Three hundred and fifty victims of domestic violence visited the RENEW office in Thimphu, this year alone. Of that, 330 were women. This was revealed as Bhutan marked the International day for the elimination of violence against women today. The day was marked in Genekha Gewog in Thimphu with a theme ‘responding to end violence against women.’
According to RENEW, the vast majority of the victims of domestic violence are aged between 20-30. A little more than a 100 clients in this age group availed themselves of RENEW’s services this year.
RENEW says domestic violence against women continues to be a growing concern.
“A volunteer would be seeing a client a day. Except for complicated and complex cases, most of the cases get settled in the community. Mostly, we have battered case and various abuse cases. We have economic, physical, mantel and psychological abuse,” said RENEW Volunteer, Dolma.
Speaking at the event organised to mark the day, Works and Human Settlement Minister, Dorji Choden said domestic violence should not be treated as an internal family matter. The issue, Lyonpo said, requires broader attention.
“We cannot leave domestic violence unattended. It doesn’t go along with the country’s development philosophy of GNH. The government, nongovernmental organizations and the people must work collectively towards the elimination of violence against women.”
Some of the women, who were at the event, said women often, suffer silently. And that some have no idea where and who to seek help from.
According to RENEW, the highest cases of domestic violence was received from Samtse followed by Trashigang.
