Watch: Ruhi Singh encourages women to report domestic violence and marital rape in her short film

Gender based violence is not a new term in India and over the years a number of individuals primarily women and young girls have fallen prey to this deadly menace. Domestic violence is often been studied as an abusive expression triggered by financial and mental stress. The national lockdown has reported more than 50% rise in domestic violence. As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced several countries into a lockdown, cases of domestic violence rose at an alarming pace all over the world. In India, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the nationwide lockdown, the number of domestic violence complaints received by the National Commission for Women (NCW) had doubled. From 30, in the first week of March, the number of complaints rose to 69 between 23 March and 1 April. Meanwhile, a number of celebs have also raised their voice against the rising cases of domestic violence in the country. 

Joining the bandwagon and to spread awareness about  the increasing cases of domestic violence in the country, actress and beauty queen Ruhi Singh has starred in short film directed by stylist Kristy De Cunha. It is titled as THAT NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE, and it shows how several women out there  are facing domestic abuse amid the COVID-19 lockdown as they are trapped with their abusers. The film also deals with gender norms and inequality and shows how women should learn to talk for themselves. In the film, viewers can see that how Ruhi walks in pain from her room to see herself in the mirror after enduring physical abuse. The movie also encourages to raise voice against crimes like rape and domestic abuse. Fans have flooded the video with a number of positive comments applauding the actress on her latest venture.

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Marital rape is not okay, domestic violence is not okay—we can’t continue to normalize these crimes. Violence is not a part of any marriage, bond or union. Keep your eyes and ears open. If you hear or see someone facing violence, speak up and support them. With this film, the director @kristydecunha and I want to educate everyone about the universal signal for help: a discreet symbol that can help victims in need of rescue. Please share and support. #SignalForHelp #BreakTheSilence #StopDomesticViolence

A post shared by Ruhii Dilip Singh (@ruhisingh12) on Jun 4, 2020 at 4:58am PDT