BY A STAFF REPORTER
Kathmandu, Dec. 15: Addressing a seminar on improving coordination between the legal and medical communities to end violence against women organised by Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre (LACC) Health Minister Ram Baran Yadav said that education was the only tool to end violence against women that is rampant in our society. He, however, did not make commitments for government initiations to make the medical professions sensitive to violence victims.
In a 1997 survey conducted by SATHI, an NGO working with domestic violence victims, reveals that 87 per cent of Nepalese women fall victims of domestic violence, 30 per cent are raped while 93 per cent are mentally tortured by their families.
“When rape victims legal help they are revictimised by both medical and legal professional,” said advocate Dr. Shanta Thapaliya. She said that lack of separate family, juvenile and camera courts and insensitivity of law practitioners are frightening the victims from approaching for legal help. She also opined that discriminatory laws, lack of appropriate laws and weak implementing of international laws adopted to end violence against women and minors are violating the victims’ right to legal protection against maltreatment and torture.
Dr. Klaus Wagner of World Health Organisation said that violence against women is an inexcusable crime, therefore they are entitled to legal protection against torture of any kinds.
Representing Nepal Medical Council Dr. Anand Shrestha said lack of knowledge and exposure in medical professionals to medical jurisprudence and forensic science, delayed approach for medical test by victims and social, political and administrative pressure for hasty medical tests of victims are the causes behind vague and inaccurate medical report.