Mobile phone addiction, social media craze leading to rise in domestic violence in Odisha

The growing use of mobile phones and addiction to social media reels are emerging as major triggers behind the surge in domestic violence cases, experts warned at a state-level training workshop on the Women’s Safety Act, 2025, and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

Speaking at the event, Odisha Deputy CM Pravati Parida appealed to people to stay away from excessive mobile use, saying that online obsessions were disrupting family harmony.

“There have been instances of ‘Reels’ leading to domestic violence in families. It is better to avoid such addiction and its side effects. Anything that goes beyond a limit will only cause damage to society,” stated the Deputy CM.

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Social worker Sophia Sheikh also noted that the pursuit of income through social media and addiction to reels have become common reasons for disputes at home, often escalating into serious domestic violence.

“Going by the cases that come to us, most of them are due to social media and reel addiction, which is causing rift with their in-laws. Moreover, most of the reels are about nudity, which we have seen and is the main reason for separation in families,” Sophia stated.

The workshop, organised at the Lok Seva Convention Hall, saw participation from police officials, Child Welfare Committees (CWC), One-Stop Centres, voluntary organisations, and social activists. Participants engaged in discussions on tackling the growing trend and protecting women from abuse.

According to the Odisha Assembly White Paper, as many as 9,731 domestic violence cases were registered in 2024. Taking serious note of the situation, the Deputy CM directed authorities to further strengthen the Women and Child Desks at police stations and assured that vacant posts in these departments would be filled at the earliest to ensure proper assistance for victims.

The Deputy CM also reiterated the government’s resolve to act firmly against offenders and emphasized that tackling domestic violence remains a top priority for the state.