Studies show that rape is the least reported crime. In most cases, it goes unreported because rapist, according to experts, could be someone you know and trust, which makes it even more difficult for victims.
“I was raped repeatedly every night by my own father and brother. I did not share this to my mother although I felt she knew what was happening,” said one of the victims. She said this was the reason why she started abusing drugs. “I could find solace in them since I did not trust anyone at home.”
There are many such stories which go unreported. Rape is one of the heinous crimes which still remain under-reported in most of the countries.
Katherine Cross, an Attorney by profession and who has also worked as an Executive Director of a rape crisis center in the US said sexual violence and particularly rape is a sensitive issue that victims speak less about. She said this makes even more difficult when victims get raped by a person they know and trust.
Although there are no statistics on crime that have been reported by Bhutan Police to the United Nations, United States State Department asserts there is relatively little crime in Bhutan.
But Statistics are not considered reliable.
Tshering Dolkar, the Counselling Director of RENEW said because most of the cases happens within the closed door and most of the perpetrators are someone known to the victim, the cases do not get reported.
Between 2011 and 2012, about hundred cases of sexual and physical assaults were recorded in the country. But only 19 cases were dealt by RENEW, which were mostly incest, between 2008 and 2011. Of this, 99 percent or almost all the victims seemed to know their rapist.
