KATHMANDU, Jan 20: The 2023 Human Rights Violation Index shows no decrease in incidents of violence against women, be it in the form of domestic violence or rape cases. The unabated abuse of women accused of being a witch has been covered in the Human Rights Year Book published by INSEC.

According to INSEC, 5,903 incidents of violence against women were recorded in one year. These include trafficking and transportation, accusations of witchcraft, rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, sexual abuse, maternity services and attempted trafficking and transportation.

According to INSEC, around 149 people lost their lives due to family crime, with about 40 of them being men. “In 2023 alone, husbands killed 109 women,” INSEC Chairman Kundan Aryal wrote in the book. In one year, 45 women fell victim to dowry-related violence.

It seems that seven women were killed because of dowry issues. The book reports 15 incidents of violence in Sarlahi, 10 in Saptari, seven in Dhanusha, six in Kapilvastu, three in Bara, two in Surkhet, one each in Banke, Chitwan, Kaski, Kathmandu, Mahottari, Rautahat, Rupandehi, Sunsari and Syangja.