BALEWA, July 8: Over the past decade, as many as 814 individuals from three districts of Dhaulagiri have received services from One-way Crisis Management Center. The center has been providing services to victims of sexual violence from Baglung, Parbat, and Myagdi districts.  

According to Dhaulagiri Hospital, the program initiated by the provincial government and the health ministry for the victims has been very helpful and effective. Most of the victims who come to the hospital to receive the services are females, Devi Bhattarai, chief of the center, said. Out of the total number of victims, 18 males have become victims of sexual violence in the district as well, Bhattarai added.

The center has been providing health and judicial treatment to the victims of sexual violence. “The center provides all kinds of services including psychological counseling, health services to legal remedy but the victims are still in hiding,” Bhattarai said. “Although the numbers of victims arriving at the center has increased compared to the past, the number has decreased again following the enforced lockdown in the district,” she added.

As many as 17 victims of violence had arrived at the center during its first year of operation in 2011, out of which three were males. There are currently 87 people who come to the center to receive their services. 

According to the crisis management center, the number of suicide cases related to violence is very high in the region. The majority of the victims are men and women around the age group of 15 to 19 years old. Also, nine girls aged below 14 have become victims of violence and are receiving services from the crisis center. According to Bhattarai, among the people who come to receive the services, 77 are from Baglung, seven from Parbat, and five are from Myagdi.

 
• Gender-Violence
 
• Dhaulagiri
 
• Nepal