Kathmandu, March 4

Women between 17 and 25 years of age are more likely to face various kinds of violence, including physical abuse and sexual assault, according to a report.

A recently published report of Women’s Rehabilitation Centre shows that 35 per cent women between 17 and 25 years of age became victims of various kinds of violence in the last one month.

According to the report, 120 cases of violence against women were recorded from January 15 to February 12. Of the total victims, 23 per cent were the girls below 16 years of age, 30 per cent women were between 26 and 35 years. Of the total victims of violence, 29 per cent women faced physical abuse, 14 per cent were mentally harassed,  and 24 per cent became victims of rape.

Most of the women are victims of intimate partner violence. As per the report, 36 per cent women became victims of intimate partner violence, 25 per cent faced violence at the hands of their neighbours, 16 per cent suffered at the hands of family members, 12 per cent were abused by strangers, seven per cent faced violence from their friends and two per cent from teachers and boy friends.

Executive Director of WOREC Luvraj Neupane said until and unless violence against women wouldn’t end, social justice and peace would not prevail in the country.  “We cannot ensure human rights, development and peace if we ignore the majority of population. For this, we need to control violence against women.”