Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
Police have recorded that on an average 12 females, including girls and women, were raped in a day in three months from April to June this year, according to a data of Police Headquarters.
But the victimized girls and women hardly report such an awful incident with the law enforcers following threat of perpetrators, cops harassment and fear of dignity in society, sources said.
The data revealed that around 810 rape incidents occurred from January to March and 1,109 from April to June and this year. The average figure is 11.67 per cent.
But the actual figures of such incidents are more than 10 to 15 times of police’s recent records, said experts, different rights groups and the law enforcers.
Minor girls, school and college goers, physically challenged females and elderly women are being raped easily, they claimed.
After a complaint is registered or a case is filed, the trial of the cases hardly even take place. Even just two per cent of rape cases go to trial each year, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court’s sources told the media.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistic claimed in 2015 that only 1.1 per cent women went to police for reporting after being tortured (sexually, physically and mentally) by their husbands and others.
A recent survey of BRAC mentioned that the incidences of rape and other sexual violence have increased alarmingly in the country in the year 2017 compared to 2016. But 68 per cent incidents of rape and sexual violence against girls and women were not reported or recorded in any way.
At least 263 baby girls were raped in last six months while Bangladesh Shishu Audhikar Forum claimed that 347 juvenile and physically challenged girls were raped in last seven months, according to a report of rights organisation – Odhiker.
Another police data said, 18,668 cases were filed in connection with rape and violation incidents in last five years. Of these, 3,717 cases were in 2016, 3,928 in 2015, 3,689 in 2014, 3,650 in 2013, and 3684 in 2012. Only 4 per cent accused awarded punishment in these cases and the rest were acquitted from the charges.
The One-Stop Crisis Centre (OCC) of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital said at least 22,386 rape victims had got treatment at the OCC from 2001 to 2015 and 5,300 cases registered in the same time. Only 101 proprietors were punished in 802 cases while the rate of announced verdict and punishment was 3.66 per cent and 0.45 percent respectively.
It also said about 5,321 females sought help at the centre after being emotionally or sexually harassed, but a mere 43 people received punishment in the cases.
A research paper of Action Aid Bangladesh in 2015 said, 81 per cent sexually harassed women unwilling to go to police for help as they have idea that cops may increase the problem.
A raped victim said that police tortured rape them mentally if they went to cops for legal actions.
The violated girls and women also keep silent to report such as incident in fear of threat of perpetrators, cops harassment and life leading with dignity in the society, she said.
Contacted, Kazi Reazul Hoque, Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), expressed concern over the growing incidents of rape in the country and attributed such hatred acts to social instability and the culture of impunity.
The NHRC chief said, the criminals involved in such crimes have gone out of control as justice cannot be ensured timely.
Professor Zia Rahman, Chairman of the Criminology Department at Dhaka University, said, “From childhood, boys are exposed to a patriarchal mode of thought.”
Institutions which work on sex education also fail to provide proper knowledge and create awareness, resulting in the rise of rape cases, Prof Zia said.
Salma Ali, Executive Director of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA), said, “Laxity in applying the law, failure of police to investigate properly and delays in the trial process are behind the rising trend of rape.”
The absence of a victim protection and delays in police investigations were a major factor in explaining the trend, she said, adding that police often take too long to file cases giving perpetrators time to go into hiding.
Farhana Afroj, Chief of Arban Programme, Plan International Bangladesh, told The New Nation on Saturday, “The juvenile girls refrain to complain any violation incident in fear of social stigma as only ‘bad girls’ have victimized of rapes.”
The victimized also avoid to seek legal action against the rapists due to inability to face threat of the propagators, lack of concept of law, lack of confidence on judiciary system and absence of female friendly environment in courts and police stations.
She said that a cycle had now been created in rape cases because the criminals get bail using loopholes in the law and then rape again.
Abdullah Al-Mamun, Deputy Inspector General (operations) of police headquarters, said: “The investigation of rape cases gets top priority from us.
He said every police station across the country had been instructed to help rape victims receive proper attention and service.
“If any police official is found to be negligent in investigating these cases, we will take action action against them,” the DIG said.
