Inside the Women and Child Development Department’s control room in Delhi, the phones keep ringing. But these aren’t ordinary calls — they’re often distress signals from women trapped in homes that have turned into battlegrounds. Each ring carries fear, desperation, and a cry for escape.
Between September 2024 and March 24 2025, the helpline received over 1.71 lakh calls. Yet, only 8,594 were registered as cases. Most were either dropped midway or disconnected in fear — the sound of help sought but denied.
Out of these 8,594 cases, 4,852 were confirmed cases of domestic violence. That’s more than half. Which means behind every second verified call lies the grim truth of abuse within the home—inflicted not by strangers, but by husbands, in-laws, lovers, and family members.
What Is Delhi 181?
Launched in 2013 after the horrific Nirbhaya case, Delhi’s 181 helpline was envisioned as a 24×7 lifeline for women in distress. The toll-free number directly connects callers to a network of counsellors, legal experts, protection officers, and police assistance, acting as the first step toward rescue and rehabilitation.
But the harsh reality is that this helpline, while crucial, also lays bare a larger failure — why do so many women still need to call? Why does the line never fall silent? Of the 1.7 lakh calls received, a staggering 95% didn’t turn into registered cases. Many women dial and drop, fearing retaliation, family pressure, or the social stigma that follows reporting. The helpline isn’t just a bridge to safety — it’s a mirror showing how unsafe homes still are for women in the capital.
The Bruises We Don’t Want To See
4,852 out of 8,594 registered cases between Sept 2024 and March 2025 were related to domestic violence. That’s 1 out of every 2 confirmed complaints — not a fluke, but a trend. The most common forms include physical assault, dowry-related harassment, threats, and financial control. But what’s scarier is how “normal” this violence has become, often brushed off as “ghar ki baat”.
The Delhi helpline data confirms this chilling reality. Every second woman calling in and filing a case is doing so not against strangers on the street, but the very people meant to protect her.
Internationally, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that 1 in 3 women globally face intimate partner violence. In India, the numbers spike in silence, amplified by a culture of shame and “family honor.” As one 181 helpline counsellor (anonymous for safety) shared, “Many victims call from their kitchens, whispering for help while their abusers are in the next room.”
The Silent Scars Of Emotional And Sexual Abuse
While physical assault leaves visible scars, emotional and sexual violence quietly erode a woman’s soul. According to 181 helpline data recorded between September 2024 and March 24, 2025, 667 cases of sexual violence and 550 cases of emotional abuse were formally registered.
Yet these figures are likely just the tip of the iceberg. Emotional abuse — gaslighting, humiliation, isolation, and constant control — doesn’t leave bruises, but it chips away at self-esteem. Survivors often don’t recognize it as abuse until much later.
Add to that the stigma around reporting sexual violence, especially when the abuser is someone known, and the silence becomes deafening. As one helpline counsellor noted, “The pain we hear on the phone is often from women who can’t even name what’s being done to them — they just know it’s breaking them inside.”
Amnesty International India notes that emotional abuse often precedes physical attacks and should be taken as seriously. Public and workplace violence cases (421 reported) indicate that no space, private or public, guarantees safety for women in Delhi. In fact, digital harassment (298 cases) shows how violence has evolved — from bruised bodies to bullied identities.
Femicide, Workplace Harassment, Trafficking
Beyond the home, abuse follows women into offices, public spaces, and even the digital world. In the same seven-month period, the 181 helpline recorded 421 cases of public or workplace violence, 24 complaints of workplace harassment, and 8 cases of human trafficking. What’s worse, 22 femicide cases — where women were killed for asserting their choices — were reported. These aren’t just murders; they are messages from a patriarchal society trying to silence independence.
Even technology has become a new tool of abuse. 15 cases of digital blackmail and online stalking were reported, and experts like cyber safety specialist Amrita Singh believe many more go unreported. “We are seeing a rise in women being harassed through WhatsApp, Instagram, or leaked images. The trauma is real, but the support is lacking,” she says. The digital world may have connected us, but for many women, it has become another unsafe place to navigate.
Also Read: Study Finds Disturbing Link Between Climate Change And Domestic Violence
Why So Many Calls Go Unheard
Here’s the heartbreaking math: 1,71,958 calls received, but only 8,594 cases registered. What happens to the rest? Most women disconnect the call halfway. Some just want to talk but don’t want “legal trouble”. Others are coerced into silence by family members. And too often, the system simply fails to follow up.
Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of the Centre for Social Research, warns: “Statistics show an alarming decline in the number of cases registered and an improper budget allocation for the implementation of the (domestic violence) act.”
A 2022 NFHS-5 report reveals that only 14% of Indian women who face violence ever seek help, and most prefer informal support from friends or family, rarely the police or helplines. The reasons? Shame, fear of societal blame, financial dependence, and distrust in the legal system. One survivor told a 181 counsellor: “If I file a case, who will feed my children? My in-laws will throw me out.” So, she stays. She suffers. And she survives — silently.
Despite the volume of calls, only about 5% of total calls received end in a registered complaint. Legal loopholes, lack of police sensitivity, and social pressures to “adjust” prevent women from pursuing formal cases. Many calls are classified as “non-actionable” if the woman hesitates or if evidence is deemed insufficient.
Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy points out, “The biggest enemy of justice in domestic violence cases is not always the law — it is societal gaslighting. ‘Think of the family’s reputation,’ victims are told, over and over.” A 2024 Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) survey found that 68% of women who experienced abuse did not report it officially, fearing backlash from family or society.
The Phone Keeps Ringing
The 181 helpline is doing more than answering calls — it’s documenting a national emergency that we refuse to see. Every call is a story of resistance, every dropped one a tragedy in slow motion. The Delhi data between Sept 2024 and March 2025 is not just a list of statistics — it’s a wake-up call to how deeply violence is embedded in our culture.
Individuals are not just failing women, but by entire systems. If behind every second verified call lies a domestic violence case, then what does that say about us? About the homes we’ve built, the silence we enforce, and the justice we delay? The violence will continue until every ring is met with swift, sincere action — and not just sympathy. And the phones will never stop ringing.
Sources: Hindustan Times, Times Of India, Economic Times
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: Domestic Violence, Women Safety, 181 Helpline, End Violence, Speak Up, Gender Justice, Women’s Rights, Stop Domestic Abuse, Save Women, Break The Silence, Violence Against Women, Women’s Empowerment, Helpline Support, Feminist India, Justice For Women, Delhi 181, Stop Abuse, Safe Homes, Support Survivors, No More Silence
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