Amidst all the forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), Domestic Violence (DV) is a universal phenomenon that differs in its scope from one society to the other. It is not only detrimental to women’s overall health including their survival but can also become a risk factor for their ill health. There exists a natural tie between the domestic violence and health care. Profound impact of violence on a large number of women’s health and on their health care seeking behaviour makes it pertinent for the health care delivery system to recognize and respond to it.

India with the presence of myriad customs, traditions and culture based on strong patriarchal, discriminatory values and practices are no exception, but a glaring example of a society having high incidences of domestic violence. While there are very few studies world over that have explored the health care system’s response to the issue of domestic violence, review of few of the Indian studies on the response of health care providers to domestic violence indicate that health care providers, though aware of the issue, hesitate to (rather do not ) respond to it in their work. The present paper based on authors’ doctoral work in five public hospitals of the state, will examine the response of public health care system to the issue of domestic violence in India. It will elucidate type of response health care providers give when they encounter women survivors of domestic violence at their work and reasons behind the type of response that they give. The paper will also highlight needs and preparedness of health care providers to respond to the issues of domestic violence at their work.