Editorial
Domestic violence
Stern action a must
The recent case of a teacher of Dhaka University being physically assaulted by her husband has caused public outrage among members of civil society. On its heels has come the story of another woman beaten to death by her husband following an argument between the couple -- one of many stories which make the news every day, and one of several which don't.
Bangladesh ranks one of the highest in the world with respect to violence against women and, in terms of domestic violence, 50-70% of women in the country report being abused by their male partners. This is despite there being ample laws prohibiting violence against women, including domestic violence.
The causes of domestic violence identified range from sexual inequality within a patriarchal system, poverty and a lack of understanding of women's rights to, alarmingly, corruption within the justice system. Many cases of domestic violence go unreported; the majority of them are not brought to court; few are awarded convictions. Experts have expressed concern over the fact that a culture of acceptance, even, has grown and is being transmitted from generation to generation to the point of being institutionalised.
Domestic violence is not a private affair -- it has damaging repercussions throughout the rest of society which is taught to accept the subjugation of women. Educating and empowering women is key in helping them to understand and fight for their rights; however, these rights must also be respected by society and the culture of tolerance towards violence broken. Until and unless there is a change in the social mindset, strict enforcement of the law may be the only way to prevent such crimes. We urge the government and the justice system to deal sternly with such crimes and mete out exemplary punishment in order to eliminate these crimes.
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