KATHMANDU, June 7: A study report has revealed that Dalit women faced various kinds of violence because of inter-caste marriage.
Tilak Biswokarma, the head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Tribhuvan University conducted the study on ‘Violence against Dalit women because of inter-caste marriage’. The study highlighted that Dalit women face both physical and mental abuse. The study report, which was carried out in collaboration with the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) was publicized on Tuesday.
According to the report, 71.7 percent women have faced threats and 70.8 percent of women have faced verbal abuse in public because of inter-caste marriage. Among the 120 women who participated in the study, 86 women said they faced threats and harassment.
The report mentions that people who engage in inter-caste marriages are subjected to various forms of abuses including false charges on various pretexts. According to the statistics, 29.8 percent of women have had to face various kinds of charges due to the marriage between Dalit and non-Dalit individuals. According to the data, 39.2 percent of couples faced physical assault.
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The report outlines the challenges faced by women in inter-caste marriages such as difficulties in establishing marital relationships due to family pressure, sexual assault under the pretext of premarital relationships, misbehaving by neighbors, mental violence, character assassination, domestic violence, abuse and insults, murder, suicide among others.
Additionally, women in inter-caste marriages have been deprived of the non-Dalit men’s ancestral property, and inheritance, resulting in financial crises. Additionally, they also experience problems related to the lack of significant job opportunities due to inter-caste marriages, along with issues concerning personal freedom.
According to the report, inter-caste marriages affect not only Dalit women but also their children. Issues such as difficulties in obtaining birth certificates and school enrollment for children, a sense of inferiority and hopelessness among children, along with the deprivation of motherly and fatherly love and the government-provided service facilities are other problems faced by such couples.
During the study, a total of 120 couples and experts were interviewed. The study area included seven districts across the nation such as Kaski, Surkhet, Dailekh, Kanchanpur, Siraha, Rautahat and Banke.
The report suggested that the government should make arrangements for the protection of couples who have faced displacement after inter-caste marriage.
The report suggests establishing Dalit cells in every police station and women's cell, arranging accommodation for displaced couples, organizing income-generating programs to promote economic self-sufficiency, and to reduce cases against children by setting the age limit of marriage.
Bishwokarma said that the support and participation of political parties is necessary for the movement against caste-based discrimination. According to statistics, Nepal Police received a total of 21,387 reported incidents in 2021, with 21,681 incidents involving women and children. Of these, 2,681 incidents specifically targeted Dalit women and children.
