Under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA), the following individuals can be protected: 1. Women in a domestic relationship: Any woman who is, or has been, in a domestic relationship with the respondent (the accused person) can seek protection. This includes: Wives (including separated wives) Mothers Sisters Daughters Female live-in partners Female relatives living in a joint family Women in a relationship "in the nature of marriage" (live-in relationships) 2. Women living in a shared household: The woman must have lived at any point in time in the shared household with the respondent, regardless of ownership or legal title to the property. 3. Relationship with the respondent: The respondent (accused) must be an adult male person who is, or was, in a domestic relationship with the woman. However, after the 2016 Supreme Court judgment in Hiral P. Harsora vs Kusum Narottamdas Harsora, even female relatives can be made respondents. What is a domestic relationship? A relationship between two persons who live, or have lived, together in a shared household and are related by: Marriage Blood Adoption Relationship in the nature of marriage (live-in) Protection is available against: Physical abuse Sexual abuse Verbal and emotional abuse Economic abuse Threats or harassment (including dowry-related) In short, any woman who has been subjected to domestic violence by a person with whom she has a domestic relationship is entitled to protection, relief, and legal remedies under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005.