Stop violence against women
Violence against women is on the rise. According to statistics, 22,701 incidents of violence against women and girls including murder, gang rape, dowry related violence, acid attacks and trafficking took place between January 2009 and March 2013. The root causes that are allowing such type of crime must be nipped in the bud. .
Conventional laws and their implementation patterns lack effectiveness to combat the crime. Women and children face various threats including social prejudices that there is little political will to change this. For example, in spite of a directive from the High Court to the government in 2009 to enact a comprehensive law on sexual harassment, little action has been taken. Such incidents create an environment of impunity that can encourage perpetrators.
Time has come to rethink the social norms that are considered driving factors in giving rise to the abuse of women and violence. An effective strategy to end violence against women needs not just better law enforcement. It requires a change in attitude and mindset to overcome outdated social norms.
Sajjad Hossain
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
