The State of Rape Victim in Bangladesh
Nelufer Yesmen

Incidents of sexual harassment and rape have marked an alarming rise across the country. Rape violently asserts masculinity in a patriarchal society, which assigns women a subordinate position. Rape statistics is revealed by the Government of Bangladesh in every year and recorded by the Police Department. Mainly this study focuses on nature and consequences of rape victimization, their sufferings under criminal justice system and adaptation problems in society. As Descriptive study, content analysis, case studies, and key informant interviews basic methods were used. About 211 rape cases as secondary data and 23 rape cases as primary data were estimated in 2012. Most of victims were unmarried (age between 16-20) and more become victimized by acquaintance person where anger rape committed most (48.3% from newspapers and 100% from cases studies). Refuse of love was main factor for causing rape. Offender arrested rate was low (20.2%). running of trial process were less (44%). Medical test had completed for maximum cases (90.9%).suffering too much under criminal justice system was responsible for not reporting to police. Shame, fear, helplessness, frozen feelings were active as post traumatic situation. Free movement discards and degradation of quality of life arouse for adjustment problems after victimization. Findings were presented basis on objectives and explained by social structural, cultural, and institutional victimization theory. Others supportive theories were used in this study. This study was done for social awareness and improving rape victim situation in Bangladesh. 

Key Words: Rape victim; victimization; nature of rape; sufferings under criminal justice system; adaptation of rape victim; social structural, cultural, and institutional victimization.