Section 497 of the IPC deals with the crime of adultery. It clearly says that only a man can be held liable for adultery and the woman can’t be held as an “abettor”.
Section 497 also defines when a man can be held for adultery. It says, “Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery.”
The law further says the person held guilty of adultery “shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In such case the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor.”
Is it really fair to the innocent male population? Is there really equality for the people? Just like females even the men get cheated on, even they face cruelty.
Fiebert study brings forth “the uncomfortable reality that women are as physically aggressive, or even more so, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners.” And he makes it clear that the numbers are problematic, not only for the men being abused but for people who try to bring them into the national discussion on domestic violence.
Violence is not confined to any social class, nor is all violence perpetrated by men; in a lesser number of cases it is the woman who abuses her partner, both emotionally and physically.
Majority of recorded incidents of domestic violence are of men on women. Society, although aware of the male victim, treats him as a joke. But in reality he is a man in fear, isolation, man who is considered as weak. Why is that? Because he doesn’t fit into the stereotypical male image. (spiritual-side-of-domestic-violence.org)
Male victims face two obstacles:
To prove that he is a victim,
To ensure that his children are protected and do not become the new victims. Very often they remain in abusive relationships for the sake and protection of their children.
Most men react by staying silent. Often this silence is encouraged by fear of ridicule and realization that it is unlikely his partner will be evicted. Even if he proves that he is a victim, it seems that only thing that he can do is leave home.
Then he is separated from his children and has difficulties in keeping proper and regular contact with his children.
When a woman is violent and abusive in relationship, it is not necessarily assumed that she is a bad mother. In men’s case is automatically assumed that he is unfit parent. The law presumes that the children are almost always better off with their mother. As a consequence the only options for men seem to be put up with abuse or to leave home, since under the law there is no protection for them.
It has taken years of advocacy and support to encourage women to report violence. Virtually nothing is competent to encourage men to report abuse.
The idea that men are often victims of abuse is so unthinkable to most of the people that a lot of men won’t even plan to report things.
There has been little or no investment in resources to deal with the problems of violence and abuse done against men.
In most cases physical damage and the impact of violence on men is less apparent then violence against women.
Even once they report it, they don’t receive help and within the first place aren’t believed.
Due to insufficient and unfair laws in the country men who go through such things are helpless because they know that even if they’ll report there is nothing that can be done to help them. they suffer from anxiety, depression, alcohol addiction, loneliness and what not.
Today’s society is, not doing much to solve the problem. Many women will think twice before they act if they knew that they could be arrested like any men in the same situation.
If a male victim seeks help society should offer the same protection to help him and his children as is given to the female victims. Women who are violent and abusive should be equally and legally be held responsible for their actions.
