Violence against women: The silence must be broken

It is alarming that the data from the ‘Violence against Women Survey 2024’ published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provides evidence of the horrific reality.

According to the survey, three out of every four women in the country have been subjected to physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or controlling violence by their partner or husband at least once in their lives.

While this statistic is alarming, it also paints a grim picture of women’s insecurity within the family structure. Although the survey noted a positive aspect of an overall decrease in violence rates of about 17 percent compared to 2015, the satisfaction of this improvement is tempered by the fact that 75.7 percent of women experience violence in their lives. In particular, the fact that 47.3 percent of women have been victims of physical violence and 29 percent of women have been victims of sexual violence calls into question the very foundation of trust and reliability in family relationships.

The survey also found that the rate of seeking services among women who are victims of violence is extremely low. Two out of every three women who are victims remain silent and never disclose their horrific experiences. This silence proves that women do not feel confident in receiving justice or support from their families and society, which further complicates the problem.

The lack of a strong socio-psychological support system in society and fear of the legal process may be the main reasons for this silence. However, the role of education offers a ray of hope.

According to the survey, higher education reduces the risk of physical and sexual violence against women by 59 percent, and husband’s education helps reduce the risk by 32 percent. From this, it is clear that education is one of the most effective tools for women’s empowerment and violence prevention. Education makes women confident and shows the way to become economically independent, which acts as a shield against violence.

Merely enacting laws is not enough, proper implementation of the law, speedy trial and change in mentality are essential. The wall of silence must be broken. This is very much within reach, only if we act decisively, collectively, and with urgency.

Family, education, and the media must work together to recognize women as human beings, to develop them as equal citizens with rights and dignity.