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The word ‘rape’ is being removed from the Prevention of Abuse of Women and Children Act. The Standing Parliamentary Committee of the Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs recommended replacing the word “rape” with “rape” in the law. The report of the parliamentary commission was presented in the National Assembly on Monday.
The president had issued an ordinance on October 13 amending the Law on the Prevention of Abuse of Women and Children with the death penalty as the maximum punishment for rape. According to the constitution, after the ordinance is issued, it must be presented in the first session of parliament. Then it has to become law.
On November 8, the amendment to the Law for the Suppression of Abuse of Women and Children was adopted in the National Assembly. It was sent to the parliamentary committee for review and report. The chairman of the parliamentary commission, Meher Afroz, presented a report on the bill in Parliament today. In it, it has been recommended to delete the word ‘rape’ in some places, including section 9 (2) of the original law, and replace it with the word ‘rape victim’. The amendments tabled by the parliamentary committee are generally accepted.
It should be noted that despite the word ‘rape’ in the law, activists from the women’s movement opposed the word. They have been talking about using the word “rape victim.” According to Prothom Alo’s feminist policy, the word “rape victim” is used in place of the word “rape” in print newspapers and online editions.
