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Kathmandu Wednesday October 18, 2000 Kartik 02, 2057.
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Benefit of doubt goes to husband ...
Post Report
MUSIKOT, Oct 17 - Women of Rukum district have started filing cases with the
police against their oppressors following the increasing trend of oppression by their male
counterparts against them.
In the past, they used to suffer all the oppressions against them silently
fearing their husband and the society. However, some of the married women are gradually
gaining strength to resist oppression against them as a departure from the traditional
belief that they should tolerate all the excesses committed by their husband.
A number of complaints have been lodged with the police by women,
particularly the wife against the oppression they had been subjected to by their husband.
Dipendra K.C. of Baphikot VDC had committed the crime of polygamy and it was his wife
Sumita who reported the matter to the police. Mohan Lal K.C.of Khalanga VDC-3 had been
harassing his wife under the spell of alcohol and his wife Parvati approached the police
and filed a petition for her protection from her husband. Similarly, the wife of Ganj
Budha of Khalanga-1 was compelled to complain to the police after her husband started
harassing her every day.
In most cases, it is found that women are mistreated and oppressed by their
husband, a police officer said adding, " Women are afraid of complaining against the
oppression due to the fear of their husband. It is necessary to educate them and make them
conscious about these types of oppressions they are subjected to."
Last year a woman of Jumlabang in Bhalakcha VDC-5 openly confronted her
husband when he started drinking all day long and abusing and beating her severely in the
evening. She complained to the police who arrested her husband and warned him to behave
properly with his wife. Since then the woman has not been mistreated and the couple is
leading a peaceful life. The man has recently left for India to earn money. His wife said,
" I felt that my husband was a completely changed man after he was warned by the
police."
People are so conservative that they question the character of their wife and
also expel her if they see her talking to a stranger. A woman of Athbiskot VDC-8 had gone
to the district headquarters to fetch salt with one of her relatives last year. When she
arrived home, she was expelled from the house.
She says, "My husband was ill. Since there was no salt in our home, I
went to the district headquarters to fetch salt with the approval of my husband. There
were also some women friends of the village with me. Once I arrived home, I was driven out
blaming my character and inspite of the heart-rending request from my six-year-old son and
5-year-old daughter not to kick me out of my home."
Similarly, a woman of Sthalakdi was driven out of her home during this
year’s Teej festival for dancing in public. Her husband who was in police service,
had left her one month after their marriage was solemnised. She was eagerly waiting for
him. He arrived home during the Teej festival but she was driven out in the mean time.
"I had been fasting for his long life and happiness even without
drinking water but I was ousted from my home simply because I had danced," she said.
Rojina Malla, who has returned here recently after
completing her studies in the capital says, "It is a great injustice against women to
blame her character immediately after her marriage and to kick her out of her home."
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