Violence Against Women Survey Bangladesh 2024 : Integrating Geospatial Information with Gender and Vital Statistics Project, BBS
AHM Bazlur Rahman, Specialist in Advancing Digital Democracy
CEO | Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication
The Violence Against Women Survey is a nationally representative study, crucial for understanding and addressing violence against women in Bangladesh. The 2024 edition of this survey, following similar ones in 2011 and 2015, offers valuable insights into the prevalence of intimate partner violence (by husband) and violence committed by non-partners (NPV), showing how these patterns have evolved over time, employing both international and local standards for measurement. Seven in ten women have experienced one or more forms of intimate partner violence —physical, sexual, emotional, controlling behaviors, or economic violence—in their lifetime, with four in ten facing it in the last 12 months.
Nearly half of ever-married women still experience physical violence at some point in their lifetime. Moreover, in the last 12 months alone, one in every ten women has faced such violence. While the prevalence of sexual violence during lifetime remains high, affecting nearly 30 percent of women, it has shown a decline over the past decade. Recent experiences have also decreased, nonetheless about one in ten women are facing such violence.
Emotional violence in lifetime has risen since 2015, affecting one in three women. Although recent cases have declined to some extent, still one in seven women are affected. Controlling behavior remains widespread, impacting one in two women both in their lifetime and the past year. These trends confirm psychological violence as the most dominant form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh.
Despite some decline in the past decade, economic violence is a significant concern, particularly for urban women. Violence by husbands varies across regions and socioeconomic groups. Barishal and Khulna report the highest lifetime prevalence, whereas Rajshahi and Dhaka record the lowest rates. Women living in disaster-prone areas face higher rates of most forms of violence compared to those in nondisaster-prone regions, highlighting the added vulnerability of these communities.
Adolescent girls are the most vulnerable to recent violence, reporting the highest prevalence in the last 12 months for most forms of violence. Non-partner violence (NPV), which includes physical and sexual violence against women by individuals other than a current or former husband, has been experienced by 15 percent of women, a decline compared to 2015.
Like IPV, non-partner physical violence is most common among adolescents and declines with age. Women in disaster-prone areas experience a higher prevalence of non-partner violence compared to those in areas not prone to disasters.
The survey provides insight into how women who are experiencing violence seek help for their situation. Nearly two-thirds of IPV survivors had never told anyone about their experience of violence before the survey. Only half of the interviewed women are aware of where to report violence. Less than half of women are aware of 999, while slightly over one in ten know about 109, highlighting a significant gap in awareness of the two helplines.
Only 15 percent of survivors sought medical treatment. Despite some progress, legal action remains low at Less than 8 percent. On average, survivors spent BDT 2,512 on medical treatment and BDT 4,104 on legal costs. Rural women incurred slightly higher medical expenses than women in urban areas, while urban women faced greater legal costs than rural women.