Inaction of Knowing: The Cost of Apathy towards Domestic Violence

Afifa Enam8 months ago8 months ago16810 mins

-Afifa Enam

Where does the line between dealing with personal affairs and committing a punishable offense blur in a domestic setting?

To what extent can abuse be considered normal in the relationship between family members?

At what point is it considered abnormal?

According to the Domestic Violation Prevention and Protection Act 2010, Domestic Violence includes physical, psychological, sexual and economic abuse. It is often used as a way to control and dominate one member of the household. Often times, it seems to stems from inequality in marriage and reinforces male dominance and female subordination, both at home and in society (Yllö, 2005). Most unfortunately, in this country the instances of DVW are so common that it is not shocking to find women being beaten in the middle of a crowd or by the road, not just by husbands or parents, on some occasions, by their in-laws even; with all the by-standers watching. “Must be a personal/familial matter” they gossip among themselves, while a fully grown woman (on some instances, a minor girl) is stripped of her dignity, her human and legal rights in broad daylight.

Should you have the pleasure of witnessing a certain law enforcement operate on a situation like this, like this author herself did, you will most-likely see an extraordinary scene unfold. The husband, beating the wife to a pulp in a fit of rage, is being taken away to calm down by the ‘officers’ and then being sent home with the bruised-battered wife with just a flick on the forehead equivalent of scolding. So that the next time trouble ensues among the couple, it could end in something more serious and worth their time, like murder; and they don’t have to bother themselves on account of mere ‘women’s safety’.

According to the Violence against Women (VAW) Survey conducted in 2015 by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Bangladesh has a very high prevalence of violence against women. 72.6% of married women experienced some form of violence by their husbands, 49.6% experienced physical violence and 27.3 % experienced sexual violence. This data shows that women and girls are already at risk of gender-based violence in a normal setting. In a news article published by Dhaka Tribune, on November 14, 2024; the victims of intimate partner violence in Bangladesh is 89% which has increased 9% since 2015.

The number one reason why domestic violence stays so under reported in Bangladesh is the social stigma around it, it has been so normalized over the years that it needs to end in something drastic to get the authorities attention on it. Many women who suffer from abuse are often blamed for causing the violence through their disobedience, not being a good wife, or just because their partners decided to direct their unresolved anger issues on them through abuse. This tendency to blame the victim instead of the abuser stops women from speaking up or asking for help. They are forced to choose between enduring the pain of abuse or risking their reputation and social status in a society that often judges a woman’s value based on her perceived ‘failures.’ As referenced in this journal, it was revealed in a study by Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in 2004, that 65% of Bangladeshi men believe wife beating to be justified. This study was done 20 years ago. We can only imagine where the statistics stand now, considering the report by Dhaka Tribune.

The Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Act, 2000 has defined domestic violence as a cognizable offence, meaning that a police officer can arrest a person without warrant if he has reasons to believe that domestic violence has occurred. The reality, which I have had the ill-fortune of witnessing, is that even with concrete evidence some women face struggles to constitute a case of domestic violence. This struggle is especially evident in rural areas and upazillas, where cases of domestic violence are often dismissed or met with skepticism. Women are discouraged at every step of the process, and the belief that a husband’s “discipline” is normal often overshadows the need for justice. Because legal action for abuse is considered ‘just taking it too far’.

The Penal Code includes provisions to punish acts of ‘hurt’ or ‘grievous hurt’ under Sections 323 and 325. Yet, when these acts occur within the domestic setting, society has often justified or ignored them, leaving women to bear the burden silently. This mindset has diluted the meaning of abuse, making it seem less serious than it truly is.

Have we failed half of our population by being too afraid to challenge these norms? Because now this negligence has caused the strengthening of the systematic patriarchal practices that justify abuse. The very purpose of the Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Act, 2000 is undermined when societal attitudes fail to support it. It’s time to ask ourselves whether we’ve done enough. Addressing domestic violence requires not only enforcing laws but also changing the way society views and responds to abuse. Among the current unrest in the country regarding the law-and-order situation, it is paramount that steps be taken in this regard. Similar to almost every other social issue in Bangladesh, failure of implementing the existing legislations keeps playing a major role. Unless we are willing to challenge these deep-rooted beliefs and prioritize the safety of women in society, this cycle of abuse in the name of ‘societal norm’ will continue to destroy lives. Every woman deserves to live free from fear, at the very least in their own homes and it’s on all of us to ensure that happens.

Author_________________________________

Afifa Enam is a 3rd year law student at Bangladesh University of Professionals. Afifa enjoys reading different takes on prevailing social issues, takes keen interest in challenging conventional perspectives, and expressing her thoughts on them using a hint of sarcasm as a mechanism to tackle the heaviness of an unjust and unequal world.