violence. The cases which were normally reported in dozens per day, at women’s police station Rambagh, Srinagar, have shown a steep decline since the outbreak of coronavirus.
Regarding this, Khalida Parveen, SHO Women’s Police Station Rambagh said “We have seen a significant dip in the domestic violence related complaints. Since the outbreak of pandemic Covid-19, we have rarely got complaints related to domestic violence. Normally, we used to get a lot of cases but nowadays we don’t get many cases”.
In Kashmir there is another forum known as Muslim Sharia Board were people register their grievances relating to matrimonial disputes and cases of domestic violence. The board solves matrimonial problems of Kashmiri people in the light of Islamic Family laws.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, who also heads the Muslim Personal Law Board (an Islamic Shariah Law Court), said: “I have got reports from ground that we have witnessed a significant drop in cases related to domestic violence. As far as the Muslim Personal Law board is concerned my office receives at least 10 to 15 complaints on daily bases with regard to domestic violence but ever since the outbreak in Kashmir such calls have come down to zero”.
Thus it won’t be a far cry if one is to say that the deadly virus wreaking havoc throughout the globe has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the women folk of the valley