Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :
Violence against daughters is obviously gender specific violation of human rights. Notwithstanding global concerns about Human Rights (H.R) as a movement there was horrendous picture of violence in Bangladesh against disadvantaged groups in stark violation of rules of law that defend H.R. The disadvantaged groups like daughters live under the shadow of fear and restrictions. Cruelty to women, children, girl, custom of dowry, forced prostitution are some examples of violation of H.R. Understanding from various reports of NGOs and H.R group, we can list the manifestation of such violations like throwing inflammable, corrosive or poisoned substance, causing or attempting to cause death, causing impairment of eye-sight / hearing or injuring face, breast or organ, impairment / disfigurement of other parts of body, kidnapping, detention for ransom, rape/gang rape, rape of women in custody etc.
Violence against daughters is defined by the United Nations as ‘any act of gender based violence including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public and private life. ‘It encompasses but is not limited to physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry related violence, marital rape, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation’
There is a plenty of studies on gender violence reporting that most cases of female homicide are the women killed by their partners. The notorious custom like dowry continues to be fatal for those unfortunate women whose fathers belong to low income group unable to redeem the ‘demands for gifts or money. Non-payment or part payment of money may result in either suicide or homicide. Dowry related violence also include serious injuries.
There are numerous international Human Rights commitments which Bangladesh is obliged to respect, protect and fulfil, in relations to VAW. However, simply ratifying international conventions, covenants and treaties is not sufficient; they must be incorporated into domestic law in order to be effective. To offer an example, Bangladesh ratified the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution in 2002, but has failed to incorporate its provisions into domestic law .
Domestic violence is the reveling aspect of violence against young daughters. In general, the term “domestic violence” refers to violence that occurs in the family. Although domestic violence can be directed toward children, the elderly, or other household members, most often this term is used to represent violence between adolescents and/or adults. ‘Domestic violence occurs between spouses, ex-spouses, and couples who are dating or who dated previously. The violence between these individuals is not limited to the home setting and may occur in locations outside the home as well.
Understanding domestic violence moves attention away from the individual and focuses on the structure of the family. In this approach, it is believed that certain characteristics put a family or a couple at risk for violence. Individuals who have witnessed violence within their own family as a child may be more likely to imitate similar behavior in their relationships as adults. At the same time, conditions exist that produce stress and conflict on the family. Factors such as low socioeconomic status; low-income occupations, which may result in frequent unemployment; and little to no social support from family, friends, or the community create high levels of stress. It is hypothesized that individuals who have learned to resolve conflict with violence use violence as a method of coping with these types of stressors (Flowers 2000).
We know the traditional dominance of men in society, which has condoned and even encouraged men to act violently toward women to maintain dominance and control over them. An unequal distribution of power in the relationships between men and women assigns women a lower status. From this position of subordination, women become dependent upon their spouses or partners and are subjected to the demands and abuse of their mates.
Domestic violence entrenches gender-inequality, denial as well as threat to health care as a basic human right. Reports about domestic violence reveled that most cases of female homicide are the women killed by their partners. The notorious custom like dowry continues to be fatal for those unfortunate women whose fathers belong to low income group unable to redeem the ‘demands for gifts or money. Non-payment or part payment of money may result in either suicide or homicide. Dowry related violence also include serious injuries.
There are several incidences of social violence and the violation of human rights with a plenty of right focused organizations, civil societies in other words, raising voice against such violation.
Violence against women may result in ‘unwanted pregnancy’. Either through rape or by affecting a woman’s ability to negotiate contraceptive use with her sexual partner for fear of being beaten or abandoned. Those who cause violence to women are mostly habitual criminals and others are influential by different ways due to their social status. It is difficult to prove these elements guilty before court above and any doubt, with the compliance of the codes of evidence act which is inevitable to award punishment as per our judicial system.
It happens because the independent witness does not dare come forward to prove the case fearing revenge from the accused culprits and even the close relations of the victims of violence give up legal battle, fearing loss of lives, property, modesty and prestige in the wake of threat from the accused criminal or their accomplice.
Violence against mothers may be equated with violence against children injuring/even killing mothers and under mining child survival. It creates health problem and behavioral disorder on the part of child. The rights of mothers are violated by the acts of both verbal and psychical aggression at home and out of home.
A number of national and international organizations including state department of USA, Amnesty International, Transparency International and various human rights groups regularly publish annual reports on human rights violation. Fierce persecution against women has featured prominently in the annual reports.
It does seem that human rights situation has deteriorated in Bangladesh with women folk being the worst victim various forms of violence.
Many young women, we mean unmarried daughters, have been victims of one of the worst forms of violence like dowry related crimes. . Some human rights groups rose to the occasion grossly protesting such atrocities. This social problem is taking a heavy toll. There happens to be a moral crunch spoiling social relations within the faminly.
(Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque, Professor of Public Administration, Chittagong University)
