How Nepali society silences gender-based violence survivors

Breaking the silence against abuse has been a challenge, especially for ‘urban’ women. Their hesitance can mostly be attributed to lack of support in their immediate circles.

One afternoon a few weeks ago, Jivan Bhattarai, a counsellor at Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) Nepal, got a phone call. At the other end of the line was a distressed woman seeking a way out of an abusive relationship with her husband.