Kathmandu, February 29

Women’s Rehabilitation Centre today said women and girls cannot live freely and enjoy their rights until Violence Against Women is curbed and appropriate action taken against perpetrators and policies are adopted.

Issuing a press statement with details of VAW cases recorded between mid-January and mid-February, it said the organisation had been lobbying, advocating and sensitising women’s human rights.

WOREC also informed about setting up a mechanism that puts VAW as a more central issue so that necessary steps can be taken to create a safe and harmonious society where women’s right is valued.

According to the statement, WOREC documented a total of 108 VAW cases between mid-January and mid-February. Among them, as many as 27 cases were documented from the national dailies.

On the basis of geographical division, 47 per cent of total VAW cases were reported in the Tarai region, which is followed by 46 per cent in hilly region and 7 per cent in the mountain region.

Similarly, on the basis of types of violence, 33 per cent of women and girls were subjected to physical assault and psychological abuse and 17 per cent were victims of rape.

In the same way, 8 per cent women were deprived use of resources or opportunities, 4 per cent were murdered and 2 per cent of women and girls were subjected to sexual abuse and attempt to murder simultaneously.

Likewise, relationship between the victim and perpetrator is shocking. Husbands account for highest number of VAW cases 50 per cent of the total alleged perpetrators.

Of the total, 21 per cent were neighbours, 14 per cent were family members,13 per cent were unknown perpetrators and intimate partners (lovers), while 2 per cent of the alleged perpetrators were friends.