Violence against women- a social curse

Violence against women is increasing alarmingly day by day. We are constantly reading in the newspaper about murders, disappearances, rapes, gang-rapes, murders after rape and domestic violence demanding dowry. Even in the deadly Corona pandemic, brutal and inhumane treatment towards women has not stopped.

We all know a touching incident that happened in Laxmipur on last June 12. A cancer diseased father left his daughter at her grandfather's house. Her mother went to Dhaka along with her for his care.

The girl came home to take the necessary things for the purpose of going to Dhaka, thinking of her needs in the service of her father. The girl was found alone and brutally killed after being raped.

A few days back, a rapist strangulated a girl to death after rape in Mymensingh. There was a headline in the daily Jugantar of June 24 ‘Rape of a housewife with a weapon stuck in her husband neck in Chandpur. On June 25, the Jugantar carried another story captioned ‘Gang rape of a female worker in Savar’.

Everyday news of rape is being published in newspapers in the form of series. The news of violence against women cannot be left out in the pages of newspapers even for a single day. We only know the news that comes to the light but hundreds of such incidents are not reported.

How inhuman, violent and heinous such atrocities can be. From old women to children, none are excluded from the clutches of rape. The issue of women safety in society has appeared in a very complex form. Such perverted activities also take place in schools, colleges, universities, religious institutions and houses of worship.

According to the law and arbitration centre in the annual survey of 2019, 1413 people were raped in 2019. Compared to other years, the number of rape victims in 2019 is almost double.

In addition to rape, various inhumane and brutal acts are committed against women on a regular basis. Torture and suicide for dowry in the family were discussed throughout 2019. The Foundation for People released a 31-day telephonic survey in May 2020. In the survey report it was found that in just 31 days, 37 women were raped, 19 were abducted, 13 were killed, 3 were sexually harassed and 2396 were tortured in other ways. The total number of cases of torture is 13494.

The organization has also revealed the type of domestic violence. 4946 people were mentally abused, 3569 people were financially abused, 2085 people were physically abused and 404 people were sexually abused. The picture of torture can be estimated by looking at the 31 days of last May. And the number of tortures that has taken place is beyond estimate beside the survey.

The picture of domestic violence is even grimmer. On March 26, in Raiganj of Sirajganj, the husband threw acid on his wife's face. On June 19, another housewife was killed by her husband with the first wife in Joypurhat. On June 20, a husband was arrested in Sirajganj for killing his wife for dowry. In other words, hundreds of such incidents are happening every day.

Although everyone around the world has become panic due to corona but unfortunately it has no effect on the minds of the perpetrators. If the perpetrators got scared, their brutal activities wouldn’t continue even in such pandemics. Experts say that such incidents can be caused by the men in the house trying to establish control over all the activities of women in the lockdown.

But is lockdown the only cause of such torture? The incidents of torture are not new today or not new in such lockdown. The negative attitude of the society towards women has been prevailing since long.

Women's security is as important as women's empowerment. Despite the presence of women in the parliament, there is no security for women outside. Many organizations speak against violence against women and for safety. I thank them. But no woman MP has been seen to make public statements on violence against women or to recommend any legal action through strong statements.

When this under estimation of women in society will end? When will the dignity and safety of women be ensured? Where is the end of this atrocity against women? If we look for the reasons behind such a negative attitude towards women in the society, firstly, we can discuss the people's perception. The extreme degradation of social values and morals has perished to ensure the dignity of women.

Due to the easy availability of pornography, the youth are trying to satisfy their lust in immoral ways. And the policy that has a legal provisions allowed by the constitution were not being implemented properly so far. To ensure the dignity and security of women, proper implementation of law must be ensured.

The maximum punishment for the rapists and abusers of women must be ensured. Women are also harassed in various ways through social media. Necessary workshops and seminars should be organized to ensure proper use of social media and creating awareness among the people. Above all, there should not be kept any impediment before enforcing law to prevent violence against women. If there remain obstacles, it will not be possible to prevent violence in a proper way. Finally, we have to build a social movement to prevent violence against women.