Violence against women in Nepal

Introduction Violence means the form of crime. Crime is as old as the mankind in itself but in the recent years it has increased in its dimension and has attained new height. Almost the entire society is directly or indirectly effected by such violence. Women have been victims of helpless, deprivation, economic independence, victimization range from cases includes even burning alive. Some atrocities, which range from mental and psychological torture to physical assaults often result in killing or sucide. There is a greater new to undertake study and research on women crimes and seasons behind their being involved in criminal activities at present because the place and the last three decades leading to a geater participation in the criminal activities. Violence against women refers a violation of women's right. Violence is the inflection of physical harm to the bdy or to human property by physical force, using the body or weapons. The ability to marshal physical force often determining factor in social action in domestic relation husband and wife or parents or children. Violence is closely related to the term discrimination. It means women are deprived from utilization of their right and liberty. The term discrimination, against women shall mean any distinction exclusion of restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect on all purposes, or impairing or nullifying the recognitions enjoyment or exercise by women irrespective of their marital status on a basis of equality of man and women of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, social, cultural, civic or any other field. Violence against women is a global epidemic that kills, tortures, and harasses physically, psychologically, sexually and economically. It is a pervasive and under-recognized human rights violence against women occurs in different forms and degree. SAATHI, 2001 Factors contributing to violence against women: - Economic depending: Women are economically depended on men. This dependency cause them to tolerate the opinion but to meekly follow men. - Lack of awareness: women have a tendency to perceive the violence as natual behavior that happen everywhere. They have seen their mothers and sisters suffering from violence. - Lack of training The women are brought up in such a situation that they have a belive that they are inferior to men. Around the world at least one women in every three been, coerced in to sex, or otherwise abused in her life time. Nepal is not apart from this situation. In Nepal, in every society, violence against women existed in a number of forms from the historic time. It was believed that women or girls are not subjected to be independent or free. In the contact of Nepal violence against women are as follow:- - Domestic violence - Rape including marital rape and incest. - Traditional harmful practice of female circumsion - Trafficking in women and girls. - Fender based violence - Wife beating - Caste related violence - Polygamy - Unequal pay for equal work - Alcoholic related violence. - Abandonment - Prostitution and pornography; and - Dowry deaths, etc. Situation of violence of women in the context of Nepal In Nepal, gender specific violence against women accurse across all strata of society. Whether they are in the forms of violence such as sexual violence that include rape, custodial rape, gang rape, incest, public stripping, harassment through language, gesture and touch (eve-teasing), trafficking and forced prostitution or the more covert rorms through verbal and psychological been validated as being very high. Existence of mental and emotional torture was reported by 93 percent of the total respondents (Sample size:1250) and beating was also identified as the most common form of physical violence against women and girls (82%) in Nepal, followed by rape (30%), and forced prostitution (28%) (Sathi 1997). While Nepalese society (as well as most of the south Asian) upholds the 'chartit' and virginity of a girl the ultimate 'prestige' and 'dignity' of a family. On the other hand, the socialization process encourage girls and women to become victims as in instates in them the values of suffer is 'silence' 'tolerance' and 'non-relation' values of being 'shy' and 'shameful', about voicing victimization, especially sexual exposition further silence a victim into submission (Sathi, 2001) likewise, in general Nepalese society is practical, with pervasive and ingrained gender discrimination in all aspect of life. Through there are difference in term of ethnic and religious group, women in general lag for behind men in access to resources, basic service like education and health, information and knowledge, opportunism for employment and in political representation. Nation-wide only a quarter of women are literate. "chhaupdi" system is widely practiced in the hilly district of far-western Nepal. In Nepalese society, a strong preference for sons exists. In other words, discrimination against girls starts as soon as they are born. This they are deprived in the field of education health and other sectors. Government has taken both legal and social initiatives to address the existing discriminatory practices; however the progress in this regard is slow mainly because of: a) Traditional patriarchal attitude b) Poverty c) Weak enforcement of legal provisions. Moreover, women in Nepal work for longer men, have much Lover opportunity for gainfully employment and passes extremely limited poverty right In Nepal, women's participation in decision-making remains quite low launching of admistrative reforms of act 1998 by the government.

Mrs. Aasha patel