A legal notice for domestic violence is sent by a woman who has suffered physical, mental, emotional, or economic abuse at the hands of her husband, in-laws, or domestic relationship partner. Under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 (PWDVA), domestic violence is a civil and criminal offense. This notice demands immediate cessation of violence, compensation, maintenance, and protection. It's often the first step before filing a domestic violence complaint under Section 12 of PWDVA with the Magistrate.

• Protects women from physical, mental, sexual, economic violence
• Covers violence by husband, in-laws, or live-in partners
• Civil remedy under PWDVA 2005 and criminal under IPC/BNS
• Can claim residence rights, maintenance, and compensation
• Protection orders can be obtained within days from Magistrate

Under PWDVA 2005, domestic violence includes a broad range of abusive conduct:

• Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, pushing, burning, causing bodily harm
• Sexual Abuse: Forced sexual acts, marital rape, sexual harassment
• Verbal & Emotional Abuse: Insults, humiliation, threats, intimidation
• Economic Abuse: Denying money, preventing employment, disposing of property
• Dowry Harassment: Demands for dowry, harassment for money from wife's family
• Threats: Threats of harm, divorce, suicide, kidnapping children
• Deprivation: Denying food, shelter, medical care, basic needs
• Harassment of Woman to Coerce Her or Family: To meet unlawful demands

PWDVA 2005 has a wide definition of 'aggrieved person' and 'domestic relationship':

• Wives (married or in process of divorce)
• Live-in partners (relationships in the nature of marriage)
• Sisters, widows, mothers living in shared household
• Women in relationships with men they've lived with
• Female children in the household
• The Act protects against violence by: husband, male partners, relatives of husband, or any male who shares the household

PWDVA 2005 provides comprehensive civil remedies that can be obtained quickly from Magistrate Court:

• Protection Order: Prohibits respondent from committing acts of violence
• Residence Order: Right to reside in shared household, can't be evicted
• Monetary Relief: Maintenance, medical expenses, loss of earnings
• Custody Order: Temporary custody of children
• Compensation Order: For injuries, emotional distress, property damage
• These orders can be obtained within days as interim relief, even before final hearing

Your legal notice should comprehensively document the violence and assert your rights:

• Your details and relationship with the respondent (husband/in-laws)
• Detailed account of violence incidents with dates, times, descriptions
• Nature of abuse: physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, economic
• Injuries sustained with medical reports, photographs, hospital records
• Witnesses who saw or heard the violence
• Police complaints filed (FIR copies), if any
• Economic abuse: denial of money, disposal of stridhan, preventing employment
• Demand for immediate cessation of violence
• Demand for right to reside in shared household
• Claim for maintenance and compensation
• Warning of complaint under PWDVA 2005 and criminal sections

In addition to civil remedies under PWDVA, domestic violence can attract criminal prosecution under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023: Section 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives), Section 64 (rape including marital rape in certain circumstances), Section 75 (dowry death), Section 76 (dowry prohibition), Sections 115-124 (assault and causing hurt), Section 351 (criminal intimidation). These are cognizable offenses where police can arrest without warrant. FIR should be filed at police station along with PWDVA complaint for maximum legal protection.

In domestic violence cases, immediate action is critical for your safety and legal rights. Legal notices and complaints under PWDVA can result in protection orders within 3-7 days. Approximately 70-80% of women who file PWDVA complaints obtain favorable interim orders (residence rights, protection, maintenance). Many cases settle when the respondent realizes the serious legal consequences. It's crucial to: document all violence immediately, seek medical treatment (creates evidence), file police complaint (FIR), reach out to Protection Officer or NGO for support, and send legal notice followed by PWDVA complaint. Do not delay action out of fear or family pressure—your safety and rights are paramount.