Lalitpur, June 15

Due to unwillingness of women to talk about the violence inflicted on them, local levels have not been able to provide justice to the victims of domestic violence.

During an interaction organised here today, Deputy Mayor of Mahalaxmi Municipality Nirmala Thapa shared that many women who became the victims of domestic violence were not aware of the fact that it was a punishable crime and some women preferred to remain silent fearing social stigma.

Deputy Mayor Thapa said that most of the cases and complaints registered with the judicial committee of the local levels were related to domestic violence against women.

“Women in the area tolerate violence quietly due to fear of society and don’t report such incidents either to police or local level authorities,” she added.

Deputy Mayor of Godavari Municipality Muna Adhikari said she had even seen cases where women victims took back the complaints filed against their husbands or other family members due to the fear of losing their family and prestige.

Deputy Mayor Adhikari said, “We have sent letters to some of the women victims asking them to file complaints against the perpetrators and also visited them in person, but they refused to file such cases.”

“Women are not only bearing the pain of domestic violence but also becoming the victims of child marriage, poverty,” said Sarada Bijukchhen, chief of Women and Children Office.