Bangladesh Church backs move to help male rape victims
High Court petition seeks to widen scope of rape victims to include men, children and transgender people
By Stephan Uttom, Dhaka Published: April 12, 2022 05:01 AM GMTChurch officials in Bangladesh have welcomed the Muslim-majority nation’s top court seeking to amend a law that blocks justice for male rape victims as it considers only women as rape victims.
The High Court on April 10 issued a ruling asking why gender equality should not be declared in rape cases.
Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Miah and Justice Khizir Hayat wanted to know why Section 375 of the penal code regarding rape could not be amended.
On Jan. 14, 2021, a writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking to amend Section 375 to include male rape as a crime. Barrister Tapas Kanti Baul filed the petition on behalf of human rights activist Soumen Bhowmik, university lecturer Tasmia Nuhaiya Ahmed and social worker Masum Billah.
Section 375 deals only with the punishment of rape of women by men. Yet women are being sexually harassed by other women, men by women, men by other men and transgender people by other transgender people. But these situations are not covered by the law and its provisions.
Cases of sexual abuse and rape of children of both sexes have increased significantly in Bangladesh but such cases cannot be dealt with as rape under existing laws and provisions, the petition observed.
“There are many men I know who are victims of sexual harassment but they can’t seek justice because there is no relevant law”
According to Dhaka-based rights group Ain O Salish Kendra (Law and Arbitration Center), there were 20 recorded cases of boys being raped in 2017, seven in 2018, 37 in 2019, 52 in 2020 and 78 in 2021. However, the rights group noted, the actual number of such incidents is many times higher than the number published in newspapers.
A 19-year-old university student who did not want to be named told UCA News that he had been sexually abused by an established and respected member of society when he was younger.
“I was about 10 years old then. When I went out to play with friends, the person called me in and I now realize what he did to me was sexual abuse,” the Catholic youth said.
“I welcome this High Court writ because there is no point in seeking justice if there is no direct law to ensure justice is done.”
Church authorities likewise welcomed the High Court order but said the amendment would not make it difficult for women to access justice.
“In the current context, the amendment of this law is very important because cases of male sexual harassment are increasing in the country. There are many men I know who are victims of sexual harassment but they can’t seek justice because there is no relevant law,” said Rita Roseline Costa, head of the women’s desk of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh.
“We applaud gender equality by amending this law but at the same time we have to ensure that justice for women does not face obstacles. “
