Implementation of Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act 2005

      Protection of Women from Domestic Violence (PWDV) Act 2005 is a central Act which has come into force from 26.10.2006.  This Act is aimed at providing protection to wife or female live-in partner from violence at the hands of the husband or male live-in partner or his relatives. The Law extends protection to women who are sisters including adopted sisters and mothers. Domestic violence under the Act includes actual abuse or threat of abuse, whether physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, or economic. Harassment by way of unlawful dowry demands to women victims or her relatives would also be covered under the definition of Domestic violence.

        As per the provisions of the Act, Protection Officer is the key officer working under Magistrate, who would be providing various relieves to aggrieved women in terms of monetary relief, counseling, legal aid, protection from the accused, social and economic security after investigating into the cases and preparing safety plan..  Based on these Domestic Incident Reports, the protection orders are obtained from the Magistrates to provide relief to aggrieved women.

       The Department of Women & Child Development, GNCT of Delhi has appointed 18 Protection Officers in all the Districts of Delhi.  The Service Providers as per the Act have been identified to provide various services to aggrieved women like counseling, legal aid, shelter and health checkup.  Workshops and trainings have been organized for the functionaries as stakeholders in the implementation of PWDV Act.

Publicity is given through print media for provisions under this Act.

         Total 5355 complaints were received by Protection Officers till June 2009 under PWDV Act, 2005.