From home to playgrounds: Are our girls really safe?

Back in March, the brutal rape of an eight-year-old girl in Magura Sadar upazila while she was visiting her elder sister's house sent shockwaves across the whole country. The child, still unaware of the cruel ways of the world, went to her sister's house, oblivious to the fact that hyenas personified in the shape of humans were waiting to swoop down on her and violate her innocence. 

The victim's sister's father-in-law, Hitu Sheikh (42), raped the child. To everyone's utter dismay, the sister's husband, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law tried to sweep the whole matter under the rug, proving their complicity in the crime. After days of struggle, the child succumbed to her injuries. 

In another shocking incident, a madrasah teacher in Gazipur's Sreepur tried to rape a seven-year-old girl that same month. The victim, traumatised and disoriented, refused to return to the madrasah the next day and later disclosed the incident to her family. Upon learning of the matter, her relatives and locals turned the accused over to the authorities.   

There are hundreds of such examples of child abuse and rape. Every other day, incidents of child rape or abuse hit the headlines; in fact, such occurrences have become almost commonplace in our society. From homes and playgrounds to educational institutions, girls are not safe anywhere. 

According to UNICEF estimates, roughly one in eight girls in the world experience sexual assault or rape even before reaching 18, revealing a distressing picture of social safety. As far as the situation in Bangladesh is concerned, perpetrators often turn out to be close acquaintances or are known to the victims. 

An analysis of police records from 2020 through to June 2025 discloses the fact that incidents of abuse against women, girls in particular, are on the rise. Data from the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) indicates that from 2020 to 2024, at least 11,758 women and girls were victims of abuse and violence in Bangladesh, including 6,305 rape cases. Around 3,471 of the rape victims were under 18, accounting for over 55% of cases. 

Moreover, 1,089 women and girls were gang-raped, and 207 victims were murdered following sexual assault. Among those killed, 118 were children. 

Such incidents have spiked in recent months. According to stats recorded by media and local human rights organisations, approximately 50 incidents of child rape have happened from January 2025 to March 16.  

Experts attribute this sudden rise to political turbulence. 

Dr Soma Dey, an Associate Professor at the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, opined, "Prevailing political turmoil is somehow related to the rising cases of child abuse. People have become very aggressive after the July Uprising, and this practice is going on unabated under state patronage. 

"If there is no environment to deal with such cases politically, and the state fails to deliver justice in cases of rape and abuse, then such incidents will increase. We are seeing a reflection of this in our society right now," she added. 

Apart from this, the rise in incidents of child abuse is a bellwether of deteriorating moral values and social degeneration. In many cases, people with such an abusive mentality, as experts point out, are found to be brought up in a problematic family setting. 

"It greatly depends on how someone is growing up. In many cases, the adults who commit such crimes went through a flawed upbringing, which affects their psychology and the development of moral values in them. Moreover, there are some people who particularly feel attracted to children and develop a tendency to abuse children; this definitely reflects some form of mental inconsistency or sickness," said Tasnuva Huque, a psychosocial counselor and lecturer, Counseling Unit, BRAC University.  

Unfortunately, despite a renewed pledge to build a new Bangladesh, the country is failing the girls, as a safe environment for them is still a pipedream. Low conviction rate in child abuse and rape related cases is a major hurdle in the path to ensuring justice. 

"Proper implementation of the existing laws must be ensured. Many commit such crimes because they have muscle power or are politically connected. This practice of hushing up things must be stopped. If the government is really committed to building a new Bangladesh, it must get tough on the child abusers, without any regard for political identity or connection. The adviser to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs must also commit herself to the cause," said Dr Soma Dey.   

Badabon Sangho, a women's rights organisation, says that in order to ensure safety of the girls by preventing cases of child abuse, the society needs to understand the types and nature of violence, its reporting tools, and the knock-on impacts of sexual abuse on a child's psyche. 

Though informal education on bad touch and good touch is underway in some communities, they are less confident about reporting cases of abuse. Particularly vulnerable households, e.g., girls living with disabilities in many households, don't have additional care mechanisms in place regarding abuse. Community-based response and reporting tools are becoming necessary to reduce the abuse".  

Dr Dey further said, "When a child is subjected to such abuse, their natural growth process gets hampered seriously, jeopardising the very possibility of having a normal life in the future."

When asked about the roles of the family as well as the society to secure a safe atmosphere for the girls, psychosocial counsellor Tasnuva Huque emphasised raising awareness and challenging the generalised idea of safety.  

"First, we need to know if the adults of the families are aware of such vulnerability. Family members — including the parents and close relatives — must have knowledge about things (along with a proper family atmosphere) that are necessary for ensuring sound growth and safety of a child. Many have a perception that a child is safe with an uncle or other close relatives — this is not the definition of safety. This is a very stigmatised and generalised perception of safety. We need to break such stigma," she added.  

"In the meantime, we need to inform the children about good touch and bad touch. Family members should prepare children mentally so that they can help themselves if anyone tries to take advantage. Parents must be approachable; otherwise, if a girl child finds herself in such an embarrassing situation, she will not be able to muster the courage to shout out for help," concluded Tasnuva Huque. 

This article has been produced in association with Badabon Sangho.