➔ Psychological Violence
In a report published on 18 April by the United Nations Human Rights office, it was roughly
estimated that there are over, “40,000 pregnant women and girls among the Rohingya refugee
population (in Bangladesh), and a significant number of these pregnancies are the result of rape.”
It was also urged in the report that the Bangladeshi government must support the victims of
sexual violence suffering in many ways. One of the important challenges that these victims faced
was ‘stigma and unwarranted pregnancies’ as a result of the forced rape. In the process of
testimony collection, and then in the analysis part, one comes to know that the Rohingya women
are silenced not only by rape, but by the fear of rejection from their families, and the absence of
justice. Most of the victims have repeatedly voiced their disappointment over the treatment after
their rape incidents. They are seen as invisible, as though they don't exist in the family or the
society. For instance, as Noor Banu shares in her testimony, “I was dying every day, but no one
cared.” The psychological violence exerted through these acts does not with the acts of rape
violence, it stays in the minds, and futures of the survivors. And in most cases, their life is ruined
and they are unable to reconstruct it.
All survivors reported that local village leaders or authorities (usually Buddhists) refused to
intervene or offer redress. In multiple testimonies, victims described how village bodies or elders
either dismissed their experiences or expressed helplessness in the face of AA dominance. One
testimony recalled being told, “I don’t have the power to make a judgment against the AA.” This
lack of response from local leadership leaves survivors doubly victimized, first by their attackers,
and second by the silence and inaction of those meant to protect them. The implications of this
are far-reaching. Not only are Rohingya women left without formal justice or protection, but they
are also shunned within their own families and communities. Survivors like Noor Banu and
Nojiba Bibi reported that their husbands have changed after the incident. They have been abused
and blamed for the violence inflicted upon them, with husbands accusing them of dishonor and
withdrawing emotional and material support. In many cases, family members refused to offer
even basic care, deepening the isolation and trauma experienced by survivors. In Sakina Bi Bi
(name changed)’s case, although her family wept for her, they could do little to shield her from
the shame that followed. The result is a crushing burden of guilt and loneliness that survivors are
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