Domestic Violence: Not a Private Matter but a Public Health Concern

Did you know?

- Bangladesh ranks second in respect of women repression in the world crime graph after Papua New Guinea.

- Various studies reveal that 47-60% of Bangladeshi women experience violence from their intimate partners at some point in their lives.

- Two-thirds of survivors never talk about their experience of violence.

- Only 2% of abused women seek help from medical staff and police.

Policy makers in Bangladesh are finally waking up to the fact that domestic violence is not a private affair - rather it is public health crisis. A report published by the World Health Organization in 2005 noted that abused women were twice as likely to have poor health and physical and mental problems, even if the violence occurred years before. Violence against women is a major cause of death and disability for women of reproductive age. Moreover, domestic violence is known to affect women's sexual and reproductive health and may result in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. In recent years, public awareness campaigns have been launched to sensitize the population about the multifaceted consequences of domestic violence for women, children, families, and communities.