After the dreadful incident, the traumatized nun was admitted at a hospital in Siliguri, West Bengal, India. After reviewing the incident and her critical health condition, the Women, Children and Social Welfare Committee of Parliament instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Population to make immediate arrangements for her treatment and relief. Thereafter, the nun was flown to Kathmandu and admitted to Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital for treatment.
At present, the nun is in the safe hand of Arya Tara School in Pharping that is also run by a nun well-known as a singer, Ani Choying Dolma. A story published in Republica on August 26 said the health of the nun was gradually improving.
An article by Surendra Phuyal in Republica (August 9) headlined “Where even a Buddhist nun isn’t spared" raised a serious question regarding the reintegration of the nun in society. It said Nepal’s Buddhist community was debating whether or not the nun should be allowed to remain as a nun. “The big question is this: Will she be reinstated as the Buddhist nun?” The article further noted that though the Nepal’s Buddhist community and Indigenous People Organizations had condemned the attack, they had not voiced for ensuring the reinstallation of the nun at her monastery.
The second news appeared in many newspapers. This was a story about a woman from Rupandehi, a member of Janjagaran Women’s Group in Rupandehi, who committed suicide after being harassed and mistreated by her own colleagues in the group. She was accused of consuming alcohol and creating public disturbances and also accused of having an extramarital affair. She was manhandled by the other women of women’s group who smeared black soot on her face. This incident mentally tortured her and compelled her to commit suicide.
Both of these stories raise serious concern about the dignity of women. It is about the self-esteem of women and their right to live a life with peace and respect, particularly after they have been victims for reasons beyond their control.
In both cases, women were victims of a heinous crime though both were innocent. However, the outcomes in both the cases were against them, rather than otherwise.
Though we proudly claim that we live in the 21st century, often said to be an era of development and modernization, it does not seem to apply to women. Not only do they still have to be victims of crimes such as witchcraft, domestic violence and rape, in many cases they end up suffering more after they have been victims rather than the other way around.
What are being discussed here are two cases that came to public notice. There are many Violence Against Women (VAW) cases that still go unreported. According to the Women´s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC Nepal), an NGO, working on the human rights of women, 22 women have faced various forms of domestic violence within the past three months (Mid-April to Mid-July). Similarly, according to Informal Service Centre (INSEC), an NGO working on human rights issues, in Rautahat District alone there were 12 dowry-related cases where women were victims in the past 15 months.
It is a positive indication to see increased reporting of VAW-related cases. However, the negative side is that the reports suggest an increase in number of violence against women. So, while it is evident that ‘New Nepal’ is not yet safe for women, what is still lagging are actions against those that commit crimes against women.
Today, women do not confine themselves within the four walls of their homes. More and more of them have begun venturing out to work – not only in the country but also abroad. Working outside, women place on themselves additional responsibilities in addition to what they are expected to do at home. When their responsibilities increase, it is not unnatural that they may not be able to meet all the expectations of family members and this can sometimes become reasons for violence against them even within the families (while what is happening outside the households is already there). In a way, many women are becoming more vulnerable to violence.
The understanding of the status of women embedded in the minds of men and women, boys and girls needs to change if Nepali society is to be made more habitable for women.
Again, while men have been the perpetrators in most crimes and violence against women, it was not the case in what happened in Rupandehi district. This was a case where women had a hand in tormenting another member of their own self-help group. This case is one of the rare examples of violence against women by women that came to public notice, while the violence – physical, psychological – that takes place behind the closed doors of private homes is still largely underreported. This case, therefore, seriously compels everyone to think about the whole socialization process in Nepali society, and how the values influenced by patriarchy continue to remain strong. Once they grow up, their values are so much embedded in their mindset that it becomes tough to change.
In a nutshell, though there are many programs being run by different organizations seeking to end VAW, all seem to have fallen a bit short of expectation when it comes to changing mindsets of individuals that make up the New Nepal. The understanding of the status of women embedded in the minds of men and women, boys and girls needs to change if Nepali society is to be made more habitable for women. After all, as equal citizens, they deserve the basic right to live their lives with dignity and peace as it applies to boys and men. We rarely hear stories about men who raped women being forced to leave their villages under social pressure. Is it too much to ask society to allow women victims of rape to at least be given some space to suffer in peace?
rachana_bhattarai@hotmail.com
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