Rape cases rise 32% in July

The total number of incidents of violence against women and children declined slightly in the country, but the forms of violence have become more alarming. The Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) said rape, suicide and incidents of abandoned newborns increased significantly in July. The organization also expressed concern over drugs, online gambling and impunity for crimes.

According to MSF’s human rights monitoring report for July, the total number of incidents of violence against women and children was 320 in June. The figure fell slightly to 306 in July, but the severity of the crimes increased. According to the organization, although the number of incidents declined, their nature and intensity have become more concerning.

According to the report, the number of rape cases rose to 90 in July, compared with 68 in the previous month. This means rape cases increased by about 32 percent in one month. During the same period, suicide cases increased from 17 to 28. MSF said violence against women and children, social insecurity and mental stress are closely linked to such incidents.

The report also said at least 11 newborns or children were rescued after being abandoned in different parts of the country in July. Eight of them died. MSF described the incidents as extreme violations of children’s rights and alarming examples of moral degradation in society. It also said that in most cases, those responsible were neither identified nor brought under the law, further strengthening the culture of impunity.

The organization also expressed concern over the drug situation. According to the report, drug related complaints increased from 13 in June to 14 in July. At the same time, the number of arrests rose from 34 to 93. However, the report also raised allegations of involvement of some law enforcement personnel in drug trafficking. MSF said such allegations could undermine public confidence in justice and the rule of law.

The report also said the spread of online gambling due to the misuse of technology is emerging as a new social crisis. While there were no arrests related to online gambling in June, 10 people were arrested for such crimes in July. MSF views the spread of online gambling among young people and marginalized communities as a multidimensional social and human rights crisis.

In the conclusion of the report, MSF said it is not enough to assess the law and order situation based only on the total number of crimes. Rather, analyzing the nature and brutality of crimes and the risks faced by victims is now more important. The organization emphasized ensuring the protection of women and children, speedy justice, controlling drugs and online crimes, and increasing accountability of law enforcement agencies.