Psychological violence against women demands legal action

The latest Violence Against Women (VAW) Survey 2024 lays bare a truth too often dismissed: coercive control—an insidious form of psychological violence—shadows the lives of a vast majority of Bangladeshi women. Of the 27,476 women surveyed nationwide, 68 percent of those who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) reported controlling behaviour. The figure climbs to 71.1 percent among divorced, separated, or widowed women. This form of abuse is rarely harmless, as it is frequently the first step towards physical assault, economic deprivation, sexual coercion, or even femicide.

Such control by husbands and other male figures in the household transcends class, income, and geography—from villages to Dhaka's middle-class neighbourhoods. Nearly 40 percent of women still need permission to seek healthcare; 29 percent endure in-law-related mistreatment; one in four is insulted through attacks on her parents; and 15 percent is barred from simple recreation. Other coercive control includes monitoring phones and social media, blocking access to education or work, demanding constant updates on whereabouts, or enforcing clothing rules. These are not "domestic matters" but systematic erosions of freedom. Prevalence is even higher in disaster-prone regions (73.2 percent) and among urban areas outside city corporations (70.4 percent). Younger women face the greatest risk, with nearly 60 percent of girls aged 15-19 currently experiencing such control. The urgency of the problem is reflected in the 19,584 calls to the national helpline in the first eight months, most linked to psychological abuse.

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The violence that separates us

Experts trace this violence to the normalisation of patriarchal dominance, often masked as care, honour, or concern. Many women do not even recognise such behaviour as violence until years later, when it escalates into something unbearable. Although the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2010, identifies controlling behaviour as psychological abuse, enforcement remains negligible. Lawyers, social workers, and even courts often lack awareness of its provisions, leading to misfiled cases and no meaningful redress. Meanwhile, the state's support systems remain painfully inadequate, with victim support centres permitting only five-day stays that leave survivors without shelter, income, or long-term security.

Confronting this silent epidemic demands urgent, systemic reform. Psychological abuse must be explicitly recognised within the law, supported by clear evidentiary standards. A coordinated national response is essential—encompassing mandatory training for law enforcers, state-funded long-term shelters, and accessible complaint mechanisms at ward and upazila levels. Equally vital is early education on gender equality to dismantle the belief that women exist to be controlled. Recognising coercive control as violence and acting decisively to prevent it must become a national priority.