Some Pinays in India suffer domestic violence—Embassy

NEW DELHI, India—Some Filipinas living with their Indian husbands suffer domestic violence throughout India, an inconvenient truth admitted by Philippine Ambassador to India, His Excellency Josel Ignacio.

During a press briefing on Friday, Ignacio revealed that most Filipinas living in India are married with Indian husbands.

“Napakalawak ng India; it's a subcontinent. Pero ang ating population dito ng kababayan natin, officially, it's about 1,500. Well, 1,547 was the last official count given to us by the Indian government. And that's as recent as February 2026. So, medyo current ‘yang number na ‘yan. But it's not a big number,” said Ignacio when asked by the DAILY TRIBUNE.

“Most of our kababayans here are female. Karamihan sa kanila ay mga asawa ng mga Indians,” he added.

Despite this, he said a significant number of Pinays living in India are happy with their married life.

“Well, given the profile na marami ay mga spouses, many of them naman are happy. We regularly gather with them and all that. But, siyempre, I think hindi maiiwasan minsan, you know, just because of the profile of Filipinos as spouses, then you'd encounter some, maybe, domestic issues. But the embassy attends to these things very well. We pay close attention, and we act immediately. But, you know, hindi ‘yan malawakan,” he stressed.

He said part of their job in the Embassy in New Delhi is to locate these Filipinos and interact with them to know their lives.

“And we're very happy interacting with them. We visit them. At sila'y nakapalibot sa India. Maraming nasa South. I mean, nakakalat sa kalakhan ng India ang ating mga kababayan,” Ignacio noted.

Further, he said there are also a few Filipinos working. However, the majority of Filipinas remain married to Indians.

“There are also teachers, but it's a very minuscule proportion. Talagang karamihan sa kanila ay spouses. Marami namang mga managers. Mayroon ding mga chef, et cetera,” he disclosed.

According to the report of the International Journal of Women's Health Care (IJWHC), domestic violence in India is a complex and deeply rooted issue, shaped by a web of cultural traditions, economic disparities, and regional variations.

“While the problem is nationwide, its manifestations differ significantly across states, influenced by local customs, levels of gender equality, and enforcement of laws. Understanding these regional nuances is critical to developing effective interventions that address the unique challenges faced by women in different parts of the country,” the group said in its report.

The report further stated that in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Rajasthan, domestic violence is often intertwined with deep-seated patriarchal norms and the oppressive practice of dowry.

“Here, the societal preference for sons has led to skewed sex ratios, reinforcing the idea that women are burdens rather than equals. The pressure to provide dowries, illegal yet still rampant, fuels harassment, with brides facing physical and emotional abuse if their families fail to meet demands,” it said. (RAFFY AYENG)