A higher proportion of acquittals is often put
forward as evidence to suggest that Section 498A of the Indian Penal
Code has been continuously misused. This position appears to focus on
interpersonal violence, overlooking the various subliminal factors
governing the everyday lives of women, such as the varied forms of
violence and the role of gendered state institutions in conceptualising
and implementing law. This paper considers the complexities of law
enforcement from the survivors' perspective to investigate the dynamics
of the formation of a new perception regarding the misuse of Section
498A.