Sexual violence discussed round the year

Prothom Alo file photo
Prothom Alo file photo

The outgoing year has seen rise of all forms of violence against women with at least 1,500 instances of rape and attempt to rape and death of at least 400 women until October, according to a report of Ain O Salish Kendra.

The rights body’s report was based on news published in 9 national dailies and also through independent investigation.

On average, the rape instances per month more than doubled compared to 2018. As many as 400 women of different ages were killed in sexual violence, domestic violence and for dowry.

The names of madrasa teachers and police have resurfaced in such violence. Repression by husbands has been plenty alongside increase in cyber-crime.

The year has been marked by sporadic instances of protest and prompt legal action. The death of Feni’s Nusrat Jahan, who was burned to death for protesting against sexual harassment, shook the nation. The authorities took quick legal action against the perpetrators. Investigation and quick action was taken in some other cases too.

Prothom Alo has assessed complaints filed in One-Stop Crisis Center (OCC) and cell under the government’s Multi-Sectoral Programme on violence against women and Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) cyber security and crime division.

Violence against women has soared according to the records of both the authorities until November.

Multi-Sectoral Programme director Abul Hossain told Prothom Alo that this rise is alarming. But, he maintained, the tendency to speak up and seek justice has increased among the people of even rural areas due to social media.

Saying that no survey on violence against women has been done after 2015, Abul Hossain added that regular survey is necessary so that trend of violence and perpetrators can be identified.

He also said different measures should be taken based on different regions.

Sexual violence more than doubled

According to ASK, as many as 1,200 incidents of rape took place in the first 10 months of 2019. One-fourth of these incidents were of gang rapes. There were 200 more instances of attempted rape. On average, 145 incidents of violence against women were reported in the media every month, which is more than double of the previous years’ average of 70.

Half of the incidents revealed the age of the victims. Of them, more than half were below 12 years old. In fact, 85 per cent of the victims are below 18 years of age.
As many as 128 below six-year-old girls were either raped or faced attempted raped. In the last five years, victims of this age level were less than outgoing year in every year.

Seven-year old Samia Akter Sayma was raped before she was strangled to death on 25 July in Dhaka’s Wari.

Accused in the case Haroon-or-Rashid confessed that he murdered Samia fearing to be arrested.

Among the girls and women who were raped or attempted, 76 had died. One fifth of them committed suicide and others were killed. Instances of suicide also increased comparing to last year.

As of October, 247 instances of sexual harassment and violence were reported which is around double than previous year.

Incidents of suicide as a result of sexual harassment increased.

Hosna Khatun, 26, of Habiganj’s Chunarughat had been regularly harassed by her neighbour Saifur Rahman. Hosna, whose husband was an expatriate, protested. On 1 July, Saifur entered Hosna’s house, stabbed and killed her.

Generally the number of deaths is high among the males who protested against sexual harassment while harassed girls committed suicide. Many women were abused for protesting against harassment.

Mob lynching of Taslima Begum following a child-lifting rumour in the capital’s Uttar Badda area on 20 July would haunt people for a long time. Some such incidents of killing and rape shook the nation in outgoing year.

Like previous years, most of the deaths took place due to domestic violence.

According to ASK, some 325 women died in domestic violence. Husbands were responsible for most of these deaths.

Family and killing

According to ASK, a total of 337 incidents of family violence took place in the outgoing year. The scenario was similar in the previous year.

The incidents of murder by husbands slightly increased in comparison to the last year. On average five incidents of suicide have taken place due to family violence every month. The rate was slightly lower in the previous year. Children mainly become victims of sexual violence. In case of family violence, 90 per cent victims are bellow 19-30 years old or more.

According to ASK, a total of 135 incidents of violence takes for dowry till October. Of them, 78 are murders. The number was less in the previous year.

Body of a woman named Khadija Akhtar, 21, was found under the cot at her husband’s house in Narayanganj sadar on 12 March.

Her family alleged their daughter was killed by her husband. The couple was married four years ago. The woman was tortured for dowry from the beginning of the marriage, the family said adding the victim filed a general diary with Fatullah police station.

Increase in cybercrime
Authorities often take quicker actions in the incidents which create outcry in mainstream media and social media. On the flipside, cyber crime has increased on Facebook.
Senior assistant commissioner of DMP’s cyber security and crime division Saeed Nasirullah told Prothom Alo that young women are the main victims of cyber crime.

Allegations mainly include blackmailing by hacking Facebook IDs and sending obscene pictures and posts.

As of 12 December, over 2,500 such complaints were filed which is almost double than the previous year.

* This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam and Galib Ashraf.