​​​​​​​231 cases of violence against women and girls committed during lockdown

12 May 2020

12 May, Kathmandu, WOREC has recorded 231 cases of violence against women and girls during the lockdown period (24 March to 9 May 2020) from 24 districts¹ of Nepal. This week only, WOREC recorded 55 cases of violence against women and girls.

There are 133 cases of domestic violence, 21 cases of social violence, 34 cases of rape, 7 cases of attempt to rape, 10 cases of sexual abuse, 2 case of murder, 2 cases of attempt to murder, 14 cases of suicide, 2 cases of attempted suicide, 4 cases are related to cybercrime and 2 cases are under investigation to figure out whether the cases are of suicide or murder.

The highest number of perpetrators to commit violence against women are husbands followed by neighbours and family members. In 105 cases perpetrators are husbands and in 45 cases perpetrators are family members. Among the cases of violence, 46 cases have been committed by neighbors, 12 by boyfriends, 5 by friends, 4 by landlord and in 25 cases perpetrators are yet to be identified.

Out of 34 cases of rape 2 cases are of gang rape and 1 is of marital rape. Among the rape cases 1 has been committed by husband, 24 by neighbor, 2 by father, 1 by brother, 1 by family member, and in 3 cases perpetrators were not identified. In 2 cases of gang rape, 2 boyfriends and their 11 friends were involved in committing the crime.

The age analysis of these cases shows that, women and girls aged 17-25 years have been mostly affected, 77 women and girls fall under this age group. Similarly, there are 62 women within the age group of 26-35 years, 33 within the age of 36-45. Similarly, 20 women are above 46 years and 32 are below 16 years. The age of 7 of the survivor is not known.

Out of these documented cases, 102 have gone for registering complaint at police station, 30 have gone to Mediation Committee, 30 have shifted to their parent’s/ relative’s house being unable to withstand violence and remaining 69 affected women and girls have not given complaints in any authorities for support and have said that they will seek support once the environment comes at ease.

These incidents have been documented through 3 hotlines run by Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) and cases documented by the counselors, Women Human Right Defenders and community based organizations. Among these 17 cases were collected from different media.

Recommendations:

1. Create conducive environment for women and girls to report the cases of violence done against them. Police, Judicial committee, mediation committee should work actively to stop violence and ensure access to justice.
2. Local government should encourage women and girls to report violence against them. To ensure constitutional right to violence free life, supportive mechanisms like need-based safe shelter, counseling, health and legal support should be continued by adopting safety measures.
3. Every health institution should resume required services for pregnant women for child delivery and universal child immunization services. Birthing centers, primary health post, hospitals should be provided with required safety equipment for the regular delivery of these services. Likewise, access to contraceptives should be ensured.
4. There should be provision of counselors in every quarantines and counselors should be mobilized in high-affected areas.
5. For pregnant women, new mothers, women with small children and elderly women, there should be special arrangement in quarantine, due considerations must be given on the nutritional and dietary  and other requirements of such groups in relief distribution.
6. Every local body should arrange to resume hotline with the services of reporting complaints, feedback mechanism, required support and referral for women in any difficulty or affected by gender-based violence.
7. Considering the possibility of violence and vulnerability on women and girls, there should be separate quarantine spaces for them.

 

WOREC has been providing safe shelter and hotline services to women and girls affected by gender-based violence. Safe house for survivors is under operation in in six districts; Morang, Udaypur, Dhanusha, Kathhmandu, Dang and Kailai in coordination and collaboration of local government.

238 women and girls reporting problems due to COVID-19 and 224 survivors of gender based violence have received psychosocial counseling services through 28 counselors in different districts of Nepal. Altogether 462 women and their family members have received counseling. The counseling has been done either through phone or personal meetings maintaining the social distance.

Thank you

Lubha Raj Neupane

Executive Director

 

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Footnote

1 Dhanusha 24, Morang 35, Rukum 9, Kailali 31, Kanchanpur 1,  Dang 17, Kathmandu 7, Bhaktapur 1, Bardiya 8, Siraha 42, Saptari 1, Sarlahi 1, Udaypur 19, Sunsari 14, Banke 2, Syngja 2, Baglung 1, Mahotari 8 , Rauthat 3, Parsha 1, Terahthum 1, Okhaldhunga 1, Gulmi 1, Sindhuli 1.