THE SILENT CRISIS: REGIONAL DIVERGENCES, ECONOMIC ABUSE, AND THE CASE FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL LAWS IN INDIA

AUTHORS– POOJA CHATURVEDI* & JUHI SAXENA**

* STUDENT AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL, AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW CAMPUS

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL, AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW CAMPUS

BEST CITATION – POOJA CHATURVEDI & JUHI SAXENA, THE SILENT CRISIS: REGIONAL DIVERGENCES, ECONOMIC ABUSE, AND THE CASE FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL LAWS IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (1) OF 2026, PG.1111-1120, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the underreported crisis of domestic violence against men in India, highlighting how rigid constructs of hegemonic masculinity and the cultural paradigm of “Mard ko dard nahi hota” systematically silence male victims. The stigma of male victimhood is further compounded by the existential threat of “legal terrorism,” wherein gender-biased laws such as Section 498A are weaponized to create a state of legal paralysis that traps men in abusive marriages. Through a multi-dimensional framework, the study explores regional disparities—from rural agrarian belts and matrilineal societies to the vulnerable Ghar Jamai phenomenon—while exposing the severe but invisible nature of economic abuse, such as salary appropriation and employment sabotage. A primary theoretical contribution of this research is the introduction of the “Cycle of Silence” model, which maps the male victim’s trajectory through four distinct phases: masculine denial, social isolation, legal paralysis, and psychological collapse. Ultimately, the paper connects this unaddressed trauma to severe psychological impacts, including high rates of male suicide, and advocates for gender-neutral legal reforms, male-sensitive counseling protocols, and dedicated state support infrastructure to guarantee protection for all citizens.

Keywords: Domestic Violence Against Men, Hegemonic Masculinity, Legal Terrorism, Cycle of Silence.