BD Correspondent: A total of 864 women were raped throughout the country in the last 10 months from January to October, revealed a report on Sunday.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad presented the latest report at a press conference in Dhaka which also revealed that 53 women were murdered after rape and 165 of the victims were gang-raped.

The women’s rights organisation also revealed another study which said that the young people account for most of the victims and also perpetrators as 43 per cent youth aged 11-25 accused of rape and 64 per cent girls of 2-18 age became victim of rape in 2017.

Mahila Parishad made public both the reports as part of its fortnight-long programme marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that began on November 25.

A total of 3,502 women and girls became victim of different types of oppression during the last 10 months including 87 who were murdered for dowry, 13 women sold out in brothels while 115 were victims of attempted rape, according to the report.

In the last 10 months of 2017 at least 1,027 women were subjected to rape while 52 among them were killed after rape.

Reading out the first report, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad director (legal aid) Maksuda Akhter said 14 women committed suicide after they were subjected to stalking while 238 others committed suicide for different causes between January and October.

Three woman victims of acid attack died while 16 were critically injured during the time. Some 47 girls were forced into child marriage also during this time span.

Bangladesh is going through a war, Mahila Parishad president Ayesha Khanam said, adding that in August alone 58 women were raped across the country.

She blamed patriarchal mindset, lack of implemen tation of present law and inadequate law for these serious cases of violence against women for such crimes.

‘Judiciary was not women friendly which is causing the increase of violence against women in the country,’ she said.

She also demanded separate laws on sexual harassment and pornography.
Mahila Parishad proposed 18 ways to stop violence against women which included the implementation of High Court directives that says that the rapist should be asked to prove that he did not rape instead of the victim who is usually asked to prove that she was raped.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad general secretary Maleka Banu said that they prepared the report on the basis of news reports published in 14 national dailies.

She said the real situation would be worse than the scenario presented in the report.

Mahila Parishad leaders Rakhi Das Purkayastha, Shima Moslem, Shahana Kabir and Masuda Rehana Begum were also present.

Mahila Parishad research officer Afroza Arman read out the second report which focused on the nature of violence on women.

About 64 per cent girls aged between 2 and 18 became victim of rape, according to the scenario analysis of 1,306 incidents of rape across the country in 2017.

It also found that 52 per cent housewives became victim of gang-rape which is higher than employed women working in formal sector.

Afroza Arman said that it is alarming to notice that about 43 per cent youth aged between 11 and 25 were accused of raping young women.
The rights activists said all infrastructural development would be meaningless if women’s safety is not ensured.

They blamed corrupt practices, method of education and reluctance on the part of government agencies for the prevailing situation.

They reiterated their demand to the political parties taking part in the 11th general election not to nominate anyone accused of women rights violation.
Acid Survivors Foundation, ActionAid Bangladesh, Bangladesh Legal Aid And Services Trust, Center for Men and Masculinities Studies, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Labour Organization, Joyeeta, Multi-sectoral Project on Violence Against Women, United Nations Populations Fund, UN Women, Unite for Body Rights Alliance, Nirapod, Ado Hearts, and other partners of the Kingdom of Netherlands also organised a solution fair at CIRDAP on Sunday.

The daylong assembly supported by United Nations Population Fund was organized in a bid to address the soaring cases of violence against women in Bangladesh, said a press release.

State minister for the women and children affairs Meher Afroz Chumki was present as chief where secretary of the ministry Nasima Begum and UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative in Bangladesh Mia Seppo were present at the event as special guests.