UN Report Unveils Gender-Based Violence Against Women Protesters During July Uprising

A fact-finding report by the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has exposed alarming instances of gender-based violence against women protesters during the July uprising last year. The report highlights that women demonstrators faced physical assaults, rape threats, and arbitrary detentions at the hands of Awami League supporters, Chhatra League members, and state security forces.

Systematic Gender-Based Violence

According to the UN report, these actions were aimed at silencing women's activism during the mass protests. Women were subjected to targeted assaults designed to humiliate them based on their gender.

"Assaults on female protesters often targeted specific body parts such as the face, chest, pelvis, and buttocks. The perpetrators sought not only to inflict pain but also to humiliate and degrade women specifically because of their gender," the report stated.

These attacks were often accompanied by gender-based insults, with victims being labelled as "whores," "sluts," and "prostitutes."

In one particularly shocking incident in early August in Dhaka, a woman carrying a Bangladeshi flag was apprehended by a group of men armed with bamboo sticks. They searched her belongings, tore her hair, ripped her shirt, and groped her while hurling sexualized insults.

In another case in July, two Chhatra League supporters allegedly threatened to rape a female protester, her mother, and all the women in her family before physically assaulting her with sexually explicit remarks.

Targeting of Female Students and Journalists

The report documents multiple instances of violence against female protesters across Dhaka, Cumilla, Savar, Sylhet, and Rangpur.

Female students from Dhaka University and Eden Mohila College were particularly targeted. On July 14, Chhatra League supporters poured hot water on female students from Eden Mohila College as they attempted to join protests at DU. The following day, a group of around 50 BCL supporters, both male and female, attacked Eden College women preparing for a demonstration. One victim was severely beaten and later attacked again while receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

On August 4, two female journalists documenting protests in Shahbagh were threatened with violence by Awami League supporters, highlighting the dangers faced by reporters covering the unrest.

Abuse in Detention and Block Raids

The report also details the mistreatment of female detainees, particularly at the Detective Branch headquarters on Minto Road. Five women arrested for attempting to join a protest were beaten with sticks at a police station in Dhaka, resulting in severe bruising and bleeding. One senior officer reportedly took pleasure in beating a woman and instructed others to do the same.

When another woman begged for mercy, a police officer allegedly threatened to kill her by putting a gun in her mouth before proceeding to beat her.

During block raids, while the majority of detainees were men, law enforcement started arresting women from July 23 onwards after many men fled their areas fearing arrest.

Aftermath: Revenge Violence Against Women

Following the fall of the Awami League government, the report highlights acts of revenge violence, including sexual assaults against women from minority religious and indigenous communities.

In one case, a woman who supported the previous government was intercepted by two men who insulted her with sexual remarks, grabbed her dress, slapped her, and punched her chest. A few days later, she was encircled by attackers who ripped her clothes, groped, and ultimately raped her. She was later denied medical care at a hospital due to her political affiliation.

The OHCHR states that the true scale of sexual and gender-based violence during the uprising is likely far greater than what has been documented. While women's formal participation in political decision-making has improved, they continue to face significant gender stereotyping and discrimination in public life.

Call for Investigations and Systemic Change

The report calls for in-depth, gender-sensitive investigations to uncover the full scope of these violations and provide victims with necessary support. It also recommends that sexual and gender-based violence be a primary focus of further inquiries.

Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, stated, "The politics that prevails in our country is centered around strengthening political parties by any means. Whenever a party is in power, they engage in a cycle of revenge to consolidate their strength. This has perpetuated a culture of retaliatory politics."

"Violence against women protesters has been happening over the past 50 years because we have failed to break free from this culture. This is why we witnessed the same pattern of violence against women during the protests before August 5, and it continues even after August 5."

She concluded, "To end this cycle, we must move away from this revenge-driven political culture."