A survey by a woman rights organisation has revealed that in 2024, a staggering 60 per cent of the girl children who faced violence were victims of rape.
The survey has also found that of the women who endured violence in 2024, 43.4 per cent were women.
The study, conducted by women rights organisation Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, considered females up to 18 years as girl children.
Titled ‘Scenario of violence against women and girls in Bangladesh 2024,’ the report indicates that regarding age of the girl child victims of violence, most of the incidents of rape, child marriage, and sexual harassment were perpetrated against primary school level children.
Of the girl victims doing secondary-level education, most faced incidents of sexual violence.
Compiled from reports published in 14 daily newspapers, the survey was presented by Mahila Parishad senior research officer Afroza Arman at a press briefing at the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad office in Dhaka on Tuesday. Â
Categorising the violent incidents into eight forms, the analysis finds that 28 per cent of the rape perpetrators were aged 11–30, while 24 per cent offenders in gang-rape cases were aged 16–25.Â
According to the findings, the highest number of rape and other sexual violence cases were perpetrated at upazila level, mostly by classmates and boyfriends.
Girl children are mostly unsafe in their own homes and in neighbours’ houses, according to the findings.Â
The categories followed by the study are gang rape, rape, attempted rape, stalking and sexual harassment, child marriage, dowry, domestic help torture, and cybercrime.
The survey suggests a rapid increase in rape and gang rapes in the current year.
According to the findings, 148 gang rapes were reported in 2024, while 106 gang rapes were reported in just six months of the current year; reported rape cases numbered 364 last year, while 354 cases were reported up to June 2025;
Child marriages also surged from 20 cases reported last year to 61 in just six months.
Dowry-related abuse shows a worrying upward trend as well, rising from 68 cases last year to 96 cases report up to this June.
She, however, noted that despite attempts to cover up incidents, victims were increasingly coming forward to file cases, and social protests were gaining strength. Â
Mahila Parishad president Fauzia Moslem said that the increasing involvement of youths in rape incidents sounded alarm bell for society.
