At least 245 women and children were raped across the country during the past six months, according to a latest survey report.
A non-government organization in cooperation with the ministry of women’s affairs of Afghanistan has prepared the report following research in Kunduz, Takhar, Jawzjan, Balkh, Sar-e-Pul and Herat provinces.
The report is based on interviews conducted with almost 2,000 people in the named provinces where majority of the rape cases have been reported.
The ministry of women’s affairs of Afghanistan confirms the report is authentic and says that majority of the rape incidents are not reported to police or judiciary institutions and are kept secret due to social issues.
Head of Afghan Women’s Organization, a non-governmental organization which has prepared the report, said around 64 percent of people who were interviewed have said that rape incidents have taken place in their community.
The survey participants have said nearly half of the perpetrators are not tried since they are influential people, while in 40 percent of rape cases the close family members of the victims have been involved.
According to the report, in 65 cases children under the age of 1 year to 13 years have been raped where 25 children have died immediately after they were raped.
The report is released nearly one month after a group of armed men gang raped four women in Paghman district of Kabul while they were returning from a wedding party.
Five of the perpetrators were sentenced to death by the appellate court of Kabul which was welcomed by the residents of Kabul who were demanding immediate execution of the men involved in the incident.
However, the rights activists raised questions regarding the fate of hundreds of perpetrators who are involved in rape cases across the country, specifically sexual assault on children. They urge the relevant institutions to take similar action against the perpetrators in a bid to reduce the sexual violence in the country.
Impunity and warlords and influential individuals support to perpetrators are believed to be the main reason behind growing rape incidents across the country.
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