A study conducted by the Kathmandu-based Women Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), a community-focused organization advocating for women's rights, health, and social justice, has found that literate and educated women in Nepal experience domestic violence at a significantly higher rate than their illiterate counterparts.

According to WOREC's annual report, Anweshi, 77% of women subjected to domestic violence were literate.

The report, released during the 16-day campaign against violence against women (VAW), analyzed data of 1,393 women, of whom 65.4% (911) faced violence at home. Among these, 77% (1,073) were literate, while 23% (320) were illiterate.

Sunita Mainali, executive director of WOREC, highlighted that the data was collected between July 2023 and June 2024 across all seven provinces in collaboration with human rights defenders.

"The report includes multidimensional analysis and represents cases of domestic violence, though many incidents remain unreported due to political interference and complex legal processes," Mainali stated.

The findings indicate that domestic violence often escalates into social violence and even suicide. It manifests in various forms, including rape, sexual abuse, and harmful traditional practices. -- RSS