Violence Women Endure in Silence

A few days ago, I came across a post in a women’s Facebook group. A woman was discussing something she had never shared before. Her husband had been putting pressure on her during sexual activities since the beginning of their marriage. He even demanded intimacy when she was sick. She had no power to resist it. I started reading the comments on that Facebook post. Many women began sharing their own stories. Many of them said that they experienced similar things in their lives. I was frustrated after reading those comments. The women in that Facebook group explained the reasons behind this. They do not say anything in protest after experiencing this type of violence in order to protect their family reputation. They remain silent for the benefit of their children. They have also been taught since childhood that a husband and wife’s relationship is private, and that talking about it in public is inappropriate. UNFPA published a report in 2025 claiming that almost 70 per cent of Bangladeshi women had experienced intimate partner violence at some point in their lives.
What those women’s spouses did to them is not against Bangladeshi law. Marital rape is not prohibited in Bangladesh. If a husband forces his wife to have sex against her will, the law does not consider it rape. Rather, it considers it part of marriage. Bangladesh is still one of countries that do not criminalise marital rape (UK Home Office Country Policy Report on Bangladesh, 2024). The country has been repeatedly encouraged by the UN to take this action, but nothing has happened. When the law communicates this message, it does not simply fail to protect women. It also allows perpetrators to feel they have done nothing wrong. Additionally, it makes victims feel that their suffering is irrelevant.
Many women expressed their opinions about their husbands' behaviour in the comment section using language that suggested they were not completely certain whether it was right or wrong. This is how violence is normalised through thousands of quiet instances rather than a single dramatic one. UNFPA Violence Against Women Survey, Bangladesh, 2025 mentioned that 64% of victims do not inform anyone, for reasons beyond simple fear. This is because many people do not believe they have anything significant to share. 
So, it appears logical that marital rape should be criminalised. This is not a Western import. The basic question is whether a woman's body belongs to her or to her spouse. Beyond the law, however, we have to change the lessons we pass on to our daughters. Our families are not threatened by a woman who is capable of saying no to everyone. There were no complaints from those women. However, at least they were speaking the truth in a cautious and anonymous manner. Listening is the least we can do.

The writer is a scholar at Minnesota State University, Mankato, US