Mental Abuse Of Women Now A Crime Under New Bill: What You Must Know

Harming a woman's mental health is now a cruelty under the new criminal law amendment. The government of India has added two new sections to the crime against women in the new criminal bill Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The bill is going to replace the old Indian Penal Code and other criminal laws. 

According to the new addition, Section 86 criminalises harming the mental health of women and their physical well-being as cruelty committed against the law. This addition has narrowed down the definition of cruelty, making it clear what cruelty includes. In the previous version of the bill, Section 85 only mentioned three-year jail term would be awarded to the husband or the in-laws for committing cruelty against women. 

What The New Bill Includes?

In the second edition, the new criminal bill prevents the revelation of the identity of the sexual assault survivor. Revealing the identity of the sexual assault survivor without permission will lead to a two-year jail term. 

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill was introduced on August 11 in Lok Sabha along with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam bills.

This comes at the time when NCRB data reveals that homemakers are at risk of dying by suicide. According to the latest report, the number of housewives dying by suicide is increasing every year between 2018 to 2022. In 2022, the number was highest leading up to  25,309 cases of suicide. 14.8 per cent of total suicide in the country in the year 2022 was reported among housewives. 

While constant abuse is one of the reasons why women are dying by suicide, Clinical psychologist, Dr Prerna Kohli told SheThePeople that premenstrual dysphoric disorder or postpartum depression could be some reasons why women are dying by suicide. She said, "They are as serious of problems as major depression. Just like depression, there is a risk of suicide and they should be getting help as soon as possible." However, women in our society are not only physically abused but also emotionally abused by forcing them to keep themselves and their well-being at last. 

 Often emotional and mental abuse of women is ignored in our society. Until the woman is standing in front of you, she is fine. No one tries to read what is going on inside their minds because no one cares that much when comes to women's well-being. As a result, women themselves hide and ignore their mental pain until the worst happens. The criminalisation of mental abuse is indeed a landmark in the attempt to amend laws as per the new civilisation.