Three out of four women experienced at least one form of physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence in their lifetime by their intimate partners.
And nearly half of women or 49 per cent experienced such violence in the past year while two in three survivors (62 per cent) never disclosed the violence they faced.
These were revealed in a national survey titled 'Violence Against Women Survey 2024' released on Monday at a programme in the city by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh.
About 74 per cent of 27,476 interviewed women living in urban, rural, remote, city corporation and slum areas as well as disaster-prone areas shared experience of intimate partner violence (IPV).
"Alarmingly, two in three survivors never disclosed the violence they face in life," the survey report said.
According to the survey, 62 per cent married adolescent girls, aged between 15 and 19 years, faced the highest rates of IPVs.
Member (Secretary) of the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division of Bangladesh Planning Dr Quayyum Ara Begum attended the programme as the chief guest with Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Director General of BBS in the chair.
Secretary of Statistics and Informatics Division Aleya Akter, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children affairs Shabnam Mustari were present on the occasion as special guests while UNFPA country representative Catherine Breen Kamkong attended the programme as a guest of honour.
Chairperson of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission Shireen Huq, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Special Security and Protection Battalion (SPBn) Dr. Shoeb Reaz Alam, and Professor in the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka Dr. Sanzida Akhter took part in the panel discussion.
Highlighting the findings, Project Director Minakhi Biswas said the survey for the first time estimated the economic costs and try to address selected forms of technology-based and gender-based violence as well as captures the experience of women with disabilities.
The largest and third of its kind, the survey was also conducted globally as well as in Bangladesh covering eight administrative divisions, she said, hoping that it will be 'critical national resources' for policy and programming.
The report also showed that less than one in two women, which is 48.5 per cent, knew where to report violence and only 12.3 per cent were aware of the VAW Helpline 109.
According to the survey findings, about 8.3 per cent of women having access to technology experienced unwanted sexual communication, sexual blackmail and image-based abuse or technology-facilitated controlling behaviors in their lifetime.
Five per cent of women faced such violence last year, the survey revealed.
Among the IPVs, controlling behavior was the most common form, affecting 68 per cent of surveyed women, followed by 47 per cent with physical violence in their lifetime.
Additionally 29 per cent of women experienced sexual violence, 20 per cent economic violence and 37 per cent emotional violence during the married life.
The survey report, which was first conducted in 2011 and later in 2015, showed some progress as overall prevalence of recent IVP declined from 66 per cent in 2015 to 49 per cent in 2024.
According to the survey, around 7.2 per cent of the married women faced physical violence during pregnancy and 5.3 per cent sexual violence, posing threats to maternal and child health.
Service-seeking is alarmingly limited, with only 14.5 per cent of survivors sought medical care, the survey findings showed. Among survivors of intimate partner violence, 7.4 per cent took legal action, with community leaders being the most approached authority, the report said.
Some 15 per cent of women experienced physical violecne by non partners with 2.2 per cent sexual violence at their age of 15 years
Key factors increasing the risk of intimate partner violence include younger age, dowry practices, husbands' substance abuse or extramarital affairs, and living in urban slums, the finding revealed.
For non-partner violence, younger age, limited education, and disability were the key predictors, it said.
The UNFPA Country Director said violence against women remains widespread worldwide but in Bangladesh thousands of women bravely shared their stories.
This report must mark the beginning of transformative action to prevent violence, strengthen services, and ensure justice for survivors, she added.
The survey recommended strengthening comprehensive response services, promoting holistics prevention strategies, enhancing data and evidence for informed action and cultivating an enabling environment by identifying and amending related laws and policies.
Speakers during the panel discussion also called upon policymakers to take evidence-based action to eliminate violence against women in Bangladesh as the VAW 2024 survey highlights both persistent and emerging threats to women's safety, rights and well beings in Bangladesh.
smunima@yahoo.com
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