Kazi Asszad Hossan :
It’s unsettling to come across such gruesome news as killing wife on Facebook live and that too in Bangladesh. In 15th April, a man in Feni streamed killing his wife on Facebook live before turning himself to law enforcement agency. The murder was allegedly due to family feud.
Bangladesh and the world is now amid an unforeseen lockdown to contain the deadly Coronavirus which has grinded the world to an abrupt halt. The public health officials are often propagating home to be a safe place and how staying home might help to flatten the curve or contain the virus. However, the foregoing grotesque account of murder begs the question: is home the safest place?
Reasons contributing to such a steep rise are manifold. Firstly, the victims now have to stay long period with the abuser within the confines of home. This provide the abuser with the opportunity to abuse the victim which was hardly possible earlier. Besides, protracted lockdown is having a toll on our mental health. Office going people may face reactive depression from sitting at home idly, which can lead to stress, frustration and anger.
Stressed people often release their frustration on the weaker member of the family-children, wives, elderly parents. Instead of seeking mental assistance, they create a suffocating environment at home by blaming people around them. Victim blaming is a strong weapon of domestic abuse. What’s more, stressed parents often abuse children for their inherent mischievous activities which contribute to rise in violence on children.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one out of three women in the world has experience of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, making domestic violence “the most widespread but least reported human rights abuse”. With Covid-19, the risk of abuse has increased. Newsweek reported that America is seeing a rise in child-abuse related injuries, often resulting from children spending more time at home with abusive parents. According to the Deputy Executive Director of United Nations Women, “the very technique we are using to protect people from the virus can perversely impact victims of domestic violence.”
In 14th April, Bangladesh Police said there had been a rise in complaints about domestic violence and warned of stern action against those involved. The spike comes, they added, amid the ongoing shutdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus. In a video message, Assistant Inspector General (media) of Police Headquarters Sohel Rana said domestic violence complaints had been pouring in from all over the country. Police personnel, however, are trying to respond as quickly as possible and are taking necessary steps to address any allegation they receive, Sohel said.
This can make home quarantine a double-edged sword. As with response to the coronavirus outbreak, if government fails to take measures properly, it will incur on irreparable harm. In that case, what can we do to protect the potential victims? USA and Canada has actively acknowledged the increased risks of domestic violence during isolation, and making continuous announcements about helplines and shelter homes. Bangladesh needs to follow suit.
Society often plays a role of abettor in domestic violence cases which further exacerbate the whole situation. Society often turns a deaf ear to the mounting account of domestic violence deeming it to be private affair. By doing so, they only abet the process of violence only.
Print and electronic media can play a big role here. BTV and Bangladesh Betar can give announcements to raise awareness and sensitise people about harmful effects of family abuse, as well as share information on how to contact the police and one-stop crisis center via hotlines.The police force should be more responsive and vigilant at the district level and sub-district level. Moreover, government has to take stern action aiming at putting an end to this deadly practice.
(Kazi Asszad Hossan, Student, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka)
