Safeguarding Women’s Rights: Legal Measures and Challenges under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Abstract: Domestic violence remains a pervasive issue in India, cutting across socio-economic and culturalboundaries. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) was enacted to providecomprehensive legal recourse and protective measures for women facing various forms of domestic abuse.This article explores the significance, implementation, and challenges of the PWDVA, with a particular focuson Maharashtra. It highlights the roles of key stakeholders such as the judiciary, law enforcement agencies,Protection Officers, and NGOs. The paper also identifies obstacles to effective enforcement, including societalattitudes, lack of awareness, inadequate training, resource constraints, and judicial delays. Furthermore, thestudy underscores the impact of socio-economic factors and offers practical recommendations to enhance theefficacy of the Act.