Domestic Violence against rural woman : Bangladesh context

Domestic Violence against Women in BangladeshCourse Name: Women in South Asia: A Comparative Perspective Course No: 05

Submitted to:Dr. Nazmunnessa Mahatab

Course instructor

Dept. of Women and gender studies

University of Dhaka

Submitted By:

Rakiba Naznin Huda

Class Roll No. 1239 MSS 2nd semesterDept. of Women and Gender Studies

University of Dhaka

31 March 2014

Table of contents

Domestic violence

Forms of Domestic Violence

Situation of Domestic Violence in Bangladesh

Dimensions of Domestic Violence

Causes of Domestic Violence

Existing Laws pertaining to combat Domestic Violence

Interventions to combat Domestic Violence

Recommendations

Conclusion

IntroductionViolence is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh but has existed in our society since

the patriarchal values took over to rule over the social norms and functioning. It is a weapon used to maintain the unequal power dynamics between men and women. With systematic marginalization of women, institutionalization of violence and all pervasive oppressive patriarchal values, there remains a vicious circle of victimization for women. And contrary to the myths it is often resorted to cutting across class and creed, by males to silence, dominate and suppress the womenfolk. Violence within marriage is the most widespread violation of a humans worth and dignity. It is the least talked about issue and further it is the least action substantiated issue.

Domestic violence, especially wife battering, is perhaps the most widespread form of violence against women. In countries where reliable, large-scale studies on gender violence are available, more than 20 per cent of women are reported to have been abused by men with whom they live (World Development Report, World Bank, 1993). The situation in Bangladesh is even worse where about half of the women are reported to have been abused by their husbands.

In our country the rosy dream of having a loving husband disappears at the touch of grim reality. The husband and in-laws (in some cases), are biased against her, the children are sources of constant worries, and additional work and tension are part of her every day life. She has to render various services but with no appreciation. And any failure on her part in rendering these services brings about physical beating or verbal abuse. She has to suffer all these in silence because she has no alternative to fall back upon. Being a good housewife is the only career socially acceptable to herself, her family and the society at large. Unaware of any rights, deprived of all human considerations and under constant scrutiny of her work performance, she lives in a house where she is considered as a stranger (if not enemy), at least during the early years of her marriage.

Domestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as Marital violence ,domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation Domestic violence, so defined, has many forms, including physical aggression or assault (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (e.g., neglect); and economic deprivation.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, domestic violence is: "the inflicting of physical injury by one family or household member on another; also: a repeated or habitual pattern of such behavior.

In Women's Aid's view domestic violence is physical, sexual, psychological or financial violence that takes place within an intimate or family-type relationship and that forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour.Forms of Domestic ViolenceDomestic violence is directed primarily against women. According to the given definition these include physical, sexual, mental and emotional or psychological violence. Threats of violence are also included. The violence may be life threatening, systematic and long term. The range of physical injuries that women suffer or are threatened with is enormous. These injuries are often accompanied by emotional, psychological and sexual abuse. Physical violence is just one part of domestic abuse, not necessarily even the main part. Women often experience several different types of physical attacks and injuries. Physical Violence

The physical violence that women experience comprises many types of physical attacks and injury. Physical violence by men against women may involve anything from threatening behaviour, slaps and being pushed about, through black eyes, bruises and broken bones, to extremely serious incidents of multiple assaults. It can be life-threatening resulting in internal injuries, permanent handicaps, and disabilities or death. Many women in our sample have described being hit against the walls or with pieces of furniture, being repeatedly kicked and punched and being stabbed or sometimes cut with knives/sharp weapons.

Psychological and Emotional Abuse

It is very rare for women to experience physical violence, which is not accompanied by emotional abuse and threats. The use of intimidating threats of injury, beating up, a broken arm, harm to children, and sexual violence, are used by men to exert control. Emotional abuse takes other forms apart from verbal threats, and very often involves degradation and humiliation. Women are persistently insulted, or subjected to continuous intimidation or verbal aggression. Mental and psychological abuse of women can often be financial-being denied money for children, or having their own money being taken away. Isolation from friends and family is another cruel form of control. All these different forms of violence leave women terrified, deeply distressed and violated to the core.Domestic Violence in Bangladesh

Domestic violence, or violence perpetuated in the home or family environment, is a

major social problem in Bangladesh. Domestic violence incidences are fairly common and widespread across the country. Women of all economic strata are vulnerable to maltreatment and abuse by husbands, in-laws, and other family members. Available data suggests that the number of cases of domestic violence is increasingly being reported in the newspaper.Year of

Reporting2008200920102011

Number of cases of domestic violence reported5305405871164

Reports of Domestic Violence in 9 Daily Newspapers 2008 ~ 2011Despite the severe consequences to women's physical and emotional health, domestic violence is not recognized as a serious social problem and society does not perceive domestic violence to be a serious crime. Rather, it is viewed as a personal matter that should be resolved privately within the family. As a result, law enforcement agencies are reluctant to get involved in cases of domestic violence and women are often victimized with no recourse. The implicit indifference of society in matters of domestic violence perpetuates the notion that domestic violence is legitimate and male domination in the family is acceptable. While men take advantage of this right to exert authority, women's tolerance of domestic violence further entrenches domestic violence into the fabric of daily life in Bangladesh.Naturally, questions arise as to why women are silent and do not speak out against domestic violence? Why do so many victims continue to stay with abusive spouses? First, one has to bear in mind the social context in which women are raised. Bangladeshi women, as part of a patriarchal society, are from an early age, taught to be submissive, tolerant, and self-sacrificing. Furthermore, the social belief that a woman's place is in her husband's home is also deeply rooted in women's self-view and self-worth. These social values make it extremely difficult for women to assert themselves and speak out against domestic violence. In cases of marital and family conflict, society generally places the blame on the wife and holds her exclusively responsible for failing to build a strong foundation in the family. Consequently, women are reluctant to complain of domestic violence or file cases against their husbands out of fear of unrelenting social stigmatization. A second major reason that women rarely assert themselves in these matters is that women have few alternatives to staying with their husbands. In some cases a woman might return to her paternal home and find shelter with her parents or siblings, but in most cases, women lack family or community support. With no alternative, women realize that they have no choice but to tolerate domestic violence and make the best of their tragic situation.Dimensions of Domestic ViolenceIn Bangladesh, domestic violence has many dimensions. Most of them are inflected against wife. Usually she is subject to violence by her husband or members of her husbands family. In most of the cases fear of negative consequence of making any allegation against husband, restrain the wife to proceed legally. Often time she feels vulnerable due to her lack of financial strength. Some common forms of domestic violence in our country are -Torture by Husband/Wife Beating

Wife beating is the most commonly occurring act of domestic violence in Bangladesh. An international report published by the United Nations in September of 2000 ranked the country first in wife beating and found that nearly half of the adult female population surveyed reported physical abuse by their husbands. This fact may be startling to the international community, however, in Bangladesh it is common knowledge that husbands exert their authority and physically assault wives for even minor mistakes, such as an unsatisfactory meal, an untidy room, a conversation with another man, or any act of disagreement or disobedience.

Men have been socially conditioned to genuinely believe in their own superiority. From childhood they are treated differently from their sisters. They grow to believe that they are more valuable and more deserving than women and that there opinion and views should have more weight than any woman's. Furthermore, predominant religious misinterpretations have further legitimized these feelings. These religious interpretations have also provided men with the justification to chastise wives for disobedience and bring them back to the so-called correct path. In this way, men are able to delude themselves into believing that abuse of their wives amounts to a religious duty and they are completely justified in their actions.Dowry-Related Violence

The practice of dowry demand (Joutuk) is not deeply rooted in Bengali Muslim tradition, but has emerged as a major social evil in recent years. Generally dowry means the property that the brides family gives to the groom or his family upon marriage. However, in Bangladeshi law, dowry has been given an extended meaning. whatever is presented whether before or after marriage under demand, compulsion or pressure as consideration for the marriage can be said to be dowry. The emergence of dowry is more due to greed and commercialization of marriage than the impact of traditional culture. Rising unemployment has contributed to the phenomenon; as more and more young men are unable to find employment, their families use marriage and dowry demand as a source of income. Prospective grooms and their families demand large sums of money or property from the would-be bride's family as a precondition to the marriage agreement. Although dowry demand is illegal the practice persists in the rural communities. In fact, few marriages in the rural areas are performed without a dowry condition. In most cases the complete dowry is not paid at the time of marriage. Rather the bride's family pays part of the dowry before the marriage and promises to pay the remainder soon after the marriage. When the bride's family fails to meet the deadline, her husband and in-laws verbally and physically abuse her to compel her family to pay. In many cases the abuse becomes severe in nature, for example, the woman has acid throw on her face, is burnt, severely beaten, and in some cases even murdered.

High-Risk PregnancyFor the most part, married women in Bangladesh are not aware of their own sexual and reproductive rights, and have only limited control over their own bodies. A woman's freedom of choice regarding sexual intercourse, birth control, pregnancy, pre-natal care, and abortion is restricted by the collaborative decision-making of her husband and his family. A man has complete autonomy to determine when he will have intercourse with his wife. In this situation, the husband is the aggressor and the wife merely a passive participant. Similarly, a wife's personal convictions on birth control and family planning are irrelevant in decision-making; once again she plays a passive role to her husband's wishes. If the husband dislikes birth control, for whatever reason, then the wife has no way of protecting herself from unwanted pregnancies.

Often there is a pressure from the husband's family for the wife to produce offspring, particularly male offspring. The family is mainly concerned with the birth of heirs, not the good health of the mother. As a result, a young woman might begin conceiving at a very early age and endure several consecutive pregnancies in the hope of a male offspring. The in-law family pressures the woman to give birth to sons, as if she has control over biology, and if she fails to meet their expectations, they inflict various forms of physical and psychological abuse on her.

Although everyone is involved in the decision for the couple to have a child, nobody is involved in providing adequate pre-natal care to the expectant mother. Only 5% of the reproductive aged women access existing health care facilities. Many women remain neglected and abused in the in-law.s home; they often endure low calorie intake, insufficient nutrition and insufficient medical attention through the course of their pregnancy and as a result are at serious risk of birth complications and maternal mortality. In fact, 37% of all deaths of reproductive aged women are due to maternity related issues. In Bangladesh three women die every hour because of maternal related complexities and nine million women whose lives have been saved following maternity related complications continue to suffer from other long-term diseases.Torture By In-LawsTorture by in-laws is another common domestic violence against women in our country. The general attitudes a married woman is that she has to be suppressed at every step. Starting from parents to the husband all the member of his family usually behaves very rude with her. Particularly mother-in-law behaves ruthlessly with wives of their sons. In such case women belonging to the husband family represent not femininity but act as agents of stronger patriarchy. If the wife happens to be coming of a poor family or a family having lower social status, her miseries known no bounds. Her position as well as situation in the in-laws deteriorates day by day. It takes the worse shape if her parents fail to meet up the dowry demands of the in-laws by the stipulated time. Verbal abuses become a part of her daily life. She is compelled to do all the ordinary jobs of the family like cooking food, washing cloths and used crockery etc. No one comes in her aid. She has to work like a slave, In many family structure of Bangladesh this is the most common picture and the victim of the violence tolerate it without any protest.Marital Rape This connotes a womens unwilling sexual intercourse with her husband on the sole will of and coercion form the husband. Rape by husband is not recognized in our society, People are obsessed with the general notion that its the sacred duty of a wife to meet up the sexual demands of her husband any time. This is also been influenced by religious misinterpretation. However, women often compelled to accept sexual intercourse with their husband against their will. All such cases go unreported. It goes so because there is nothing provided in the law against such penetration by husband.

MurderMurder is the ultimate form of domestic violence. The murder of women by their husbands and in-laws is associated with both the escalation of dowry demands, and with the more general harassment and severe beating of women. It is possible that, as in India, women are murdered if their dowries are too small; if the woman is disliked by her husband or his kin; if her household skills are perceived to be lacking; or even if her skin is too dark. Often such murders are arranged to look like accidents, or suicides, with bodies being suspended to resemble a hanging, insecticides being poured down the dead womans throat or burning being passed off as a cooking accident. Like beating, the murder of women appears to be carried out by husbands and in-laws, in distinction to sexual violence, which is more often carried out, or at least reported to have been carried out, by unknown men. However, various reports suggest an increase in fatal mugging, acid-throwing and other attacks by outsiders. Many women are in fact driven to suicide by constant beating, harassment and the feeling that there is no escape. Causes of Domestic ViolenceThe low social and economic status of women can be both a cause and a consequence of violence against women . Domestic violence represents an expression of human behaviours and attitudes and is deep rooted in the society. Traditional attitudes by which women are regarded as subordinate to men or as having stereotyped roles perpetuate widespread practices involving violence or coercion. Such prejudices and practices may justify domestic violence as a form of protection or control of women. Main causes of this form of violence are given below:

Dowry Demand

The issue of dowry demand is probably the most common source of domestic violence in rural Bangladesh, where not only the husband but also his family member takes part to torture the wife for dowry demand. The incidents of murder or attempt to murder for dowry are almost a regular phenomenon in our country and such death and torture are regular news in country newspapers.Polygamy

Polygamy is a very common phenomenon in rural Bangladesh. Because of the widespread poverty unemployment youths take it for granted that they will earn money through getting married with more than one woman. In each marriage they placed high dowry demand and it has proved, in many parts of the country, to be a easy means of profiteering. In Bangladeshi laws lay down that in order to marry again, a man needs permission of several people- one being first wife. This permission is overlooked as being unnecessary, or, in some cases, is threatened or beaten out of the first wife.Poverty:General or overall economic causes of family violence are considered to be increasing endlessness, pauperization, unemployment which have increased the stress and tension in male-female relations in the poor households and give rise to desertion, divorce and violence (Jahan, 1994). Kabeer (1989) also stated Violence both systematic and random is part of the condition of poverty in as much as poverty is associated with relative powerlessness, and the poor are least able to defend themselves or to remove themselves from threatening situations. Her paper shows that lack of resource especially food in poor rural households and womens failure to efficiently accomplish their traditional gender roles lead to gender violence. For instance, a mother was beaten by her son when his food ran short at mealtime; wives were beaten by husbands because there was too much or too little salt in the food; a young orphaned girl was beaten by her uncle when she asked for her share of fruits from family owned trees.Socialization Processes

Girls and boys are brought up through discriminatory socialization processes that result in an unequal power relationship in their adulthood. This socialization process also makes women helpless, deprived and disfranchised as a group. On the other hand abuse of wives was not really considered as crimes as appeared from discussion with men during Rapid Assessment Study on violence (Naripokkho, 1998a). They are considered to be the decision makers in the house and have the right to beat women when they behave unacceptably." Many believe that this right to be grounded in religious doctrine and some had heard that, according to Islamic texts, the parts of their bodies beaten by their husbands would go to heaven". Other causes of marital violence or more specifically wife beating include non-fulfillment of traditional gender role of women, sexual maladjustment or non communication about sex, interference of in-laws as perceived by couples (ibid). Moreover womens lives are perceived to be less valuable and they are disempowered in family relationships. Therefore, they commit suicide as an ultimate resort

Misinterpretation of Religion

A common misinterpretation of Islamic teaching, the nusyuz verse of the Quran, which refers to wife-beating, is the most misinterpreted. Many have made use of this reference to justify arbitrary violence against women. However, a deeper reading into the context of the reference reveals that the Prophet of SAW advised a woman who complained of her husband slapping her to in fact reciprocate the act. The Quran intends to prevent the beating of wives and gradually abolish the practice.Existing Laws pertaining to combat Domestic Violence Many laws exist to punish the perpetrators of violence against women, however, lack of awareness at the grassroots level, lack of implementation of these laws, as well as the perpetrators usually being more powerful in society prevent these laws from being effectively executed and the victim of violence from availing justice. Some of the laws are summarized below:1) Anti-Dowry Prohibition Act 1980

The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1980 (Act No. XXXV of 1980), later amended by the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Ordinance, 1982 (Ordinance No. XLIV of 1982). This act had been enacted to prohibit the taking or giving of dowry in marriage. If any person after the commencement of this act gives or takes dowry, his punishment will be five years imprisonment or not less than one year or will be fined. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, set up in 1970, helped make the passing of this law successful.2) Cruelty to Women Law 1983

The Cruelty to Women (Deterrent Punishment) Ordinance 1983, this ordinance is a special law providing for deterrent punishment to the offences of cruelty to women. This ordinance includes offence dowry death and torture. The offences under this ordinance shall be tried by criminal courts. All provisions under this ordinance shall have effect over other general laws.3) Women Repression Act 1995 (Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Domon Ain 2000)

Prevention of Repression of Women and Children Act 2000 replaced the Repression of Women and Children (Special Enactment) Act 1995. The Act defines, court,dowry, women, children, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, High Court Division and importance of such laws. This law also describes punishment of various offences. It provides for Special Courts for the cases coming under the Act. The offences are considered to be non-bailable (with certain exceptions). There is a time limit set for the investigation and the completion of the case (although in most cases it is not respected).4) Acid Violence Repression Act 2002

A new provision was added to the Penal Code to prevent acid attacks. Through the promulgation of an (Amendment) Ordinance, a new Section, 326A in the Penal Code, provides for capital punishment in acid-throwing cases. Thus the willful disfiguring of women by this means has been made punishable by death in the Penal Code.

5) The Penal Code

The flinging of acid on the bodies and faces of women became such a common means of

revenge in the 1980s, that a new provision was added to the Penal Code to prevent such violence. Through the promulgation of an (Amendment) Ordinance, a new Section, 326 A in the Penal Code provides for capital punishment in acid-throwing cases. Thus the willful disfiguring of women by this means has been made punishable with death in the Penal Code. However, this provision has not prevented the crime from taking place substantial numbers are reported, especially from small towns in the different districts of Bangladesh.6) Legal Aid Act 2000

The Legal Aid Act 2000 has been enacted to provide free legal aid to citizens by the State. Under this Act a National Legal Aid Unit has been set up, operating from Dhaka. Each district has its branch office and there are committees at upazila and union parishads, local government bodies.

However, given that the applicant has to undergo a very complex and rather bureaucratic procedure to access the legal aid fund from the governments legal aid scheme, most of the fund allocated for the scheme has remained unused. Also, the Act has received little publicity and its existence and potential are little known to most people, especially those who might benefit most from it. The Gender and Justice Unit of

ASK is the main committee member of this fund. Nina Goswami, Advocate at ASK states, Yes, it continues to be a challenge to gain access to this fund. Moreover, the government fails to realize that the fund should not only be utilized when the client is going to court and needs to hire a lawyer. The legal process begins much earlier on right after the client has become a victim of violence and the Legal Aid Fund should also cover the costs of these legal expenses. Interventions to combat Domestic ViolenceThe government created a permanent Law Commission to review all laws related to protection of women's rights and to provide recommendations wherever required. The Ministry on Women and Children Affairs has undertaken multicultural projects to eliminate violence against women including setting up One-Stop Crisis Centers (OSCC) in Dhaka and Rajshahi Medical College Hospitals mainly to help acid-throwing and rape victims secure quick Formal Investigation Record (FIR) and other services. In addition, some police stations have Special Cell for Women. At the national, district and thana levels, Committees for the Prevention of Violence against Women have been formed. Violence prevention cells also exist in the Department of Women's Affairs and the Jatiyo Mahila Sangastha. Shelter homes for abused and tortured women and for women under safe custody have also been established both by the government and NGOs - though far too inadequate to meet the needs. Some interventions and networks are discussed below : Bangladesh Legal Aids and Services Trust (BLAST) Widest geographical coverage amongst other existing legal aid and human rights NGOs

Alternative informal courts in 120 villages across the country

-Promotion of legal awareness among its beneficiaries (particularly poor and disadvantaged)

Advocacy and PIL unit is currently running consultation meetings with relevant stakeholders to identify anomalies, loopholes, and challenges in the Family Law Ordinance and the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act and suggesting amendments to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary

-Affairs for policy changes Ain-O-Shalish Kendra (ASK) -Provides free legal aid to the disenfranchised, including victims of violence

Implements programmes in twelve upazilas of eleven districts Operates five legal aid clinics within Dhaka -Collaboration of 215 legal clinics with BRAC outside Dhaka Runs a temporary shelter home called Halfway Home based in Dhaka. Also makes referrals to other shelter homes (Nirmol and Shishu Polli Plus.) -Offers counseling services and invites other organizations to develop staff by sending them to counseling training programme at Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM). -Mobilize women and communities by lobbying with state authorities to ensure that proper and timely action takes place for violence victims. Also generates public awareness and opinion on cases on VAW. -Compiles media-reported incidences of VAW and disseminates this information to the public. Publishes Annual Human Rights Report in Bangladesh (since 1998).

-Conducts training and awareness building and produces its own posters, leaflets and short videos and other awareness building tools Bangladesh National Womens Lawyers Association (BNWLA) Paralegal training, legal aid and advocacy, legal education

Lobbying with government for legal reform.

Provides legal awareness training to government and nongovernmental personnel, lawyers, and the police.

Provides shelter home called Proshanti where they provide legal aid, basic food & shelter, recreation facilities, medical and psychological care, repatriation of trafficked women, formal and non-formal schooling, capacity building of survivors, staff, and partner organizations, vocational training and carry out cultural events for survivors of violence.

Conduct advocacy, research and awareness to prevent future violent acts and are developing a resource centre to provide resources to combat child trafficking and prostitution where partner organizations also contribute Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP)

Has links with law enforcing agencies

Provide legal support, legal counseling, and work together with legal, judicial and medical personnel to support survivors of violence

Work to bring about legal reform by drafting alternative laws. Rokeya Sadhan, a shelter home, provides Medicare, legal aid,

nutrition, education, skill development training, and job opportunities to more than thousands of distressed women. Currently accommodates 25 victims. Utilizes campaigns and advocacy as a means to bring about positive changes in patriarchal attitudes towards women. Work towards reform of law, especially the Uniform Family Code as well as anti-dowry and suppression of violence against women laws.

Seek to politically empower women and uphold the governments pledge to CEDAW and other international conventions. Child marriage, polygamy, forced prostitution and religious fundamentalisms are some of the issues that BMP campaigns against. Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP)

Has analysed the Anti-Dowry Acts and the Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Domon Ain 2001 and conducts research on other laws related to VAW. Carries out report writing for raising awareness.

Lobbies and advocates for legal reform based on peoples needs and wants. Naripokkho

Conducts awareness building as one if its major activities, especially among state agencies. Leaflets, posters, simple information on laws, and on state and non-state services are produced and disseminated.RecommendationsThere are certain measures that needed to be taken immediately to improve the condition of women and support them against domestic violence. Those are as follows: Proper application of law and public awareness.

Inclusion of violence related lesson in school curriculum.

Social workers should come forward and legal education should be ensured.

The nature of the problem demands a wider and comprehensive initiative to eliminate the whole. So a long-term arrangement for the same is vital. The core of the arrangement is some short of advocacy program with several dimensions. Those are as follows:

Local Government should be made more effective to protect violence. Local Government should be empowered by some legal power and it is to be ensured that Local Government will bear every responsibility of any violence within its entity.

Women themselves have to think for the possible ways to solve the violence. They have to try to develop awareness of their husbands concerning domestic violence. For example, if they can make their husbands understand that the violent activities committed by him is unfair and unjust and also explain the adverse effect of such violence upon their children at some special moments their husbands would be convinced.

If the husbands can be made realized how their children are effected mentally as a result of such violence- would be a good measure to stop such violence.

Politicians would be more responsible and dedicated to protect violence.

Influential people of the society (e.g., teachers, family chiefs) can play a vital role to protect violence if they take proper initiatives.

Awareness is the must for the change of the present situation.

Economic development is a prerequisite to reduce violence.

Local organization can prevent a great deal of violence by their direct support (e.g., like child marriage).

We have to think about the formation of a local level cell (team) comprises of influential members of the society. Moreover, we have to design the possible measures of support to be given to the victims by the team.

Education will be the best measure to reduce violence. In addition, women would be self-sufficient and mentality of the concerned people would be changed.ConclusionDomestic violence against women is condoned by the public/private dichotomy, which is also a product of patriarchal ideology. The exploitation takes place at home and women are usually abused behind closed doors. Even when women are ready to break the tradition, they are restrained by this dichotomy, which is apparent in the handling of wife abuse cases by the professionals. Thus women are again restricted by the norms of privacy and social pressures, which confine wives to an almost invisible status.

Moreover, in case of such violence, various social practices, religious beliefs as well as state policies, operate to treat some incidents or events as personal', 'shameful' and not to be spoken of in public. It is not a coincidence that most of these incidents concern women. Thus a wife may think that if her husband beats her, it is her personal problem. State policy treats men as primary bread-earners and considering women's income as being essentially supplementary in a male-headed household

To eliminate domestic violence against women in Bangladesh, we needs to challenge the vested 'rights' and 'roles' of men and the social control mechanisms that reinforce the superiority of men and subordination of women. The unequal power relations often result in the dominance exercised through violence Greater public awareness to change gender biased attitude is the most important precondition to enable solutions to materialize. Along with a more gender- sensitive socialization process, legal remedies have to be in place. Training of police, judicial and law enforcement officers on gender sensitivity and domestic violence is crucial. Facilities for the counseling of victims of violence and their families need to be enhanced. The economic empowerment of women needs to be addressed with related training for essential skills. Support services for the victims of violence and their families should be approached on an interdisciplinary basis inclusive of employment opportunities, housing facility, legal aid and day care facilities.ReferenceJahan R and Islam M (Editor) , 1997,Violence Against Women in Bangladesh: Analysis and Action, Women For Women and South Asian Association For women Studies.

S Ali (Editor)2000,Violence Against Women in Bangladesh-2000 (report),Bangladesh National Women Lawyer Association.

S Ali (Editor)2001,Violence Against Women in Bangladesh-20001(report),Bangladesh National Women Lawyer AssociationAhuja R,1998,Violence Against Women, Rawat publications

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violencehttp://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/digest6e.pdfhttp://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,IRBC,,BGD,,403dd1e40,0.htmlhttp://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/vaw-stat-2005/docs/expert-papers/Farouk.pdfhttp://www.iwraw-ap.org/aboutus/pdf/FPvaw.pdfhttp://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section2/2005/06/violence-against-women-bangladeshhttp://www.bridge.ids.ac.uk/reports/re10c.pdfhttps://centre.icddrb.org/pub/publication.jsp?classificationID=56&pubID=7197http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3019004.htmlLack of

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Dowry and

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