60% of rape victims aged under 18

Among all age groups, girls in grades 6–10 were subjected to sexual violence the most last year, according to a new media monitoring report by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.

It said it came to this conclusion based on the reported ages of victims of various forms of sexual violence in 2024.

It also said girls in grades 1 to 5 were the victims of rape the most in the same period.

The report found that these young girls also faced attempted rape, child marriage, dowry-related abuse, and sexual harassment, and were highly vulnerable to cybercrime and exploitation as domestic workers.

University students were also frequently targeted, as they faced rape, gang rape, attempted rape, and cybercrime.

Alarmingly, 60 percent of rape victims were children under 18, and the majority of victims across all forms of violence were also under 18, underscoring the widespread abuse of girl children.

The findings of the report, titled "State of Violence Against Women and Girls – 2024", were presented yesterday at Bangladesh Mahila Parishad's central office in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.

Afroza Arman, senior training and research officer at Mahila Parishad, presented the data compiled from 14 national dailies.

She noted that there was no occupational distinction in the risk of abuse. "Women from all walks of life -- schoolgirls, housewives, working women, and labourers -- fall victim to horrific crimes like rape," she said.

While schoolgirls constituted the majority of victims, adult women across professions were also affected, particularly housewives.

By location, the highest proportion of sexual violence occurred at the upazila level, followed by the district level.

At the upazila level, 57 percent of rapes, 44 percent of gang rapes, 44 percent of attempted rapes, 48 percent of dowry-related abuses, and 63 percent of child marriages were recorded.

Most perpetrators were known to victims, including close relatives and neighbours.

Classmates and boyfriends were responsible for 14 percent of rapes, as well as 3 percent of gang rapes, 3 percent of attempted rapes, and 2 percent of harassment cases.

In gang rape cases, strangers were responsible for 42 percent, while harassment was most often committed by familiar criminals (31 percent) or teachers (24 percent).

Cyber abuse was primarily carried out by boyfriends, ex-husbands, classmates, and neighbours.

Perpetrators ranged in age from adolescents to men over 60, with young people heavily represented among accused rapists.

Twenty-eight percent of accused rapists were between 11 and 30, with the highest proportion aged 21–25.

A significant share of gang rapists (24 percent) were aged 16–25, while 17 percent of harassers and half of cyber offenders fell within the 16–30 age range.

The report also highlighted risks in both public and private spaces.

Children were often abused in their own homes or neighbouring houses, showing that presumed safe spaces can be dangerous.

Besides, a high number of rape incidents occurred at the hands of classmates or boyfriends, indicating that trusted social circles can pose a significant danger.

Public transport and interactions with drivers exposed women and girls to harassment and violence during commutes, while politically and socially influential individuals often misused their power to commit sexual abuse, reinforcing systemic vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, the report observed a positive trend that more rape cases are being filed than in the past, with very few incidents remaining unreported.

Still, comparisons between 2024 and early 2025 showed deeply concerning trends.

In 2024, 364 rape cases were reported, while in the first six months of 2025 alone, 354 cases were recorded, nearly matching the previous year's total.

Gang rape incidents totalled 148 in 2024 and 106 in the first half of 2025, while cases of murder following rape rose from 112 in 2024 to 127 between January and June 2025.

Sexual abuse and harassment cases climbed from 224 in the entirety of 2024 to 320 in just the first half of 2025, while dowry-related incidents rose from 68 to 96.

Afroza noted that both the perpetrators and the victims are young, which is extremely concerning, as it shows that adolescents are becoming involved in incidents of sexual violence.

She also pointed to one encouraging development – "Although there are still attempts to cover up rape cases, pressure to withdraw complaints, and efforts to settle through local arbitration instead of punishment, the tendency of victims to file cases has increased," she said, adding that social activism and protests are also rising.

Other speakers noted that children remain unsafe both at home and outside, demanding urgent action for their protection.

They said grassroots incidents are now reported more frequently in the media because they are harder to conceal.

They also highlighted Mahila Parishad's 98 percent legal success rate, though delays remain a problem, with some trials dragging on for 25–26 years.

Presiding over the event, Mahila Parishad president Fauzia Moslem said a growing culture of misogyny fuels violence against women.

Rising communalism, hatred toward women, and criminal tendencies, she warned, push women and children into marginalised positions, making them frequent victims during periods of instability.

She stressed the need to replace misogynistic culture with a women-friendly one and urged the media to keep these issues alive in public discussion.

She also called for stronger collaboration between the media and the women's movement to prevent violence against women.