If the universal truth, according to the philosophy of “Moral Egalitarianism,” is that everyone on Earth is created and entitled to be treated as equals, then my question is: Why make the differences and demarcations in terms of gender? Why predominantly decide what a woman should or should not do? Why create social boundaries and limitations? Why make her the victim of the heinous offense of domestic violence and dictate what her perseverance should be even after she becomes the victim of it?
We’re all well acquainted with the typical unjust responses to violence against women -- “It’s common in every household;” “she must have done something that provoked him to beat her;” “you should not take any action as a female;” “hide your sorrows and things will be alright;” “making this a public matter brings shame!”
These common narratives in our society make women liable for what they suffer, thereby normalizing violence against women. Instead of standing by the side of the victim and supporting her, society often blames her, accuses her, prohibits her from taking legitimate actions against the violence, and limits her voice.
This mode of social oppression through victim blaming must come to an immediate halt. Instead of normalizing violence against women, raising a voice against it should be appreciated and applauded.
Domestic violence can make the life of a woman completely vulnerable and intolerable. Its extremely harmful consequences make a woman suffer from intolerable grief, agony, social degradation, defamation, physical harm, psychological affect, and financial harm. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2010 Asserts that, “domestic violence means physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, or economic abuse against a woman or a child of a family by any other person of that family with whom the victim is, or has been, in a family relationship.”
It can be extremely difficult for a female to protest against the wrong done to her.
A study titled “Criminal justice system status quo and recommendation for domestic violence victims in Bangladesh” in 2020, revealed that 87% of women in Bangladesh faced domestic violence. Calls to 999 for help or rescue from domestic violence are only increasing.
As per the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the United Nations Population Fund, approximately over 70% of married women or girls in Bangladesh have faced some form of intimate partner abuse; about half of them say their partners have physically assaulted them, according to their survey in 2015.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in Article 2 recognizes the right to non-discrimination and the right to an effective remedy. Furthermore Article 3 of the Covenant recognizes the equal rights of men and women to the enjoyment of civil and political rights in the ICCPR. The Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discriminations Against Women defines the concept discrimination against women, 1979 as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."
In Bangladesh, domestic violence is considered a criminal offense, and victims have legal protections available to them. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, of 2010 provides legal protections and remedies to victims of domestic violence. The Penal Code, 1860 criminalizes various forms of violence against women, including rape, sexual harassment, and dowry-related violence. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, allows victims of domestic violence to file complaints with the police and seek legal remedies through the courts.
As seen throughout history, we can see that women today are the same aspiring individuals and the change makers who go beyond the captivity of social injustices, gender-biassed social traits, stereotypes, and prejudices. They are prepared to bring about positive changes in the society to be confident and self-sufficient, defeating all the odds.
Notwithstanding the fact that Bangladesh has come a long way and has a lot of remarkable achievements on the grounds of women’s progression, leadership, empowerment, and education, it is evident that our society could not yet eradicate the heinous offense of domestic violence uproot. For our individual and social development, domestic violence must be prevented at any cost.
There’s nothing more reassuring than one’s security and protection -- especially in one’s own household. Protesting against violence, defeating inhumane activities, and prohibiting abusive conduct, and speaking up against the physical, economical, and mental torture of a woman suffering in the name of so called “tradition,” is a social imperative. We cannot allow gender discrimination, social injustice, victim blaming, and violence to be the norm.
A woman wins unequivocally when she does not hide the violences of which she is a victim, she rises up, protests the violence, and stands to protect herself when she needs it the most. Her victory against the challenges she often faces must be written off as history.
Syeda Nazmur Siha Muna is a Lecturer, Department of Law and Justice, Metropolitan University and the Founder of ‘Posse-ability’ the social venture to work for the students suffering from learning disorder.
