Abstract:   This paper undertakes to examine the hitherto neglected but nevertheless important area of Research, the Sociology of Battered Women. As there are very few researches in Sociological Literature in this area, particularly in the Indian perspective, hence a study in this direction in Kanpur City was carried out. The analysis reveals the diverse factors which lead to wife battering such as the age, religion, caste, educational background, rural or urban background, childbearing, sex, dowry, male child, economical status, dominance of in-laws, etc. The study explores that despite the various empowerment and emancipation strategies adopted by the different sectors of society for women , the ghastly reality still persists that what so ever be the religion, caste, background of the women, they are being tortured and battered even today. The basic causes behind this being the prevalence of male domination & patriarchal systems, gender discrimination, social dependency and unequal power relations. This social devil can be eliminated only and only after the women gain political and economic power.

Keywords:   Wife battering, women empowerment, gender discrimination

Publisher:   ILMA UNIVERSITY

Published:   5 December 2009

Issue:   Issue 2 : Volume 5

E-ISSN:   2409-6520

P-ISSN:   2414-8393