The Spiral

Abstract

Episodes of domestic violence are incredibly more common than what is documented. While we have had a law against it in India since 2005, the prevalence of domestic violence is high in India at close to 30 percent (as per National Family Health Survey, 2015-16). Yet, with interventions such as Dilaasa in Maharashtra, Bhoomika in Kerala, and Sukoon in Haryana - among others - visibility has increased; and so has support seeking behaviour. The narrative here is based on my personal observation - with some extensions from my imagination built in to give a structure to the narrative - which jarred as I saw how the consequences of violence can be so debilitating, how violence begets more violence*, becomes a question of contingent power; how it flows on through the survivor, creating more survivors.