A recent survey reveals that 75.9% of women in Bangladesh have experienced some form of violence at least once in their lifetime. The prevalence is 76% in rural areas and 75.6% in urban areas. Among the divisions, Barishal records the highest rate of violence against women at 81.5%, while Sylhet has the lowest at 72.1%. The rate of sexual violence is also highest in Barishal at 35.7%, surpassing the national average of 29%.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Bangladesh, published the findings of the Violence Against Women Survey 2024 on Thursday (February 27) during an official event.
Key Findings
This is the third nationwide survey on violence against women, following previous studies in 2011 and 2015. The report presents a comprehensive and contemporary overview of the nature, extent, and impact of gender-based violence in Bangladesh.
According to the survey:
Chattogram follows Barishal with a sexual violence rate of 34.1%.
Other divisions report the following rates:
- Khulna: 29.9%
- Dhaka: 27.8%
- Rajshahi: 27.2%
- Mymensingh: 23%
- Rangpur: 26.6%
- Sylhet: 28.2%
The data shows a small difference between urban and rural areas, with 31.1% of urban women and 28% of rural women facing sexual violence.
Recent Trends
Over the past 12 months, Barishal recorded the highest rate of sexual violence. Nationally, 9.4% of women faced sexual violence last month, but the rate was significantly higher in Barishal (13.2%) and Chattogram (11.2%).
The past 12 months saw the following rates of sexual violence across divisions:
- Dhaka: 8.7%
- Khulna: 9.1%
- Mymensingh: 7.6%
- Rajshahi: 7.8%
- Rangpur: 9.1%
- Sylhet: 10.7%
Additionally, in the last 12 months, 8.9% of rural women and 10.5% of urban women reported experiencing sexual violence.