In most cases of violence against women in Bangladesh, the victim knows the perpetrator, yet the perpetrator goes unpunished “through bribery, power and a culture of impunity.” Two NGOs are working to change that. Acid attacks were used to punish younger women who rejected sexual advances or marriages proposals. Attacks have also expanded to other reasons and other populations. Because of public pressure, both the Acid Crime Control and the Acid Control Act were passed in 2002. Also, the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act, passed in 2000, amplifies the penalties existing criminal law. Since March 2007, Odhikar and Action Aid Bangladesh, two NGOs, are educating the public and government officials about the issue of acid burning and sexual assault in addition to organizing collective actions against people who violate the laws.
Compiled from: “Combating Impunity of Another Kind,” The Daily Star, 11 August 2007.