Session Court: Harassment by Step-Family is also Domestic Violence

A session court stated that a woman who faced harassment and ill treatment from her stepmother and step-siblings is entitled to get protection under the Domestic Violence Act. Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat gave the ruling while upholding a trial court’s summons to the alleged victim’s stepbrother and stepsister.

The session court observed that as per Domestic Violence Act, domestic relationship between two persons does not mean that they should be related only through marriage. The parties are in domestic relationship, if they are related to each other by consanguinity (blood relation), adoption, or are family members living together as a joint family.

The woman had approached the magisterial court seeking legal protection from harassment and maltreatment by her stepmother and step-siblings.