A recent UN research report suggests that one in four Asian men admit to have committed what amounts to rape. These findings point to a deep-rooted problem in the prevailing attitudes towards women in this region and that a radical shift is called for.
The findings of the report are based on a survey of 10,000 men in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka. While the men did not use the word “rape” to describe their actions, their self-reported activity would fall within most generally accepted legal definitions of rape.
The root of the problem lies in the perception of women among men. The report finds that rape is most common within relationships and that nearly three quarters of those who committed rape said they believed to have the right to have sex with a woman regardless of consent.
The second and third most common motivation for rape was reported to be “entertainment” and “punishment of women,” respectively.
While these findings might be shocking to some, it only confirms the lived reality of millions of women in Bangladesh. Rape and sexual harassment are rarely reported because of the social repercussions to the woman and rape within relationships is a concept that is alien to most, including the legal system.
A fundamental societal shift is now needed to stop this epidemic of violence against women. The first step would be to recognise the existence and breadth of the problem. We also need to take a stance, as a society, against such abhorrent abuse of women and couple this with appropriate legal measures that are duly enforced.
