FrontierMyanmar/AFP–Mar 2
Officially, rape hardly happens in Myanmar and domestic abuse is non-existent. The reality? Violence against women is so pervasive it is regarded as normal, and as a result woefully underreported, says lawyer and activist Daw Hla Hla Yee. “Domestic abuse in Myanmar is regarded as a family matter and even if it is reported, the police fail to take action,” she explains, adding that many still view it as a normal part of marriage that women must endure.
The UN has warned violence against women and girls is a “silent emergency” in the country, with incidents spanning groping on public transport to trafficking, and has called for a zero-tolerance approach in communities, police, and the justice system. Analysis by the Demographic and Health Survey suggested at least one-fifth of women were abused by a partner in 2016. According to government statistics, there were 1,405 rape cases in 2017, up from 1,110 the year before, around two thirds committed against children. But Hla Hla Yee says these figures are just the tip of the iceberg in the country of 54 million.
Read more at:
https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/no-country-for-young-women-myanmars-battle-against-rape
