Staff Reporter :
The rate of violence against women has dropped by 4.9 per cent in between the years 2011 and 2015, said a government survey.
Abusing rate was 87.1 per cent in 2011 which came down to 82.2 per cent in 2015.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) published the findings of the survey, titled “Violence Against Women Survey 2015,” at the National Economic Council Auditorium in Dhaka on Sunday. The report was prepared after interviewing 21,688 women, aged 15 or above, between August 13 and 22 last year.
During interviews, women were questioned about five forms of violence that include physical, economic, emotional, sexual and controlling behaviour.
The report was also found that domestic violence is present in most Bangladeshi households.
The report was revealed at a function presided over by Director General of BBS Md Abdul Wazed. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki, among others, were present.
About 80.2 per cent of married women in Bangladesh are abused by their husbands in a lifetime, be it physically, sexually, financially or emotionally, according to the survey.
Around 72.6 per cent of women who are married in Bangladesh experience one or more such forms of violence it the hands of their husbands at least once during their marriage, says the survey report.
They are victims of Intimate Partner Violence, which is defined as violent acts by a former or current spouse.
For women who have lifelong marriage, controlling behaviour was the most common form of violence – around 55.4 per cent of lifelong-married women have been subjected to controlling behaviour.
Meanwhile, 49.6 per cent of lifelong married women suffered physical violence, 28.7 per cent emotional violence, 27.2 per cent sexual violence, and 11.4 per cent financial violence.
The survey was funded by United Nations Population Fund. The first survey on violence against women was prepared in 2011.
Around 72.7 per cent of the victims shared their experiences with their neighbours.
The survey further stated that 34.2 per cent of girls aged 10-14 years are raped. The rate for the age group of 15-19 years is 39.7 per cent.
The survey showed that lifelong partner violence rates (any form) were highest in rural areas (74.8 per cent lifelong married women). It was far lower in city corporation areas (54.4 per cent). The rate is 71.1 per cent in urban areas outside of city corporations.
While addressing at the faction, AHM Mustafa Kamal said: “Violence towards women is a global problem. In our neighbouring country India, a woman is tortured in every three minutes. In this context, the condition of Bangladesh is comparatively better.”
“BBS has so far conducted two separate surveys on violence against women, but has not conducted any survey about the oppression of males by their wives,” he said, adding, “I hope it will be exposed in the next survey.”
Meher Afroze Chumki said it is not a matter of complacent that the rate of violence in decreasing in the country. However, there is no reason of becoming cheerful at this.
“Males try to dominate their wives if they are not educated and economically strong. If it is not possible to reduce the rate of oppression of women, the overall development of the country will not be at sight,” said the state minister.
The function was also addressed by UNFPA Bangladesh representative Argentina P Metavel, ambassador of European Union Pierre Mayaudon and Secretary of Statistics and Informatics Division KM Mozammel Haque.
