Lockdown is proving to be a great excuse for us to spend quality time with our families. On the other side of the scale, unfortunately, it means that some people are stuck with abusive partners without any external help from relatives or friends.
According to Times Now News, a 31-year-old woman from Bengaluru called the women’s helpline (Parihar) and alleged that her husband stopped bathing ever since lockdown was announced on March 24 and pressured her to have sex. When she refused, he hit her.
The man in question is a grocer but hasn’t opened his store (despite it being an essential business) alleging a lack of funds. The Times of India reports that the couple has two kids. Senior counsellor BS Saraswathi was quoted saying,
“Their nine-year-old daughter started following the father’s routine, avoiding baths. We explained to him the importance of hygiene.”
According to The Economic Times, cases of domestic violence have risen considerably during the lockdown. In such cases, the victim can dial the national domestic abuse helpline 181 or speak with psychologists at 9000070839 and 0402760531, reports NDTV.