Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) is a men's rights group in India. It is a registered, non-funded, non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) and works with various like-minded NGOs in India.[2]
| Formation | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Type | Indian men's rights organization |
| Location | |
| Fields | Men's rights, domestic violence |
General Secretary | Rukma Chary |
Nagpur | Rajesh Vakharia |
Founders | Anil Kumar, Pandurang Katti |
| Website | saveindianfamily |
History
editFounded in 2005, SIFF is an advocacy group against what it calls misuse of Indian laws related to dowry harassment.[3] It is an umbrella organisation of a number of men's and family rights organisations spanned across Indian cities and provinces.[1] SIFF has supported the founding of other like-minded organisations, such as the "All India Mother in Laws Protection Forum"[4] and "All India Men's Welfare Association".[5]
In 2010, the group claimed on its website to have "30,000 members on the ground and over 3,500 on the internet who are fighting this legal terrorism with vigour and passion like commandos".[1]
Activities
editSIFF created an app and a helpline for men, which got over 25,000 phone calls in four months.[6]
The group campaigned against domestic violence legislation (such as Section 498a of the Indian Penal Code, (1983) and the Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act 2005), stating that these laws have been misused, and manipulated by Indian women. They assert that men are abused physically and are subject to legal, mental and social harassment by their wives because of these laws,[7] and that lawyers and women use them to extort money and family property and to deny child custody to fathers.[8] SIF members have sought to have the laws made gender neutral and be amended to include protection of men against abuse by women.[9][10] The media comments that the organization is insensitive to high rates of domestic physical abuse committed against women in India [11] In addition, they note the organization's use of 'strong language', including describing as "terrorist activity" the support given by women groups for the domestic violence legislation, and describing the women politicians who spearhead the legislation as “modern Surpanakhas”.[11][12][13]
SIFF asserts that dowry harassment of women and their families is a figment of the feminist imagination,[14] and that the woman is the abuser in almost all cases of family abuse.[15] They campaign for decrimininalisation of anti-dowry offences, with the threat of imprisonment removed.[16] In contrast, police and women's groups have denied the group's claims of widespread misuse of anti-dowry laws, stating that only a small minority abuse the law,[10] and the approximately 7000 deaths of women every year who die due to dowry demands.[17][11]
SIFF has also advocated for the creation of a Men's Commission in India.[18] SIFF also protested against the 2010 Amendment to the Marriage Act.[19]
SIFF also spoke out against a 2022 court petition which could criminalize marital rape, and sponsored a "marriage strike".[20]
Elections
editSIFF ran an independent candidate, Satish Babu SN, in the 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election from B.T.M Layout constituency; he finished 7th, gathering 333 votes (0.24% of the total valid votes).[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Polanki, Pallavi (17 July 2010). "Men Who Cry". OPEN. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ "SIFF - About Us". Save Indian Family Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ ANI (29 November 2006). "Wife harassing you? Call for help". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ George, Daniel P. (6 September 2009). "Moms-in-law of the world unite." The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ Sengupta, Sudipta (31 October 2009). "Now, a forum for 'tortured' husbands". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ "Save India Family Foundation: Men's helpline gets 25,000 calls over four months in Kolkata". The Times of India. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Singh, Jangveer (26 November 2006). "Sour dates in India's Silicon Valley". Tribune News Service. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
- ^ Karnad, Raghu (3 December 2007). "Now, Is That Malevolence?". Outlook magazine. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
- ^ Sandhu, Veena (7 November 2006). "Men new "victims" of domestic violence". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
- ^ a b Ramesh, Randeep (13 December 2007). "Dowry law making us the victims, says India's men's movement". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
- ^ a b c Gupta, Monobina (27 October 2006). ["Malevolence for women's law - Men go to PM against female 'terrorist activity' "Malevolence for women's law - Men go to PM against female 'terrorist activity'"]. The Telegraph, Calcutta. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Bhattacharya, Chandrima S. (30 October 2006). "What are men scared of?". The Telegraph, Calcutta. Archived from the original on 29 October 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
- ^ Sengupta, Sudipta (31 October 2009). "Now, a forum for 'tortured' husbands". TOI. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ Karnad, Raghu (3 December 2007). "Now, Is That Malevolence?". Outlook magazine. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
- ^ Das, Radhika (8 June 2007). "Is the law biased against men?". Times of India. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
- ^ Ramesh, Randeep (13 December 2007). "Dowry law making us the victims, says India's men's movement". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
- ^ Ash, Lucy (16 July 2003). "India's dowry deaths". BBC News. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
- ^ Ovais, Dar (24 February 2019). "Rally seeking national panel for men on March 3 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar". Indian Express. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Men's rights groups sore at marriage laws bill". Hindustan Times. 16 February 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Frayer, Lauren (8 February 2022). "Marital rape is still legal in India. A court decision could change that". NPR. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Men's rights NGO to field independents in elections". 15 April 2018.
