Smash rape culture

Impunity is one of the reasons why sexual violence continues to thrive.

The presumed rape and murder of Bhagrathi Bhatta, a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Baitadi district, has once again brought to light the dismal state of women's safety in Nepal. The Baitadi incident is also a grim reminder that the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta remains unsolved as yet. According to Nepal Police, 2,144 cases of rape and 687 cases of attempted rape were reported in the fiscal year 2019-20. However, since a significant number of survivors do not report such incidents to the police, the actual count could be much higher.