Background
Nepal Government has imposed and extended the lockdown several times to control, prevent and keep people safe from this pandemic. But a patriarchy community like ours has created an environment where women and girls are facing violence.
During this lockdown, 624 women and girls from 55 districts have experienced different types of violence. Among the documented cases 61% i.e. 379 women had experienced domestic violence.
Among the documented cases of domestic violence, 229 are of physical violence, and 83 cases are of mental violence. Data indicates women are abused verbally, tortured physically and mentally raising question on the character in the name of dowry, giving birth to a girl child or being childless after being married for years. Similarly, in 67 cases women are deprived of most essential basic needs and service. This includes 54 cases where women were denied food and clothes and were thrown out from their home, in 10 cases women were denied for citizenship, marriage certificate, birth certificate of child, and in 3 cases they were deprived from health services. Among domestic violence cases, 283 husbands were perpetrator whereas in 83 cases family members were the perpetrator.
Similarly there are 61 cases of social violence, 82 cases of rape, 19 cases of attempt to rape, 23 cases of sexual harassment, 12 cases of murder, 2 cases under investigation for identifying it as murder or suicide, 27 cases of suicide, 2 cases of attempt to suicide, 4 cases of attempt to murder, 2 cases of trafficking and 11 cases of cyber-crime.
Among the perpetrators involved in violence, 211 are of age group 26-35 which is highest in the category. Similarly, 153 perpetrators are of age group 36-45, 126 perpetrators of age group 17-25, 83 perpetrators are above 46, 3 perpetrators are below 16 and age of 70 perpetrators was not identified. According to this data, 370 youth aged 35 years and below are involved in gender based violence. It is the productive age to get higher education, engage in job or business, and get involve in social development and take leadership. Because of this it not only affects the survivor but also affects the development of the country. That is why gender equality should be taught from childhood, provide behavioral education to identify and accept others identity and respect them, eliminate the violent environment at home, report the violence, change the perspective towards survivors, and create a favorable environment for the gender equality.
Among the documented case, 329 cases were reported to police. However, cases were not further taken into the legal procedure and the concerned body's mention that action would be taken only after the lockdown. Perpetrators were set freed after reconciliation with the survivors in the cases of domestic violence. Hence, survivors' access to justice has not been ensured. Such circumstances lead to low will power to fight against discrimination and violence while willpower of perpetrators rises to commit crime. Similarly 70 cases has gone to mediation committee. 88 have shifted to their parent’s/ relative’s house being unable to withstand violence and return back to husband home due to pressure from society. 28 women and girl survivor are staying at safe house of WOREC.
WOREC has provided psychosocial counselling to 539 people who were affected mentally due to fear of COVID-19 and 447 survivor of violence against women. Altogether counselor has facilitated 986 people through phone communication or meeting them personally maintaining the social distance.
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