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Sexual violence is a general term that includes any sexual activity inflicted or forced upon a person without his/her consent. In all cases, the victim would not rationally or willingly choose to participate in the activity or the person is unable to give valid consent due to physical, mental or age constraints. Sexual violence comprises crimes such as child sexual abuse, sexual assault from intimate partners, friends, dates or strangers; incest; sexual harassment; stalking; elder abuse; and rape among some of its categories. A key factor in determining whether a sexual act is deemed violent or abusive, lies in the individual’s ability to give valid consent.
What is consent? Legally, it refers to the minimum age at which an individual is considered to be old enough to understand the nature of sexual activities and to participate in them. In psychological terms, it would also mean that the individual is free of undue pressures and fully understands the nature of the activity and wants to participate in it. Thus, consent also signifies a certain level of maturity. For example, children would not fully understand the nature of sexual activities as their physical, emotional, social and cognitive development have not reached completion. In Colorado, the legal age of consent is 17. At any age, however, whenever an individual is pressured, manipulated, or forced to any sexual activity through either physical force or violence, threats, intimidation, or by being taken advantage of his/her trust, or by being drugged, or by being intoxicated, the person is rendered unable to give valid consent. The abuse or violence can be a single incident or repeated incidents over long periods of time or years. Perpetrators can be adults or youth. Sexually abusive or violent behaviors include unwanted touching, fondling, groping, sexually charged insults, sexually demeaning comments about a specific gender or group, sexually charged gazes, exhibiting/showing/receiving unwanted nude pictures, stalking, sexual assault, and sexual abuse or assault to subordinates or others under the perpetrator’s authority or power, among others. At the center of these aberrant behaviors is denying the victim of her/his ability to exercise the right to choose.
Sexual Abuse and Domestic violence Helpline Number:08088021414

Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, or in the organizations, schools, or communities the child interacts with. The terms child abuse and child maltreatment are often used interchangeably, although some researchers make a distinction between them, treating child maltreatment as an umbrella term to cover neglect, exploitation, and trafficking. Different jurisdictions have different requirements for mandatory reporting and have developed different definitions of what constitutes child abuse, and therefore have different criteria to remove children from their families or to prosecute a criminal charge.
Child abuse is a complex phenomenon with multiple causes.[132] No single factor can be identified as to why some adults behave abusively or neglectfully toward children. World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) identify multiple factors at the level of the individual, their relationships, their local community, and their society at large, that combine to influence the occurrence of child maltreatment. At the individual level, studies have shown that age, mental health, and substance use, and a personal history of abuse may serve as risk factors of child abuse.[133] At the level of society, factors contributing to child maltreatment include cultural norms that encourage harsh physical punishment of children, economic inequality, and the lack of social safety nets.[30] WHO and ISPCAN state that understanding the complex interplay of various risk factors is vital for dealing with the problem of child maltreatment. Child Helpline Number:1098

What Is Domestic Violence In India? The first step to overcoming relationship abuse is understanding domestic abuse meaning and what is meant by domestic violence. Domestic violence is not only done by husbands. It is called relationship abuse or domestic abuse even if it is by your parents, in-laws and other family members too. Domestic abuse of elderly people is also classified as domestic violence. Dowry harassment is a type of domestic violence and often results in dowry deaths when domestic abuse turns deadly. A young schoolgirl being touched by any member of the family, teachers or older people, on her breasts or her rear is also an act of violence. In fact, incest and child sexual abuse are common forms of domestic violence in India. In many cases, the battered women's own families are not supportive of what they prefer to call a "domestic dispute" because of the shame and guilt that surrounds such issues. But no one deserves to be abused, and the law has remedies to prevent relationship abuse, but we need to know the definition of domestic violence and be aware of our legal rights. Domestic violence is a serious threat to women in India, so you need to know the signs of an abusive relationship, how to react to the situation and how the law offers protection of women from domestic abuse. So, is domestic violence a cognizable offence or a crime? Is relationship abuse a criminal offence? And are domestic violence laws effective in India? If you perpetrate domestic abuse, can you go to jail? Yes, in fact, Section 498a of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to cruelty to women, states that domestic violence punishment in India includes imprisonment of up to three years. So, perpetrators of domestic abuse can face jail time in India. "Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine." Were you asked to leave your marital home? Can you force your parents to provide for you? Are you facing emotional abuse from your husband or facing emotional harassment by in-laws? Are you facing domestic violence for dowry? Women in India have many legal rights that can make a huge difference in their present life and future. Know your legal rights and understand the laws against domestic violence in India, so you can be confident, aware and also fearless. Women Helpline Number:1090,1091,181

You are not alone. Suicide is an important issue in the Indian context. More than one lakh (one hundred thousand) lives are lost every year to suicide in our country. In the last two decades, the suicide rate has increased from 7.9 to 10.3 per 100,000. There is a wide variation in the suicide rates within the country. The southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have a suicide rate of less than 15 while in the Northern States of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir, the suicide rate is greater than 3. This variable pattern has been stable for the last twenty years. Higher literacy, a better reporting system, lower external aggression, higher socioeconomic status and higher expectations are the possible explanations for the higher suicide rates in the southern states. The majority of suicides (37.8%) in India are by those below the age of 30 years. The fact that 71% of suicides in India are by persons below the age of 44 years imposes a huge social, emotional and economic burden on our society. The near-equal suicide rates of young men and women and the consistently narrow male: female ratio of 1.4: 1 denotes that more Indian women die by suicide than their Western counterparts. Poisoning (36.6%), hanging (32.1%) and self-immolation (7.9%) were the common methods used to commit suicide. Two large epidemiological verbal autopsy studies in rural Tamil Nadu reveal that the annual suicide rate is six to nine times the official rate.[3,4] If these figures are extrapolated, it suggests that there are at least half a million suicides in India every year. It is estimated that one in 60 persons in our country are affected by suicide. It includes both, those who have attempted suicide and those who have been affected by the suicide of a close family or friend. Thus, suicide is a major public and mental health problem, which demands urgent action. Although suicide is a deeply personal and an individual act, suicidal behaviour is determined by a number of individual and social factors. Ever since Esquirol wrote that “All those who committed suicide are insane” and Durkheim proposed that suicide was an outcome of social / societal situations, the debate of individual vulnerability vs social stressors in the causation of suicide has divided our thoughts on suicide. Suicide is best understood as a multidimensional, multifactorial malaise. Suicide is perceived as a social problem in our country and hence, mental disorder is given equal conceptual status with family conflicts, social maladjustment etc.According to the official data, the reason for suicide is not known for about 43% of suicides while illness and family problems contribute to about 44% of suicides. Divorce, dowry, love affairs, cancellation or the inability to get married (according to the system of arranged marriages in India), illegitimate pregnancy, extra-marital affairs and such conflicts relating to the issue of marriage, play a crucial role, particularly in the suicide of women in India. A distressing feature is the frequent occurrence of suicide pacts and family suicides, which are more due to social reasons and can be viewed as a protest against archaic societal norms and expectations. In a population-based study on domestic violence, it was found that 64% had a significant correlation between domestic violence of women and suicidal ideation.Domestic violence was also found to be a major risk factor for suicide in a study in Bangalore.The population-based study has been done in various cities in India, however the Bangalore study is the only psychological autopsy study that focused on completed suicide and domestic violence. Poverty, unemployment, debts and educational problems are also associated with suicide. The recent spate of farmers' suicide in India has raised societal and governmental concern to address this growing tragedy. Helplines (also known as hotlines or crisis lines) provide immediate crisis counseling, emotional support and information – for free. Call:988 24/7.

Drug abuse or substance abuse refers to the use of certain chemicals for the purpose of creating pleasurable effects on the brain. There are over 190 million drug users around the world and the problem has been increasing at alarming rates, especially among young adults under the age of 30.
Apart from the long term damage to the body drug abuse causes, drug addicts who use needles are also at risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C infections.
Causes of drug use:
Drugs of abuse are usually psychoactive drugs that are used by people for various different reasons which may include:
1.Curiosity and peer pressure, especially among school children and young adults.
2.The use of prescription drugs that were originally intended to target pain relief may have turned into recreational use and become addictive.
3.Chemicals may be used as part of religious practices or rituals.
4.Recreational purposes.
5.As a means of obtaining creative inspiration.
Drug categories Drugs of abuse fall into three groups and these include:
1.Depressants: These cause depression of the brain's faculties and examples include sleeping pills (barbiturates) and heroin.
2.Stimulants: These cause stimulation of the brain, giving rise to alertness and increased bursts of activity. A rapid heart rate, dilated pupils, raised blood pressure, nausea or vomiting and behavioral changes such as agitation, and impaired judgment may also result. In severe cases, there may be delusional psychosis which can occur with the use of cocaine and amphetamines.
3.Hallucinogens: These cause hallucinations and an "out of this world" feeling of dissociation from oneself. Hallucinogens may cause distorted sensory perception, delusion, paranoia and even depression. Examples include ecstasy, mescaline and LSD.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ADDICTION HOTLINE Call the 24/7 helpline:1-844-289-0879.

Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems.[14] Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word alcoholism, it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predominant diagnostic classifications are alcohol use disorder[2] (DSM-5) or alcohol dependence (ICD-11); these are defined in their respective sources. Excessive alcohol use can damage all organ systems, but it particularly affects the brain, heart, liver, pancreas and immune system.Alcoholism can result in mental illness, delirium tremens, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, irregular heartbeat, an impaired immune response, liver cirrhosis and increased cancer risk.Drinking during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Women are generally more sensitive than men to the harmful effects of alcohol, primarily due to their smaller body weight, lower capacity to metabolize alcohol, and higher proportion of body fat.In a small number of individuals, prolonged, severe alcohol misuse ultimately leads to cognitive impairment and frank dementia. Environment and genetics are two factors in the risk of development of alcoholism, with about half the risk attributed to each.Stress and associated disorders, including anxiety, are key factors in the development of alcoholism as alcohol consumption can temporarily reduce dysphoria.Someone with a parent or sibling with an alcohol use disorder is three to four times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder themselves, but only a minority of them do.Environmental factors include social, cultural and behavioral influences.High stress levels and anxiety, as well as alcohol's inexpensive cost and easy accessibility, increase the risk.People may continue to drink partly to prevent or improve symptoms of withdrawal.After a person stops drinking alcohol, they may experience a low level of withdrawal lasting for months.Medically, alcoholism is considered both a physical and mental illness. Questionnaires are usually used to detect possible alcoholism.Further information is then collected to confirm the diagnosis.
Alcohol use disorder: Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol or continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems. This disorder also involves having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking. Alcohol use disorder includes a level of drinking that's sometimes called alcoholism. Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. Binge drinking causes significant health and safety risks. If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder. It can range from mild to severe. However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important.National Toll Free Helpline (1800-11-0031) to assist the alcoholic and drug dependent persons.

Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Women's empowerment equips and allows women to make life-determining decisions through the different societal problems.They may have the opportunity to re-define gender roles or other such roles, which allow them more freedom to pursue desired goals. Women's empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion in development and economics. Economic empowerment allows women to control and benefit from resources, assets, and income. It also aids the ability to manage risk and improve women's well-being.It can result in approaches to support trivialized genders in a particular political or social context.While often interchangeably used, the more comprehensive concept of gender empowerment concerns people of any gender, stressing the distinction between biological and gender as a role. Women empowerment helps boost women's status through literacy, education, training and awareness creation. Furthermore, women's empowerment refers to women's ability to make strategic life choices that were previously denied them. Nations, businesses, communities and groups may benefit from implementing programs and policies that adopt the notion of female empowerment.Women's empowerment enhances the quality and the quantity of human resources available for development.Empowerment is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human rights and development. Several principles define women's empowerment, such as, for one to be empowered, one must come from a position of disempowerment. They must acquire empowerment rather than have it given to them by an external party. Other studies have found that empowerment definitions entail people having the capability to make important decisions in their lives while also being able to act on them. Empowerment and disempowerment are relative to each other at a previous time; empowerment is a process rather than a product.
Commission for Women Helpline: 7827170170,1090,1091

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This is a social issue awareness website. We are trying to spread the knowledge about the social issue. We are making them aware of the social issues and how to solve them. We are trying to make them self-reliant. We are trying to make them aware of the social issues and how to solve them. We are trying to make them self-reliant.

A social issue is a problem that affects many people within a society. It is a group of common problems in present-day society and ones that many people strive to solve. Social issues are often the result of a combination of factors, including social, economic, political, and cultural factors. Social issues are often the result of a combination of factors, including social, economic, political, and cultural factors. There are many helpline numbers provided by the governmental and non-governmental organizations. You can contact them and get the solution of your problem.

However, social science researchers have found common causes that seem to contribute to common social problems: Overpopulation, Economic inequality, and poverty,Illiteracy and lack of education.

Social issues are actions or behaviors that have negative consequences for a large portion of society. There are four characteristics that define social issues:
1.Negative consequences for many in the population.
2.Widely recognized by society as an issue that needs solving.
3.The problem goes against common values and beliefs.
4.Solutions to the issue include societal change, regulation, or increased resources.

Social issues affect our society adversely. Most importantly, it disturbs the harmony of society and gives rise to hostility and suspicion. Moreover, it creates large-scale social dissatisfaction, suffering and misery.