4,500 women, children suffered violence in 2014

More than 4,500 women and children were subjected to murder, rape, acid attack, physical torture, suicide and other forms of violence across the country in 2014, according to a report of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP).
The data collated from reports of 13 Bangla and English national newspapers between January and December showed that 939 women were raped last year. Of them, 174 were gang-raped and 99 were killed after rape.
Compared to 2013's violence against women report by BMP, the incidence of rape and suicide went down a little but the cases of murder, physical torture and mysterious death rose.
In 2013, out of 975 rape cases, 185 were gang-rapes and 94 were killed after rape.
According to the BMP press release, 341 women committed suicide in 2014 compared to 386 in 2013.
Last year, 898 women and children were killed, 258 suffered physical torture, and 183 died mysteriously, while 829 were killed, 239 tortured and 172 died mysteriously in 2013.
The number of women subjected to torture and death because of dowry was 431 and 236 respectively in 2014. In 2013 the figures were 439 and 245 respectively.
The statement also showed that 118 women and children were abducted last year, compared to 131 in 2013.
The incidents of child marriage saw an increase from 64 in 2013 to 93 in 2014.
Reports of police torture also went up with 53 incidents in 2014 compared to 37 in 2013.
Out of the 55 women and children who faced acid attacks last year, four died.
The release particularly cited 277 incidents of minority repression including arson and loot.