Hostname: page-component-669899f699-vbsjw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-25T10:32:55.925Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Addressing the Legal Void: Ensuring Justice for Adult Male Rape Victims in Bangladesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2024

Md. Tanvir Alam Open the ORCID record for Md. Tanvir Alam [Opens in a new window] ,
Ahmad Abbas ,
Iin Mutmainnah  and
Sabrina Afrin Tonny Open the ORCID record for Sabrina Afrin Tonny [Opens in a new window]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The objective of this study is to explore and determine the legal constraints related to adult male rape and the consequences as they exist in the Bangladeshi criminal justice system. Primary and secondary data sources for the study were derived from the narratives of adult male rape survivors, blood relatives of rape survivors, police officers, and legal practitioners. A snowball sampling technique was applied. The study reveals that there is an absence of a police-support response to adult male rape victims, which is attributable to the lack of a gender-neutral definition of rape. This legal definition vacuum diverts complainants to a range of other futile options, such as submitting a general diary and/or adjacent complaints and seeking assistance from other law enforcement agencies. Finally, this study demonstrates that the landscape of the Bangladeshi criminal justice system is likely to remain unchanged until its legal foundation is better developed.

Keywords

adult male rapecriminal justice systemlegal vacuumBangladesh
Type
Article
Information
International Journal of Legal Information , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , Summer 2023 , pp. 105 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by International Association of Law Libraries

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Footnotes

*

© Md. Tanvir Alam 2023. The author holds BPA, MPA, and MPCHRS degrees, and he is a human rights defender and a certified human rights consultant. He is currently serving as an adjunct faculty member at Stamford University Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected].

**

Lecturer of Department Sharia and Islamic Business Economics, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri Majene, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, [email protected].

***

Lecturer of Criminal Law Study, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Law, IAIN Parepare, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, [email protected].

****

Sabrina Afrin Tonny 2023. The author Sabrina Afrin Tonny currently holds BSS and MDS degrees, and serves as a Research Assistant at Liberation War Museum, Dhaka Bangladesh.

References

Amnesty International. “Yemen: Ta'iz Authorities Must Tackle Child Rape and Abuse under Militia Rule,” 2019.Google Scholar
Banwell, Stacy. “Introduction.” Gender and the Violence(s) of War and Armed Conflict: More Dangerous to Be a Woman?, 2020a, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78769-115-520201002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Banwell, Stacy. Gender and the Violence(s) of War and Armed Conflict: More Dangerous to Be a Woman? (United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020b).Google Scholar
Bari, Hussain M Fazlul. “Evolution of the Criminal Justice System in Bangladesh: Colonial Legacies, Trends and Issues.” Commonwealth Law Bulletin 45, no. 1 (January 2, 2019): 25–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050718.2019.1681285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chimhowu, Admos O, Hulme, David, and Munro, Lauchlan T. “The ‘New’ National Development Planning and Global Development Goals: Processes and Partnerships.” World Development 120 (2019): 76–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.03.013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conner, Christopher T. “Aliraza Javaid (2018) Male Rape, Masculinities, and Sexualities: Understanding Policing, and Overcoming Male Sexual Victimisation. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.” International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 9, no. 2 (May 2020): 200–202. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.v9i2.1443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crome, Sarah, and McCabe, Marita P.. “The Impact of Rape on Individual, Interpersonal, and Family Functioning.” Journal of Family Studies 1, no. 1 (1995): 58–70. https://doi.org/10.5172/jfs.1.1.58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, Dr Michelle, Smith, Rhiannon, and Rogers, Dr Paul. “Police Perceptions of Rape as Function of Victim Gender and Sexuality.” The Police Journal 82, no. 1 (2009): 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1350/pojo.2009.82.1.466.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dhakatribune. “Writ Filed to Ban on Exposing Identity of Rape Survivors, Victims.” Bangladesh, 2021. https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2021/01/19/writ-filed-to-ban-exposing-identity-of-rape-survivors.Google Scholar
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Laws of Bangladesh (1860).Google Scholar
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Laws of Bangladesh (1872).Google Scholar
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Laws of Bangladesh (1898).Google Scholar
Greig, Alan. “Sex and the Rights of Man.” IDS Bulletin 37, no. 5 (2006): 84–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1759-5436.2006.tb00307.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hasnath, Syed Abu. “The Practice and Effect of Development Planning in Bangladesh.” Public Administration and Development 7, no. 1 (January 1, 1987): 59–75. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230070105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huda, Taqbir. “What Legal Action Can a Male Rape Victim Take?” The Daily Star, 2019.Google Scholar
Idriss, Mohammad Mazher. “Abused by the Patriarchy: Male Victims, Masculinity, ‘Honor’-Honor-Based Abuse and Forced Marriages.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 37 (2021): 13–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260521997928.Google ScholarPubMed
Islam, Shariful. “An Overview of the Existent Rape Laws in Bangladesh: Need for Urgent Reformation and Change.” Green University Review of Social Sciences 5, no. 2 (2019): 45–60.Google Scholar
Jamel, Joanna, Bull, Ray, and Sheridan, Lorraine. “An Investigation of the Specialist Police Service Provided to Male Rape Survivors.” International Journal of Police Science & Management 10, no. 4 (December 1, 2008): 486–508. https://doi.org/10.1350/ijps.2008.10.4.101.Google Scholar
Javaid, Aliraza. “Police Responses to, and Attitudes towards, Male Rape: Issues and Concerns.” International Journal of Police Science and Management 17, no. 2 (2015): 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461355715580914.Google Scholar
Javaid, Aliraza. “Voluntary Agencies’ Responses to, and Attitudes toward Male Rape: Issues and Concerns.” Sexuality & Culture 20, no. 3 (2016): 731–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-016-9348-z.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Javaid, Aliraza. “Masculinities, Sexualities and Identities: Understanding HIV Positive and HIV Negative Male Rape Victims.” International Sociology 32, no. 3 (2017a): 323–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580917696387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Javaid, Aliraza. “Moving through Shadows: Police, Policing and Male Rape.” International Journal of Human Rights 21, no. 7 (2017b): 1002–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2017.1323737.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Javaid, Aliraza. “Male Rape, Masculinities, and Sexualities.” International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice 52 (2018): 199–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2017.12.003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jewkes, Rachel, Fulu, Emma, Roselli, Tim, and Garcia-Moreno, Claudia. “Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Non-Partner Rape Perpetration: Findings from the UN Multi-Country Cross-Sectional Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific.” The Lancet Global Health 1, no. 4 (2013): 208–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70069-X.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kalish, Rachel. Book Review: Abdullah Khan, N. (2008). Male Rape: The Emergence of a Social and Legal Issue. Hampshire, UK, and New York. Men and Masculinities. Vol. 12. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184x09331748.Google Scholar
Kashem, Mohammed B. “Issues and Challenges of Police Investigative Practices in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study.” In Crime, Criminal Justice, and the Evolving Science of Criminology in South Asia. Palgrave Advances in Criminology and Criminal Justice in Asia, edited by Shahidullah, Shahid M, 273–95. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-50750-1_10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawrence, Meg. “Men Cannot Be Raped: The Systematic Silencing of Male Victims of Sexual Violence in Conflict.” Åbo Akademi University, 2017.Google Scholar
Lennox, Corinne, and Waites, Matthew. Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Commonwealth: Struggles for Decriminalisation and Change. London: University of London Press, 2013. https://doi.org/10.14296/518.9781912250134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mckay, Hollie. “Male Rape Emerging as One of the Most Under-Reported Weapons of War.” Fox News, 2019. https://www.foxnews.com/world/male-rape-emerging-as-one-of-the-most-underreported-weapons-of-todays-wars.Google Scholar
McKeever, Natasha. “Can a Woman Rape a Man and Why Does It Matter?” Criminal Law and Philosophy 13, no. 4 (December 2019): 599–619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11572-018-9485-6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mookherjee, Nayanika. “Mass Rape and the Inscription of Gendered and Racial Domination during the Bangladesh War of 1971 BT - Rape in Wartime.” In Rape in Wartime. Genders and Sexualities in History, edited by Branche, Raphaëlle and Virgili, Fabrice, 67–78. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137283399_5.Google Scholar
Organization, World Health. “WHO ethical and safety recommendations for researching, documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies.” Geneva PP - Geneva: World Health Organization, 2007.Google Scholar
Pathak, Harshad. “Beyond the Binary: Rethinking Gender Neutrality in Indian Rape Law.” Asian Journal of Comparative Law 11, no. 2 (December 2016): 367–97. https://doi.org/10.1017/asjcl.2016.8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patrak, J., and Hedge, B.. The Trauma of Sexual Assault--Treatment, Prevention and Practice. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. New York: Wiley, 2002.Google Scholar
Peelo, Moira, and Soothill, Keith. “Personal Power and Public Control: Sex Crimes and Problem Pages.” The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 33, no. 1 (1994): 10–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2311.1994.tb00791.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rumney, Philip N S. “Gay Male Rape Victims: Law Enforcement, Social Attitudes and Barriers to Recognition.” The International Journal of Human Rights 13, no. 2–3 (June 1, 2009): 233–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642980902758135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sandefur, Rebecca L. “Access to Civil Justice and Race, Class, and Gender Inequality.” Annual Review of Sociology 34, no. 1 (July 7, 2008): 339–58. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.34.040507.134534.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saraswati, Ayu Nanda Anak Agung. “The Discourse of Reservations to CEDAW on Women's Rights in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.” Indonesian Journal of International Law 19, no. 4 (2022): 515–38.Google Scholar
Siddiqi, Dina M. “The Spectral Wound: Sexual Violence, Public Memories and the Bangladesh War of 1971, by Nayanika Mookherjee.” International Feminist Journal of Politics 19, no. 1 (January 2, 2017): 126–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616742.2016.1257337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sircar, Oishik. “Feminist Lawyering, Violence against Women, and the Politics of Law Reform in India: An Interview with Flavia Agnes.” Jindal Global Law Review 11, no. 2 (2020): 365–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41020-021-00133-w.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sivakumaran, Sandesh. “Sexual Violence Against Men in Armed Conflict.” European Journal of International Law - EUR J INT LAW 18 (April 1, 2007): 253–76. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chm013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sjoberg, Laura. Women as Wartime Rapists: Beyond Sensation and Stereotyping. New York University Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814744932.001.0001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stein, Jerrold L. “Peer Educators and Close Friends as Predictors of Male College Students’ Willingness to Prevent Rape.” Journal of College Student Development 48, no. 1 (2007): 75–89. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2007.0008.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
The Business Standard. “Bangladesh Ranks 124th among 139 Countries on Rule of Law Index,” 2021.Google Scholar
United Nations Women. Prevention of Cruelty against Women and Children Act (2000).Google Scholar
Walker, Jayne, Archer, John, and Davies, Michelle. “Effects of Rape on Men: A Descriptive Analysis.” Archives of Sexual Behavior 34, no. 1 (2005): 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-005-1001-0.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed