‘Domestic violence hinders empowerment of women’

Patna: The two-day national seminar on `Domestic Violence and Atrocities Against Women’ organized by the political science department of Magadh Mahila College concluded here on Sunday with a call to ensure strict execution of the existing laws against violence against the fair sex.
The seminar also stressed on creating awareness at the grassroot level for ending gender discrimination.
Seminar convener Shashi Sharma observed that domestic violence against women was a serious problem of Indian society as it serves as a barrier in the empowerment of women. Though the Central as well as state governments have adopted certain legislative measures to prevent violence and atrocities against women, nothing substantial has happened so far and the gender-based problem still exists, she added.
Former DGP R R Prasad was the chief guest at the valedictory function. Asian Development Research Institute director P P Ghosh delivered the keynote address. Justice Rajendra Prasad and additional DG (CID) Rajvardhan Sharma also addressed the seminar. More than 250 social scientists from different parts of the country attended the two-day seminar.
The first technical session on `Laws and their enforcement’ and was chaired by State Human Rights Commission chairman Justice S N Jha. The second technical session on `Forms of Exploitation, Role of Police: Preventive and Protective Measures’ was chaired by IHD, New Delhi, director A N Sharma. The third session was on `Role of Government/NGOs/Media’. The fourth session was on `Psychological/Spiritual Violence Against Women’.