114 women raped in first three months this year

Around 114 women were raped in the first three months of 2024, said  Ain O Salish Kendra yesterday. Three victims were killed and one died by suicide after rape, the human rights organisation added.

At least 14 cases of minor boys being raped were reported during this period, they added.

The report, titled "Statistical Report on Human Rights Violation: January-March 2024," compiling data sourced from 10 daily newspapers, online portals, and ASK's internal channels, was disclosed yesterday.

According to the ASK report, 137 women were victims of domestic violence in the same period. Among them, 65 were killed while 49 women died by suicide. Moreover, 79 people -- 55 women and 24 men -- faced violence associated with incidents of sexual harassment.

Meanwhile, one women died by suicide after sexual harassment, while four men were killed for protesting against incidents of sexual harassments.

On the other hand, 16 women were subjected to dowry related violence, of whom five were killed, two died by suicide and eight faced physical violence. Seven domestic helps faced torture during this period, five of whom were killed.

In the first quarter, a total of 325 children fell victim to torture, of whom 139 were murdered. Additionally, 27 children resorted to suicide, and the bodies of 32 children were recovered "under tragic circumstances".

According to Faruq Faisel, the executive director of ASK, "Although not all incidents of rape and sexual harassment are reported in the media, the data we are getting is increasing at an alarming level."

"We observed two types of mistrust prevalent among the general population and criminals. The public lacks confidence in law enforcement agencies, while perpetrators believe they can act with impunity," he said.

"The government must prioritise restoring public confidence in its institutions, including law enforcement agencies. To uphold its reputation and demonstrate competence, the government must actively work towards earning the trust of the people," he said.

ASK, in its report, also condemned the recent incidents of sexual harassment and violence in the educational institutions.

The report mentioned allegations of sexual harassment against teachers in Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Chittagong University, and Kabi Nazrul University. "Such allegations are deemed unacceptable," it mentioned.

In a separate media monitoring report based on 16 daily newspapers, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad revealed that in March 2024 alone, 245 women and girls were victims of torture and violence.

Among them, 54 women (including 41 girls) were raped, while 15 women (including 12 girls) were subjected to gang rape.

One woman and one girl were killed after rape, while seven women (including four girls) survived rape attempts during the same period.

BMP president Fauzia Moslem also condemned and expressed grave concern over the recent incident in Mohammadpur, where a young woman was held captive for 25 days, and subjected to gang rape.

"The safety of women and girls in their daily lives outside their homes has become increasingly compromised, posing significant security threats. These acts of violence not only impede their ability to participate in the workforce but also hinder their overall progress," she said.