21% of female ‘accidental’ deaths due to gender-based violence: KEM study

Strap: State WCD dept appoints committee to look into cases of GBV and help in policy making

Mumbai: In a first-of-its kind study aimed at finding the proportion of women and girls that died due to gender-based violence (GBV) and assess the patterns of injury on them, the forensic department of civic-run KEM Hospital-Parel found that unnatural deaths of females are reported as “accidental deaths”.

The study, which was conducted in collaboration with the Data for Health initiative by Vital Strategies, included retrospective study of female autopsies done between May 2017 and April 2022 with Accidental Death Report (ADR).

Of the 840 unnatural deaths among women, 181 were alleged cases of gender-based violence in which ADR of 42 mentioned a history of violence. According to the study, of 181 GBV cases, 47% (86) were suicides, 47% (85) were accidents, 6% (10) were homicide by husband/intimate friend or relative. 75% (136 out of 181) were between the age group of 15-44.

Taking note of the study findings, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister Women and Child Development Department, who attended the dissemination meeting on Monday, announced a committee on the GBV, which under the leadership of KEM Hospital dean, will not only look after the cases but help in policy making.

Dr Sangeeta Ravat, dean of KEM Hospital said the committee will chalk out strategies to prevent GBV and guide the ministry. “Even if the hospital has one suspected GBV case, the committee will look into how to identify and prevent it, so that it should not lead to suicide or homicide,” she said.

Dr Ravat added that it will be a multi-disciplinary committee with police, politicians, NGOs and doctors working together. “We also plan to expand the study by collecting data from other autopsy centres to get a wider perspective to GBV,” she explained.

The report findings shared by Dr Harish Pathak, Head of Department of Forensic Medicine, showed that 12% (181 cases) of the total 1,467 autopsies conducted in females in KEM hospital over the last five years had an underlying history of gender-based violence.

“Nearly all (99%) of the deaths due to gender-based violence occurred in homes or private spaces. Two-thirds of these women, who died were married and six out of 10 deaths were perpetrated by husbands or intimate partners. A significant proportion of these unnatural deaths are due to accidents and suicides,” he said.

Dr Pathak said that these cases often go unreported and are poorly investigated because families fear of social ostracisation.

“The report underscores the need to ensure that all incidents of gender-based violence and femicide are thoroughly investigated and documented to better understand the underlying social context and factors related to violence,” he said. Dr Pathak added that the study is one step towards understanding the data gaps and victim and perpetrator-related factors in deaths related to gender-based violence.

KEM Hospital’s autopsy centre is one of the 10 autopsy centres in Mumbai and receives the highest case load with approximately 1,200-1,300 autopsies done per year.

The study report quoted GBV as a global pandemic that affects one in three women in their lifetime.

Dr Nidhi Chaudhary, the principal technical advisor, data impact program, Vital Strategies who was part of the technical writing and editing team, said one of the learnings of the study was that though GBV are happening, they are not identified or categorised as GBV or femicide.

“This was a small study but indicative that GBV cases are being missed out. Also, the other learning was related to suicides, which were abetted by GBV as an underline cause. They are again missed out and not reported as GBV or femicide. The study is to look at the data, make it available and to ensure the data is used for better policy making to prevent GBV,” she said.

While the Women and Child Development Department will be closely working with the GBV committee to form prevention policies and implementing it, the doctors who conducted the study said they will be going back to the respective police stations where they found suspected GBVs.

“ADRs are the first report. We will be trying to find out what happened to the ADRs in the suspected GBVs we found in our study and if it can be probed further. Out of the 181 cases, in 42, we found that either the victim or the relative had given statement of history of violence. In the rest, there were discrepancies in the pattern of injury circumstances, autopsy findings and relative statements, which pointed out GBV,” said Dr Pathak.