Bangladesh Mahila Parishad survey stated that 810 women and girls were raped across the country in 2021. Besides, 225 women and girls were victims of gang rape, 192 faced attempts to rape, 96 faced sexual harassments, and 114 were dowry cases. Despite strict laws, poor enforcement and impunity are responsible for soaring violence against women and children in the country. Violence against women such as rape, bullying and molestation has a strong relationship with power dynamics and law enforcers’ competitive reluctance encourages the rest.
Housewives were more victimised than working women. About 83 per cent of the dowry victims and 36 per cent of the rape victims were housewives. Besides, the rate was 37 per cent for gang rape, 17 per cent for molestation, and 46 per cent for attempted rape. The results of the survey showed that like in previous years, the number of rape-victims women increased in 2021. Girls were more victims of rape than women. Children aged 10-13 years accounted for 22 per cent of the cases of molestation and sexual harassment.
Women aged between 18 and 22 years were generally more subjected to violence in terms of dowry, and its rate was 22 per cent. Among the girls, the students in 6th-10th grades were more victims of sexual abuse. The rate was 45 per cent for rape, 52 per cent for gang rape, and 67 per cent for harassment. According to the survey, children were mostly abused by people they knew, especially close relatives and neighbours. It was noteworthy that the involvement of young people in cases of rape was high. Nearly 26 per cent of the accused were aged between 11 and 30 years. On the other hand, in terms of bullying and sexual harassment and attempted rape, women and girls were the most victimised by teachers, at 17 and 13 per cent respectively.
The politicised police placed in such a situation that they cannot make the police the people’s police. The police, therefore, cannot be impartial for political indulgence they enjoy.
