For 16 days starting November 25, the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed worldwide. Under this year's theme, UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls, The Daily Star will publish a story every alternate day across its pages, tracing how digital and offline abuse shape women's lives in Bangladesh.
Since Sharmin Akter (not her real name), 40, from Gazipur's Kapasia, was married at just 12, she has endured relentless violence and abuse, describing the daily ordeal like "three meals a day".
"What didn't he beat me for? If the rice was too soft, he slapped me; if it was too hard, he punched me…. If I visited my mother's house, he beat me again, often in public. He broke my hand twice; my whole body still carries the marks….
"I didn't know where to go, who could help me, or what I could do. My children were very young. I had no education, no support, and nowhere to turn."
She found the courage to leave only after marrying off her daughter.
"Even then, my husband continued to abuse me psychologically," she said, adding that he issued threats, spread rumours about her, and had followed her to assault her again.
According to the Violence Against Women (VAW) Survey 2024, conducted by BBS and UNFPA, three in every four women in Bangladesh -- 76 percent -- face such violence, yet 51.5 percent still do not know where to report it. Awareness is slightly higher in urban areas (50.7 percent) than rural (47.5 percent).
POLICE MOST KNOWN AUTHORITY
The local police station remains the most recognised authority, cited by 91 percent of women who know where to report.
Much fewer identified other authorities: 32 percent mentioned Union or Upazila Parishads, 13 percent village mediators, and 10 percent courts.
One-Stop Crisis Centres (OCCs) remain largely unknown, with only 2 percent of women aware of them despite operating for decades.
Knowledge of helplines is similarly low. Only 12 percent of women know about MoWCA's 109 helpline, compared with 45 percent aware of 999. Urban women remain far more informed than rural.
Regional gaps persist: Mymensingh reports the highest awareness of 109 (17 percent), while Sylhet records the lowest (10 percent for 109 and 31 percent for 999). Dhaka remains below average for 109 awareness (9 percent) despite higher recognition of 999 (49 percent).
Among survivors, awareness shrinks further: only 9 percent know about 109 and 39 percent about 999. Never-married women are the most informed, while divorced, separated, or widowed women know the least about available services.
Dr Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, told The Daily Star, "Despite the establishment of helplines, police helpdesks and One-Stop Crisis Centres, we have failed to create real pathways for women to access them. We're spending the budget and allocating resources, but if awareness stays this low, it is deeply alarming, and the funds are wasted. Raising awareness must become a top priority."
She said services often operate without long-term planning. "Projects run somehow, but without proper recurring budgets and gender-responsive planning, they cannot improve. We need coordinated planning and real accountability; sporadic activities will not bring change."
Highlighting the reliance on unregulated local mediators, she stressed the need for trained paralegals, sensitised UP chairmen, and a clearer dispute-resolution framework. "Without this, given our caseload and court delays, justice will continue to fail women."
She warned that informal mediation often leads to unsafe settlements, including past cases where survivors were forced to marry their rapists.
WHERE TO TURN
To guide women needing immediate support, The Daily Star consulted police, emergency helplines, MoWCA, and NGOs working on gender-based violence.
Inspector Anwar Sattar of the National Emergency Helpline 999 said the National Emergency Service Guidelines-2020 classify any violence, harassment, or stalking against women and children as an emergency.
"Women, children, or someone reporting on their behalf can call 999," he said.
From January-October 2025, 999 provided emergency support to 26,317 callers under the "Violence Against Women and Children" category. These included 14,928 domestic torture cases, 5,810 assaults by others, 988 rapes, 557 attempted rapes, 793 stalking incidents, 647 homicides, 801 sexual harassment cases, 465 parental torture cases, and 2,798 calls about child marriage.
Anwar noted that services remain fragmented and stressed the need for a single, widely known emergency number.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (Media and Public Relations) AHM Shahadat Hossain said Police Headquarters launched a 24-hour hotline on March 10, 2025, ensuring round-the-clock support for women facing violence or sexual abuse.
For digital threats, the Police Cyber Support for Women offers legal aid and protection, he said.
Meanwhile, MoWCA offers a wide range of services. Dr Prakash Kanti Chowdhury, joint secretary, said the newly launched Quick Response Team provides immediate rescue, medical treatment, psychosocial counselling, legal aid, cyber violence redress, shelter, safe spaces, and security.
The 24-hour toll-free 109 helpline provides rescue, legal and psychosocial support, health referrals, child marriage prevention, and guidance on cyber violence.
Fourteen OCCs offer integrated services including health care, legal support, police coordination, case management, counselling, shelter access, DNA testing, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
National and Regional Trauma Counselling Centres provide psychosocial and community-based counselling, while 67 OCCs at district and upazila levels also provide services.
Dr Prakash added that OCCs will expand to 37 medical college hospitals and 95 district and upazila cells, while the 109 helpline is being strengthened with better staffing and dedicated counsellors to ensure zero call drops.
The ministry, he said, is prioritising prevention through school-, college-, and institution-based interventions, and partnering with the religious affairs ministry to reach madrasas. "Community engagement through social media, content creation, and pocket legal guides will support outreach."
He also noted that District Legal Aid Offices in all 64 districts offer support to women and children facing physical, psychological, sexual, or domestic abuse.
FRONTLINE ORGANISATIONS
With many survivors unsure of where to seek help, frontline legal aid organisations remain essential, offering support women may avoid seeking from police or courts due to stigma or legal complications.
"These organisations guide survivors through legal procedures, represent them in court, and ensure their voices are heard safely," said Advocate Nighat Seema of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association.
"They also offer counselling, shelter, and reintegration support, particularly for rural and vulnerable women who may not know where to turn."
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, through 24 district offices and clinics, provides legal support from lower courts to the Supreme Court, raises awareness, offers legal advice, mediates cases, and pursues public interest litigation, said BLAST Director Mahbuba Akter.
Platforms like Cyber Support for Women and Children, run by BLAST with Cybercrime Awareness Foundation and Naripokkho, enable reporting of online abuse and provide legal, counselling, and referral services.
The Rape Law Reform Coalition -- 17 organisations including ASK, icddr,b, ActionAid, WDDF, Naripokkho, and BLAST -- advocates for rape law reform and provides legal and psychosocial support for survivors.
"When women do not know where to turn, abuse becomes normalised, and breaking that silence requires strong awareness from the state, police, and media," Advocate Seema warned.