Bengaluru's domestic violence cases rise amid low conviction rates: Report

Karnataka is grappling with a surge in domestic violence cases, particularly in Bengaluru, where conviction rates remain alarmingly low.

Karnataka has witnessed a troubling rise in domestic violence, with incidents doubling between 2015-16 and 2019-21, according to the latest findings by women’s organisation Aweksha. Bengaluru, the state’s bustling capital, is at the centre of this crisis, yet sees conviction rates in such cases languishing far below the national average, The Hindu reported.

Bengaluru's conviction rates in domestic violence cases are significantly lower than the national average, leading many survivors to seek civil remedies due to a lack of trust in the justice system. (HT Photo) (HT_PRINT)

Low conviction, high bail

Despite police efficiently filing charges and few cases being dismissed due to error or disputes, most accused rarely face consequences, the report said. The study found conviction rates in domestic violence cases as follows:

• IPC 306 (abetment of suicide): 2.38%

• IPC 304B (dowry death): 6.45%

• IPC 498A (cruelty by spouse/relatives): 1.08%

• Dowry Prohibition Act: 0.73%

These figures starkly contrast with the all-India rates, suggesting systemic hindrances to justice for victims.

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Strikingly, nearly all those arrested are quickly released; bail is granted in over 97 per cent of cases under most sections, and in 72.5 per cent of instances, at least one suspect receives anticipatory bail.

Legal aid fading, suicides rising

The report further indicates that half of female suicide victims in Bengaluru from 2017 to 2022 were housewives, highlighting the grim reality of domestic violence going unaddressed. The majority of suspects in these cases are men aged 30 to 45.

Faced with low odds of criminal conviction, more survivors are turning to civil remedies — potentially indicating a lack of trust in the criminal justice system.

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Adding to concerns, the availability of legal aid clinics and access to services has diminished. Mediation centres struggle with heavy backlogs: as of 2022, nearly a third of cases remained unresolved, and only about one in five cases that reached a settlement were successfully resolved, the report stated.

Call for reform

Aweksha’s study calls for improved record-keeping and transparency by legal services, including data breakdown by location, gender identity, caste, class, and education. The absence of public data remains a barrier to effective intervention.

Women’s rights advocates urged action, emphasizing that underreporting, ineffective prosecution, and declining support structures perpetuate a cycle of silent suffering, as per the report.