The incidents of sexual violence against women has almost been doubled in last ten years according to data collected by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP).
While the incremental incidents of violence against women (VAW) has decreased by 40% in the past 10 years, the number of sexual violence against women has doubled in the same time from 940 rapes in 2010 to 1855 in 2019, according to the statistics by BMP.
The data was collected from 14 national newspapers in the country.
“The country has failed to bring a sense of gender equality and a supportive attitude towards women. Due to a lack of sensitivity and an increasing rise of disrespect towards them, violence against women have increased,” said Acting President of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Dr Fauzia Moslem.
BMP statistics, show the numbers of most cases of violence against women took place in 2011 (6616) while 2018 saw the least.
Since January, the number of rapes and gang rapes rose to 1393, while it stood at 700 in 2010. This means that In 2010 some three women were raped every two days while the number rose to eight this year.
BMP in a press release earlier has said the country experienced the worst month for sexual violence against women in September with seven rapes per day.
The organization categorizes sexual violence into five categories – rape, gang rape, and attempts to rape, sexual harassment and molestation.
Gang rapes and sexual harassment
Alarmingly BMP’s data shows that gang rapes increased in 2017 with the most recorded as 224 and 18 such incidents a month. That year, within 10 months the number crossed 200 with 20 gang rapes a month.
Acting General Secretary of the organization, Rakhi Das Purkayastha pointed out that a culture of impunity, sheltering these criminals, delay in justice, all contribute to the rise in rapes and gang rapes.
Unfortunately, even the incidents of attempted rapes have already surpassed 2010 with some 225 cases reported.
However there has been some improvement with cases of sexual harassment reported at 80 this year while the highest number of sexual harassments was reported in 2012. The number of molestation has also decreased significantly over time. The highest number of incidents of molestation took place in 2011 while this year number stood at 157.
Children also sexually assaulted
According to the data published by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) some 902 children were raped or gang raped in first ten months of 2019.
Statistics show that three children were raped or gang-raped per day this year while the number of total rape in 2018 was 571 making three children raped every two days.
Among them some 807 were raped and 95 were gang-raped; 38 of whom were disabled.
“The most horrifying thing we have noticed this year is the rise of sexual violence against children,” Halima Akter from BSAF said.
“They take advantage of the culture of impunity and prey on children who are physically weaker and are unable to defend themselves,” she said, adding that there is an alarming rise of teenage boys sexually abusing children recently.
She warns that if effective measures are not taken soon, the society is going to be adversely affected by so much sexual violence against women and children.
“This will also create obstacles in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well,” she added.