‘Fit only for chores’: Women set back by economic abuse

By Yukta Mudgal

Women in Bengaluru face economic abuse because of domestic pressures.

Panchali (45), a resident of Rajendranagar, Koramangala, said she wants to become financially independent, but her husband and mother-in-law do not want her to go outside and work. “They told me I am only capable of doing household chores such as washing clothes and utensils, and cooking food. But I feel joyful and relieved when I earn., I don’t have to ask for as little as Rs 10 from my husband.”

Panchali earned Rs 6,000 a month working as a housekeeper before Covid. Post-pandemic, she is confined to home by her mother-in-law. She has a bank account that is used by her husband to avail of loans.

Saral Merry is a financially independent woman who works as a housekeeper at a private office and earns an in-hand salary of Rs 8,000. Every month, on the day she gets her salary, her husband waits outside her workplace for the money. Saral has switched many jobs due to this.

The husband beats her and their daughter, Saral informed Section 3 of The Protection of

Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, defines, economic abuse as “deprivation of all or any economic or financial resources to which the aggrieved person is entitled under any law or custom whether payable under an order of a court or otherwise or which the aggrieved person requires out of necessity including, but not limited to, household necessities for the aggrieved person and her children, if any, stridhan, property, jointly or separately owned by the aggrieved person, payment of rental related to the shared household and maintenance”. A police inspector who did not want to be named said: “Women are getting government jobsand earning money, but these guys (their husbands) don’t work and get addicted to gambling and alcohol. They ask for money from their wives and beat them or steal from them Funnily enough, these men discuss nation-building while having drinks.”

Prema, a counsellor at the Adugodi police station, said: “Majorly, women are harassed for dowry.It’s not only the case with women in slums, but in rich households as well.Recently, I counselled a woman who… is harassed by her husband and in-laws for dowry. The woman is pregnant, but her mother-in-law insists she do household chores.

Most domestic violence victims don’t file complaints or go for a divorce because they think it’s a marital issue that can be resolved at home. They don’t want society to judge them,” she said.

Aanya Wig, co-founder of Her Haq, a youth-led collective working for gender equality, said: “Actually, a lot is expected of women – to be a good wife, sister, mother – but nobody gives them financial education. It has been ingrained that their finances should be managed by their parents. For instance…, you will never come across a boy asking for an OTP from his father, but a girl’s account is always linked to her father’s account.”

Ragitha Rajendran, principal at Kairalee Nikethan Golden Jubilee Degree College and a PhD in gender studies, said: “Financial abuse is something that many women face in terms of dowry, property and sometimes employment. If a woman is given education and employment, she can be financially independent. But most of the time the salary that she earns is grabbed by the male members of the family. If a woman takes a strong stand on her salary, she is victimised and abused. Her own parents might not support her at times. So women must be strong and bold enough to face the world independently. For this, she needs to be educated and be financially independent. Such things should be taught at home. yukta.m@iijnm.org