In the last decade, a lot of research has been undertaken on the issue of domestic or intimate partner violence in India but limited research has been undertaken on the issue from a child’s perspective, that is, intra-parental violence. The children – silent witnesses of intra-parental violence (IPV) are neglected not only by the parents but also by researchers and the state.
Thus, there remain very few opportunities to bring the children to the notice of the society. Often the society and the legal systems designed to help victims of domestic violence fail to address the needs of the children due to lack of sensitivity towards their vulnerability.
Ample laws do exist in India that deal with the issue of domestic violence, still there is a long way to go to understand the plight of children being exposed to IPV as silent witnesses and give it recognition as a social problem that requires legal intervention.
