Vol. 1, Issue 8, Part B (2015)

Abstract
Of late, live in relationships have emerged as a substitute for marriages. The number of people opting for live in relationships seems to be increasing especially in the metros. The change is evident from the court rulings which have recognized these relationships and have ushered in provisions to protect women from undue harassment as these relations guarantee very little in terms of security. By its very nature, these relationships stand a fair chance of success and failure. In cases of failure, these relationships have been accompanied by a disturbing trend of rape charges ruthlessly slapped by women against men, which results in arbitrary harassment of one sex by the other, in most of the cases. This trend is continuously increasing and the courts have also expressed anguish over it. Though this trend is mostly seen in the urban areas but is considered a legal whirlpool once the relation falls out. In this light, this paper attempts to analyze and examine the growing trend of rape cases in live in relationships in India. However, the moral and the ethical angle to the concept of a live-in relationship is a subjective one, especially in a country like India, where a certain section of the society considers it to be a sin. However, the young generation in metros has termed a live-in to be more democratic, offering them a reprieve from the inherent shackles of marriage, citing the malaise of domestic violence as a major argument against marriage. On the other hand, youngsters from smaller setups are still apprehensive about the concept of a live-in relationship. The researchers will look through the lens and evaluate the legal implications for an open, moral and ethical interpretation.