A NEW PUBLICATION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

A 2004 publication from India titled 'From Thought to Action: Building
Strategies on Violence Against Women' presents a comprehensive conceptual
framework within which to understand gender-based violence, especially
physical violence. It also suggests strategies that can be used by NGO
fieldworkers/activists to prevent and eliminate this form of violence at
home, at workplaces, on the streets and society in general.

Based on exhaustive research over two years, including detailed interviews
with individuals, communities and institutions, spread over eight states of
India, the book interrogates the ways in which women themselves, local
communities, NGOs and institutions of the State (police, health centres,
educational institutes) and community institutions (panchayats, youth
groups, men and women's groups, SHGs), understand and respond to violence
against women. The book argues that violence has usually been understood
only in its manifest forms, as an `act' (its more extreme forms like murder,
severe physical abuse and rape) and not as a `process'. This has led to a
`normalising' of many other forms of violence that women face daily. This
perception, in turn, determines the kind of interventions that are made by
different institutions, some of which are usually reactive to a 'case' and
not esponsive to the context, continuity and consequence of the act.

It is argued in the book, that while immediate relief to women facing
violence in the form of shelters, legal aid and counselling are crucial
interventions, a more proactive approach is required to prevent violence
from happening in the first place. This essentially implies that gendered
attitudes, behaviours and practices of society are challenged not only by
the victims and perpetrators of violence but also the passive spectators to
violence. It shows that, above all else the community must have a stake in
preventing this violence. The book outlines
strategies of mobilization, networking and advocacy to effect such changes.

The book also contains some important information on organizations and
institutions working in this area, existing laws on the issue and some
myths/ facts about issues of violence that would be very useful for
fieldworkers/ activists/students. An annexure of questionnaires and
information on the methodology used could benefit researchers working on the
issue.

The book is co-authored by Aanchal Kapur, Sanjay Muttoo and Suman Bisht and
published by KRITI: a development research, praxis and communicati on team
team, New Delhi.

Copies are available in English at a contribution of Rs.200.00 in India and
$10.00 abroad. Postage and bank charges will be extra on actuals. Payments
can be made by cheque, demand drafts, money order or bank transfers, in the
name of KRITI DRPCT, payable in New Delhi. Please check with us when you
confirm the order.

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Davinder Kaur, KRITI Information Place, S-35 Tara Apartments, Alaknanda, New
Delhi 110019
Phone: 91-11-26477845 Email: kritidpc@vsnl.com