This Stuff is Really Happening...

The newspaper here sometimes reads like a science fiction horror novel. In the last two weeks there have been two extremely terrifying news stories about domestic violence and abuse. Two weeks ago, just outside Kathmandu a woman was beaten and left for dead by her in-laws and her husband for getting a job outside of the house. Initially she was abused and mentally ridiculed by her in-laws for not being their first choice for their son to marry. They banished her from the house to a small shack in the back, kept her from her son and gave her no food. After staying in their without any provisions, she got a job to make money to survive. When her husband found out, he and his parents beat her to near death and stashed her body under the living room couch to die. She was barely alive when she was finally found by other relatives and taken to the hospital.

Abuse of wives by in-laws is very common here and cases like this go unreported all the time. Just a few days ago a woman was doused with kerosene by her husband and set on fire. Why? Because she had not produced a male child. Her husband attacked her and set her ablaze with the intention of "punishing" her. She was taken to the hospital, but her body was covered with burns and she died at the hospital shortly after arriving.

This is sickening and people need to know that it is happening here. The villages have very backward practices and domestic violence is a major problem. Women simply do not report their husbands or family members. One, because they are afraid, and two, because there are no laws to protect them or punish those involved. It has been reported that no husband has ever been convicted of a crime against his wife in a court of law. Usually the husband or in-laws are brought to authorities and they sign a piece of paper saying they will never again abuse the woman. It is a joke.

Listen to what authorities had to say about the case of the woman found under the couch- "Even though there is no specific law to deal with domestic violence, culprits can be charged with attempt to murder because they used a weapon, lathi (stick) in this case and left the victim in an unconscious state, " said Superintendent of Police. No laws to deal with abuse by a man upon a woman. It is the reality here.

The man who beat his wife for getting a job represents the mentality of some men towards a woman's role in society. He knows financial independence and freedom leaves him unnecessary and creates confidence so that the woman can leave him, with her child, and use her own resources to survive. That is why it is so important to instill confidence in the women here to take a stand and speak out against the abuse of their human rights. Obviously, the law or the government is not going to protect them. By creating job opportunities and providing sustainable skills training, Global Daughter hopes to reach some of these women and put them on the right path to freedom and give them hope for a better way of life for them and their children.