{"id":282548,"date":"2023-01-28T11:00:25","date_gmt":"2023-01-28T05:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=282548"},"modified":"2026-03-03T12:25:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T06:55:40","slug":"dometic-violence-act-2005-domestic-incident-report-explainer-law-dir-legal-research-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2023\/01\/28\/dometic-violence-act-2005-domestic-incident-report-explainer-law-dir-legal-research-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Domestic Incident Report: The What, The When and The How"},"content":{"rendered":"
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All you need to know about the filing of Domestic Incident Report<\/i><\/p>\n

E<\/span>xperiencing violence in any form affects the physical and mental well-being of a person. The trauma increases when such abuse comes from people who are otherwise supposed to protect you. Reporting events of domestic violence to the authorities is troublesome, especially when you are clueless about the process followed. People who have some idea about domestic violence case procedures must have heard about a domestic violence incident report. The page below deals with various aspects related to a DIR report in detail.<\/p>\n

Domestic Incident Report (DIR)<\/h4>\n

As it can be understood through the terms used, ‘domestic’ indicates something related to home or family relations, ‘incident’ refers to a particular event, and ‘report’ means information in a specific manner. Complaints related to domestic violence are recorded in the domestic incident report format. Hence, a DIR report contains information regarding an event or multiple events of violence in a household.<\/p>\n

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005<\/a>, popularly known as DV Act, is the law in India which protects women against various kinds of abuse in domestic relationships or a live-in relationship.<\/p>\n

What is DIR in DV Case?<\/p>\n

Whenever the authorities are approached for reporting a domestic violence case, detailed events of abuse are discussed with the aggrieved person for preparation of a domestic violence report. However, people usually have no idea about what exactly a DIR report is. Just the way an FIR initiates a police case, a DIR lays the foundation for a domestic violence case.<\/p>\n

Section 2(e)<\/a> of DV Act<\/a> defines a domestic incident report as “a report made in the prescribed form on receipt of a complaint of domestic violence from an aggrieved person.” The purpose of this report is to give a glimpse of incidents of domestic violence with the aggrieved in a precise, unbiased manner.<\/p>\n

Section 9<\/a> of DV Act<\/a> specifies the duties and functions of Protection Officers. It also lays the roadmap to be followed by the Protection Officers and the Magistrate concerned with regard to domestic violence incident report.<\/p>\n

Section 10 (2)(a)<\/a> of DV Act, 2005<\/a> empowers the service providers under the Act to register a DIR in DV case. Such a report has to be presented along with the application to the Magistrate under Section 12<\/a> of DV Act<\/a> in a domestic violence case.<\/p>\n

Who can file a Complaint under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005<\/a>?<\/h4>\n

According to Section 4<\/a> of DV Act<\/a>, any person having information related to domestic violence may inform the Protection Officer. Such a person does not necessarily need to be the victim of domestic violence, her relative or friend, but any person having information of abuse. On the other hand, a domestic violence complaint can be filed by the aggrieved woman herself. A DIR report is prepared on receipt of a complaint from an aggrieved person. However, in absence of a domestic incident report, when the complaint is not filed on behalf of aggrieved person through a Protection Officer or service provider, the Magistrate also has jurisdiction to take cognizance of the complaint under Section 12<\/a> of the DV Act<\/a>, as held by Supreme Court in Prabha Tyagi v. Kamlesh Devi<\/span>, (2022) 8 SCC 90<\/a><\/p>\n

Domestic Incident Report Format<\/h4>\n

The Form 1 of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Rules, 2006<\/a> provides a detailed form for domestic violence incident report. The format requires following details:<\/p>\n

Personal information and contact details of complainant<\/p>\n