DOMESTIC CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN: STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF TRENDS ACROSS INDIA by Michelle Hackett A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts (International Studies) University of Adelaide 2006 Supervisor : Associate Professor Peter Mayer Date of Submission : 31 October 2006 Declaration : This work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University Library, being available for loan and photocopying. Signature Date -
Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge and thank Dr. Peter Mayer for his invaluable guidance, patience and ideas, and to thank Shaun Frost for his constant support throughout the year. := ----
Abstract DOMESTIC CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN: STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF TRENDS ACROSS INDIA by Michelle Hackett Supervisor : Associate Professor Peter Mayer Department of Politics One indicator, and precipitator, of development is the valuing and empowerment of women. In India, in particular, there has been a history, and continued tradition, of gender discrimination. One consequence of this is the high prevalence of domestic violence against women, specifically wife-beating and wife-murder. Due to the difficulty in obtaining data, little research has been conducted on determining the causes of violence in the home, and none on India-wide trends. This thesis begins with a review of the available literature on wife-beating in India and attempts to conceptualise the findings in a tiered framework of domestic violence theories. Following this, the thesis will draw on data from the Indian National Crime Records Bureau to examine general trends of domestic 'Crimes against Women' across the Indian States. Multivariate analysis of the data suggests a possible link between development "stressors" and domestic violence. The consequences of this will be examined, specifically for those wishing to simultaneously address domestic violence and enhance the development of gender equality in India. The thesis concludes with an attempt to interpret the findings in a wider Indian and development context, and recommends that further studies and publicity of domestic violence is needed. 111 -