THE safety of women and girls appears to be in a frail state as one harrowing incident after another continues to take place. Women鈥檚 rights activists and legal experts have for long cautioned that a culture of impunity takes root if such crimes are not addressed decisively. If justice is delayed or there is no proper and expeditious legal process in place, it becomes difficult to contain gender-based violence. In the latest such incident in Lalmonirhat, a 12-year-old girl was found dead on April 16 in a cornfield, with the limbs broken and the mouth filled with sand. A young man was arrested in this connection. The same day in Rajshahi, a 55-year-old man was beaten to death after he had stood up against a neighbour, who had allegedly harassed his daughter for months. And in Natore, a seven-year-old girl madrassah student was found dead on April 15 in a maize field, with the face disfigured, suspected to have been raped before the murder. From the death of Magura鈥檚 child, Asiya, to the recent events, the violence appears part of a terrifying sequence.
Such incidents can be prevented, or at the very least curbed, if the culture of impunity that stems from delayed or no justice is dismantled. The systemic delay in justice, whether because of bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption or lack of will, creates an environment where voices of the victims are silenced. This makes perpetrators feel emboldened, knowing that their action may go unpunished or be delayed for years. The consequences go far beyond immediate victims. There are those who suffer physical and psychological trauma or, as in recent cases, lose their lives. Then, there is a broader impact on society. Each violent act adds to an overarching climate of insecurity and fear. The psychological toll, especially on those in rural or low-income urban communities, is immense. With all this continuing, there is a chance of restrictions on the mobility of women and girls, limiting the scope for their education, employment or public life. This narrowing of safe and accessible space hampers women鈥檚 development. It also erodes the agency of women in society and reinforces patriarchal control and, thus, reduces women to second-class citizens in both public and private spheres. It discourages reporting and weakens attempts at holding perpetrators to account.
The government should, therefore, respond with more seriousness and intent than reactive statements. Justice should be meted out demonstratively, consistently and without exception. Early investigation, robust follow-through and public accountability are essential. Structural reforms in justice delivery system and visible consequences for perpetrators are long overdue. The safety of women should be a demonstrable reality.