Women have been the victims of violence all through the ages in all societies, cultures, regions and communities across the world. India, which is known for worshipping women, records the highest number of violence case, in terms of domestic, physical, public and emotional violence. This has been into practice since the post Vedic period. The doors of educational, economic, social, political and cultural opportunities were gradually closed for them. Giving birth to a boy was the matter of rejoice, while the girl child remained unwanted and often killed after birth. Their personal freedom in respected of movement, dress, diet and marriage came to be dominated by men. Not just this, people started to enslave the women of their family. Various obligations, restrictions and regulations were imposed on them and harsh punishments were given, if a woman violated them. Thus, violence against women came to have a societal sanction. As the time progressed, several ills began to creep up in the society. The rights of widows began to be denied and practice of sati was introduced. The wife being beaten by the husband got religious and social sanction. The violence further increased, when young girls began to be forced to serve as the devdasis in the temples. This gave birth to prostitution as part of the religious life. Girls began to be married off at a tender age and in certain communities, the newborn girls began to be killed by the parents themselves Polygamy took strong roots in the society and forced marriages became a common trend. The colonial India did impose some legislation that momentarily brought a halt to violence. But largely, the British displayed indifference to the status of women. After Independence, violence against women grew in all its dimensions. With the progress of science and technology, female foeticide also progressed. Most of the doctors got involved into illegal screening of fetus and if a girl was detected, it was killed in the womb itself. The problem with Indian society is that a woman is believed to be a weaker sex, which remains dependent on man and therefore can be treated badly. A woman. who is uneducated, unskilled and economically dependent, always feels that she has no choice besides bearing all the atrocities heaped on her. The society needs to be sensitized to the fact that women are not meant to be treated as doormat or punching bag. Women must organize themselves in groups and raise a collective voice against the humiliations done to women can work as a deterrent. Attitudinal change is required right from the home, to be able for women to stand with dignity in this world.