The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), enacted in 2005 by the Indian Parliament under the UPA-I government, provides legal safeguards to women facing abuse at home. It ensures protection against physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, and economic violence, while empowering courts to issue protective and residence orders.

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• Enacted in 2005 to protect women from domestic abuse
• Covers physical, mental, verbal, emotional, and economic violence
• Applicable to wives, female live-in partners, mothers, sisters, and widows
• Includes harassment linked to dowry demands
• Grants women right to secure housing and shared household protection
• Courts can issue protection orders restricting abuser’s contact, even at workplace
• Mandates appointment of protection officers and support from NGOs
• Violation of protection order treated as non-bailable offense
• Seen as a progressive step toward gender justice and safety
• Criticisms include exclusion of male victims and subjective definition of mental abuse
• Critics note intra-gender violence (e.g., mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law) not addressed clearly