Dowry-related violence claims the live of over 5,000 women each year ... During 1996, domestic torture constituted 30.4 per cent of the total crimes committed against women in India. In the guise of family honour, culture and tradition ... there is a general acceptance of violence against women ... A spot survey conducted by Sakshi in Delhi in 1996 by involving 87 Govt .and private sector employees revealed that 60% of women respondents had either experienced sexual harassment at their work place or knew of other women who had experienced such harassment. Another similar survey in Kerala, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Bangalore revealed that 72% of women respondents had either encountered or heard of such harassment.

"According to a WHO review of Commonwealth government initiatives to combat violence against women, there is relative paucity of campaigns dealing with violence, particularly rape and sexual assault. Women's group in several countries and most certainly in India have offered support across a range of women's issues. Several women, who are victims of sexual violence, are reluctant to report the crime to the police, family or others. This may happen also because, as a part of a subordinated group, women's own definition of their injuries is shaped by their assessment of whether they could get anyone to do anything about it", the Sakshi statement said. (Source: The Hindustan Times, 10 December, 1999)