Abstract

Women's rights to life and dignity are significantly impacted by domestic abuse, which continues to be a persistent violation of these rights. Even with laws like the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and Supreme Court rulings like Indra Sarma v. V.K.V. Sarma (2013) and Preeti Gupta v. State of Jharkhand (2021), effective redress is still hampered by enforcement issues and social stigma. Domestic abuse is examined critically in this study in light of international human rights norms like the ICCPR and CEDAW, as well as Indian constitutional laws. This study uses a qualitative doctrinal approach and is based on new data from the National Crime Records Bureau (2023-24) that shows a 7.2% increase in domestic violence instances reported after the epidemic. In keeping with the growing legal acknowledgement of many forms of violence, the article also looks at the 2023 Criminal Law Amendment that makes economic and psychological abuse crimes. The findings reveal significant gaps between the law and practice, underscoring the necessity of judicial sensitisation, structural reforms, and improved victim support. The study concludes that to protect women's right to life and dignity in India, domestic laws must be brought into compliance with international human rights commitments, and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened.

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