Examining Spousal Rape and the Gap in Bangladesh

The study explores Bangladesh's legal and sociocultural standards that deviate from global human rights norms with respect to spousal rape scenarios. Bangladesh’s Penal Code of 1860 allows husbands over the age of 13 to be protected from charges of rape. The legal provision is complemented by misogynistic religious doctrines and patriarchal ideology, in addition to seeing women as the property of men that permits marital rape to be considered legitimate at the same time victims are forced into silence. They get subjected to worst forms of injuries in multiple forms, and added to this is social boycott as well as no proper legal representation available at their disposal. The writer stresses the necessity for a nationwide overhaul in law which conforms to international standards - CEDAW and ICCPR. Education and public awareness campaigns also need to be undertaken to eradicate harmful stereotypes of gender, and survivors should have ready access to support services.