Human rights organisations say that surveys never reflect the actual depth of human rights violations. This is because most women do not want to reveal the truth.
Those who work in this sector have said that there has not been a thorough research on the matter.
Human rights organisations say that to sustain the family, both the in laws and parents of a girl advise against speaking out against abuse.
The number of victims who conceal torture for the sake of self respect in society and children, is rising. Statistics by Ain o Salish Kendra ASK, inform that in the last five years, 3587 women were victims of rape and 278 were killed after violation. Of the victims, 86 per cent are children and teenagers between the ages 6 and 12.
The Violence Against Women Survey 2015 by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, BBS, says that almost 80 per cent married women face some sort of violence. But most tolerate abuse, thinking about family honour and social respect.
Half of the abused women take medical treatment while information about the rest is unknown. Women rights workers say that in middle class families such matters are usually hushed up.
Executive director of ASK, Shipa Hafeez, adds: “usually, a work done against a woman’s will is deemed torture but most women do not understand this. She thinks that she has to do as asked because since childhood, she was taught that she would have to listen to the orders of the husband.”
Professor of mass communication and journalism, Dr. Kaberi Gayen, added: “for most middle class women, there’s always the invisible curtain of family respect; therefore, what she will do in the face of torture by husband is also not fixed by her alone. The matter of divorce is also determined through arbitration and deliberation with other.”
Gender adviser of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Banasree Mitra, adds: “there is a tendency among educated women who have studied at the university to show that they are happy and content.”
Violence against women traverses race, class and religion and to address this, work has to be done at homes, she added.
The funds to work for changing attitudes and outlook are inadequate, observed Shipa Hafeez.
In the end, the state has to take initiative to trigger a change in the paternal outlook, she stated.