Sexual violence against women is considered a gender specific human rights violation, and is a form of discrimination that continues women‟s subordination and patriarchal structures throughout all levels of society. Recognizing the high number of sexual violence against women, there is increasing emphasis on addressing the rights of women in Bangladesh. Following this, the purpose of this paper is to identify the factors of sexual violence against women in Bangladesh. Moreover, the study outlines the barriers of women to access in the current justice system. Finally, the paper demonstrates the social and psychological impact of the victims of sexual violence. To conduct this study, I have reviewed relevant articles, books, statistics, reports and other related literature situated within the framework of my subject. In order to analyze the data, I employed qualitative methods and thematic analysis techniques and I applied a radical feminists‟ theoretical lens. Among the main findings, the study finds that patriarchal social structure, forced marriage, cultural practice, barriers in access to justice are the main factors of sexual violence in Bangladesh.

Introduction and background

Sexual violence against women and girls is not confined to any icular political or economic system, but it prevalent in every society in the world. It cuts across boundaries of wealth, race, and culture and an expression of historically and culturally specific values and standards which are today still executed through many social and political institutions that stimulate discrimination against women and girls. According to United Nations (2014), up to 7 in ۱۰ women around the world experience physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. Rates of sexual violence are difficult to establish because in many societies sexual violence remains an issue of deep shame for women and often their families. According to the World Health Organization (2014), the proportion of women suffering sexual violence by non – ners after the age of 15 varies from less than 1 percent in Ethiopia and Bangladesh to between 10 and 12 percent in Peru, Samoa and the United Republic of Tanzania. Along with other forms of violence against women, sexual violence against women is a widespread and grave problem in Bangladesh.