74 children raped last month

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad yesterday said there were 337 reports of torture and sexual violence against women and girls in February.

At least 114 rape incidents were reported where 80 were raped, 24 gang-raped, nine were murdered after rape and one killed herself after rape, according to data collected from reports published in 14 national newspapers.

Among the rape victims, 74 were children, according to a press release issued by Mahila Parishad.

Forty-three women were killed in different circumstances last month. Twenty-two were pushed to the point to die by suicide due to torture. Nine women suffered torture by husbands and in-laws for dowry. Three of them were killed.

There were also 13 incidents of abduction and one trafficking. Some 18 incidents of child marriage were reported of which 16 such marriages were prevented. At least 10 women faced sexual harassment, seven others fell victim to cyber related crimes. One woman was forced to marriage.