WIAC - ACTS

Needs for which we share the information : Women who need shelter, counselling, legal aid, protection, custody of children, healthcare

Name Of Act : Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Who Fall Under Act : Women being harassed by their husbands and in-laws.

Implementing Department : Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare

Provision Under Act : 1. Healthcare Facility 2. Right to Residence 3. Family Counselling 4. Free Legal Aid 5. Protection from the Accused, 6. Provisional Shelter and Childcare 7. Custody of Children

Where To Apply : Complaints and applications under the Act can be made by filling in the prescribed forms, availed from any source including State and National Women Commission, Service

How To Apply : The aggrieved person can file the complaint or applications directly before the Court or Protection Officer.

Web Link : Link for Accessing Application format/Domestic Incidence Report (DIR) format- https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/domesticviolenceact05.pdf

Needs for which we share the information : Women who need protection against cruelty for dowry

Name Of Act : The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, Indian Penal Code

Who Fall Under Act : Women who are victims of cruelty by the husband or relatives of the husband.

Implementing Department : Local police station / Dowry prohibition officer / Judicial authority (Metropolitan Magistrate/Judicial Magistrate First Class)

Provision Under Act : 1. Every offence under this Act is non-bailable and non-compoundable (no settlement is allowed) 2. No person can be arrested under this Act without a warrant or without an order of the Magistrate.

Where To Apply : Complaint can be made at local police station by filing an FIR or to the Dowry Prohibition Officer of the district. Complaint can also be made in writing to State and National Women Commission or to appropriate judicial authority (Metropolitan Magistrate/Judicial Magistrate First Class.

How To Apply : The aggrieved person, her family members or any recognised welfare institution can file an FIR or submit a written complaint to the appropriate judicial authority.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Family members of the women who are seeking justice / legal aid for dowry death

Name Of Act : The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 , Indian Penal Code

Who Fall Under Act : Family of women whose death has been caused by any kind of burns or bodily injury or abnormal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is proven that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or the husband's relatives because of dowry, such death shall be called “dowry death”, and in such cases the husband or the concerned relative shall be accused for abetment of her death.

Implementing Department : Local police station / Dowry prohibition officer / Judicial authority (Metropolitan Magistrate/Judicial Magistrate First Class)

Provision Under Act : 1. Whoever is responsible for the death of the woman due to dowry shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years, but which may be extend to imprisonment for life. 2. Every offence under this Act is non-bailable and non-compoundable (no settlement is allowed). 3. No person can be arrested under this Act without a warrant or without an order of the Magistrate.

Where To Apply : Complaint can be made at local police station by filling an FIR or to the Dowry Prohibition Officer of the district. Complaint can also be made in writing to State and National Women Commission or to appropriate judicial authority (Metropolitan Magistrate/Judicial Magistrate First Class.

How To Apply : The person aggrieved, her family members or any recognised welfare institution can file an FIR or submit a written complaint to the appropriate judicial authority.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Women who need protection from crime outside home

Name Of Act : The Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA), 1956

Who Fall Under Act : Women in brothels / commercial sex workers

Implementing Department : Special Police Officers and Trafficking Police Officers, Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Provision Under Act : 1. All offences are cognizable i.e., police do not require a warrant to arrest or search. 2. Brothel keeping, soliciting, living on earnings of sex work, procuring, inducing, or detaining for prostitution are punishable offences, prostitution in areas notified by police and near public places. 3. Penalties are higher where offences involve children (<16 yrs.) & minors (<18 yrs.).

Where To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police Station, or submit a written complaint to State and National Women Commission, Child welfare committee, Anti Human Trafficking Unit.

How To Apply : Parents/Relatives of victim/Primary Care Givers, Victim herself, any other person who has knowledge of the crime or an NGO can submit a written complaint at the local Police station or Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Women who need protection against indecent representation

Name Of Act : The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act , 1986

Who Fall Under Act : Women who have been portrayed indecently in advertisements, books, compositions, and works of art, figures or in any other manner.

Implementing Department : Any social service organization recognized by the Government; Gazetted Officer authorized by the State Government.

Provision Under Act : Prohibition of advertisements, publication or sending by post of books, pamphlets, etc., containing indecent representation of women.

Where To Apply : Women (Victim) herself, her parents or relatives, or any social service organization recognized by the Government can file an FIR at the local police station or file a complaint in writing to State and National Women Commission.

How To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police station.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Women who are seeking protection and redressal from sexual harassment at workplace.

Name Of Act : The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act , 2013

Who Fall Under Act : Women victims who have been subjected to harassment at work through physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, show pornography, or any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature

Implementing Department : Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), Local Complaints Committee (LCC)

Provision Under Act : 1.The Committee shall recommend penalties for sexual harassment as per service rules applicable or the Rules under the Act if allegations are proven. 2. It may provide for monetary compensation to the complainant. 3. Employers who fail to comply with the provisions of the Act will be penalised.

Where To Apply : An aggrieved woman or friends, relatives, co-workers, psychologist, psychiatrist etc. (in situations where the aggrieved is unable to make the complaint on account of physical incapacity, mental incapacity or death), can file a complaint to the Internal Committee or to the local complain committee in writing. Committee shall provide for conciliation if requested by the complainant. Otherwise, the Committee shall initiate an inquiry. You can also submit a written complaint to State and National Women Commission.

How To Apply : The aggrieved woman who intends to file a complaint is required to submit six copies of the written complaint, along with supporting documents and names and addresses of the witnesses to the ICC or LCC, within 3 months from the date of the incident and in case of a series of incidents, within a period of 3 months from the date of the last incident.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Women who are seeking grievance redressal and legal aid against rape

Name Of Act : Section 375 / 376 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Rape)

Who Fall Under Act : Girls above 18yrs and women who have been subjected to sexual intercourse against their will, without their consent, by coercion, intoxication, misrepresentation, or fraud.

Implementing Department : The Police Department

Provision Under Act : 1. No person can disclose the name of the rape victim. 2. Medical examination to be conducted within 24 hours of receiving a complaint .

Where To Apply : File an FIR at the local police station. You can also file a zero FIR in any police station, regardless of whether the offence was committed under the jurisdiction of that particular police station or not.

How To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police Station. The police cannot refuse to file an FIR.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Women who are seeking grievance redressal and legal aid against trafficking and sexual exploitation

Name Of Act : Section 370 of Indian Penal Code, 1860

Who Fall Under Act : All individuals who are victim of trafficking including physical exploitation or any form of sexual exploitation, slavery, servitude, or the forced removal of organs.

Implementing Department : The Police Department and Anti Human Trafficking Unit.

Provision Under Act : 1. It criminalizes all persons involved at each stage of the trafficking process including helping a trafficker or hiding the person trafficked. 2. It also punishes those who exploit or employ the trafficked persons.

Where To Apply : File an FIR at the local police station or submit a written application at State and National Women Commission.

How To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police Station.

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Girl children who are seeking prevention, protection and prosecution agianst early marriage.

Name Of Act : Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006

Who Fall Under Act : All children below the age of sixteen who have been forced to marry or are in the process of being married against their will.

Implementing Department : Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) or persons appointed to assist her/him or the District Collector.

Provision Under Act : 1.Child Marriage Prohibition Officers are to be appointed in every state to prevent child marriage to ensure protection of the victims as well as prosecution of the offenders. 2.The Courts have power to issue injunction for prohibiting child marriage from taking place. 3.The law makes child marriage voidable by giving choice to children in the marriage to seek annulment of marriage within two years of attaining majority. 4.The law lays down penal provisions for those who solemnise /abet child marriage. However, women offenders cannot be punished with imprisonment. They can be penalised by way of imposition of a fine. 5.It gives a legal status to all children born from child marriages and makes provisions for their custody and maintenance. 6.The law provides for all support and aid including medical aid, legal aid, counselling and rehabilitation support to children once they are rescued.

Where To Apply : A person who has reason to believe that a child marriage is likely to take place, a person who has personal information, school teachers, doctors, ANMs, anganwadi workers, village level workers, SHG members, village elders, neighbours etc., police, a parent or guardian of the child can report at the nearest Police Station or to State and National Women Commission.

How To Apply : Submit a written complaint to Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) , Child Welfare Committee, Police or National and State Women Commission

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Girl children who are seeking protection against sexual violence /offence

Name Of Act : Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012

Who Fall Under Act : Children below 18yrs of age who are subjected to sexual assault of penetrative or aggravasive nature, sexual harassment, used for pornographic purposes or trafficked for sexual purposes.

Implementing Department : Special Juvenile Police Unit, Local Police, Child Welfare Committee (CWC)

Provision Under Act : 1. Person who knows of a child being abused or has reasonable doubt should inform the police immediately, otherwise the person is also liable to be punished. 2. All acts of sexual assault or harassment is punishable by rigorous imprisonment for a minimum period of 3yrs to a maximum period of 10yrs and / or maximum life imprisonment depending upon the gravity of the crime.

Where To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police Station or submit a written complaint to the Child Welfare Committee.

How To Apply : Submit a written complaint in police department and Child Welfare Committee or State and National Welfare Commission

Web Link :

Needs for which we share the information : Legal action against children under 18 year of age involved in crime

Name Of Act : The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000 and JJ Act 2015 (After Amendment)

Who Fall Under Act : Children who are homeless, or reside with an abusive/violent guardian/or caregiver; who are mentally, physically challenged or terminally ill with no caregiver; who are victims of armed conflict, civil commotion, or natural calamity; who are orphans/abandoned, or run away, or missing and their parents cannot be found; who are vulnerable to abuse/drug abuse/trafficking/sexual exploitation/torture/illegal acts.

Implementing Department : State Governments, Children’s Court, Child Welfare Committee, Juvenile Justice Board

Provision Under Act : 1. A juvenile who has been found guilty of any crime can in no circumstance be punished with a death sentence, life imprisonment, or committed to prison in default of payment of fine or in default of furnishing security. 2. The purpose of the Child Welfare Committee is to provide for the care, treatment, protection, rehabilitation, and development of the child and in doing so uphold the rights of the child. 3.The committee may commit a child to the Children’s home or a Shelter home if the child has no immediately available family or support system. The main aim of this system is to restore the child to his family or family environment after determining the safety of the environment.

Where To Apply : File an FIR at the local Police Station

How To Apply : Submit a written complaint to the police department

Web Link :