Domestic Violence Against Women: How much it Costs to the Bangladesh Society

A study completed under COVAW, CARE-B

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Summery
Womens vulnerability is all-pervasive and endemic in a society like Bangladesh where age old
patriarchal social structure is accompanied by the prevalence of high level of economic and social
poverty. Women vulnerability is reflected in their confinement within the homestead, lack of
mobility in the public space, womens early marriage, high incidence of the practice of dowry
taking from the brides family etc. Women have weak protection socially and legally in the event of
break-up of marriages. They face high level of social vulnerability such as losing honour, high
degree of divorce and abandonment (15 percent of all rural households are single-female
headed), etc. and easily fall into poverty and into the trap of trafficking. However, the worst form
of vulnerability is reflected in terms of violence against women (VAW) both in the household and
in public space).

Violence against women can be basically of two forms. One is domestic or family violence where
the family members are committing the violence. And the second is the public space violence
where outsiders are committing the violence. When violence takes place in a public places, the
perpetrators are outsiders and in such situation family becomes a place of shelter and protection.
However, when domestic or family violence takes place the perpetrators are members of the
family and the victims have no place of safety. Therefore, women are much more vulnerable in
domestic violence situations then the violence takes place in public place.

This study has attempted to calculate cost of domestic violence against women in two areas such
as direct monetary cost and time cost at individual and family level. Direct monetary cost and time
costs are chosen as these costs are directly experienced by the community, and can be
measured in a less stringent way.

To capture the grassroots realities with respect to domestic violence against women it was
necessary to collect information and data from primary source. In this respect conducting a
household survey was considered the best way to collect information and data. Our target was
surveying 500 rural households from low income population where domestic violence took place.
This study took place in Sunamganj, Dinajpur, and Tangail under COVAW.

In calculating cost to the individuals and families four categories of cost were differentiated both
for the victims and perpetrators. These are as follows:
a) Direct monetary cost (medical cost, transportation cost of arbitration and litigation) related
to the victims and members of the family of members
b) Direct monetary cost to the Perpetrators Family
c) Time cost (Opportunity costs) of the perpetrators family in terms of loss of income
d) Time cost (Opportunity costs) in terms of loss of income and productivity of the victims
and the members of the victims family

Findings:

A total of 483 case was analyzed out of 500 sample size. 17 cases were dropped because of data
inconsistency. Thus cost is captured at the individual and at the family level both for victim and
perpetrators.

Direct monetary cost involves first, displacement cost i.e. cost of leaving husbands home. This
action caused expenditure which is captured in this category; secondly, there is medical cost for
treating the immediate physical injury and also long-term injuries caused by the act of violence;
thirdly, there is medical cost for treating the family members who got injured because they got
involved in the feud; fourthly, there is cost related arranging Shalish at the local level to mitigate
and resolve the issues that caused the violence; fifthly, in case the victims family filled a case in
the family court to settle the issues that caused the violence; sixthly, other cost related to going to
family court (court fees, purchase of forms etc).; and finally, in case the victims family went to
criminal court for getting justice they also spend money.

The total expense for a sample size of 483 families for three districts came out to be Taka (1
dollar = 68 taka) 57.8 lac, which implies an average cost of Taka 11.9 thousand per family. The
total cost of leaving husband house was Taka 4.1 lac which imply an average cost of taka 847.00.
Total cost related to medical treatment of victims was 14.3 lac, which implies an average cost of
Taka 2009. Total cost related to medical treatment of family members who got injured because
they got involved during the act of violence or were became victims of revenge was Taka 5.1 lac
which means an average cost of Taka one thousand.

In many cases of violence the local arbitration body (Shalish) is the first stop in resolving family
violence. The members of such Shalish are usually consist of well-respected members of the
community. The members of such a Shalish work on a voluntary basis but there can be cost for
providing transportation, food etc. Total cost of holding Shalish for the victims families was Taka
9.2 lac, which is an average cost of Taka two thousand.

Cost of food and transportation to attend the court is one of the main sources of expenditure. The
victim and the family needs to make repeated visits to the court. Often victim is accompanied by
two or three members of the family. Thus food and transportation becomes main sources of
expenditure in terms of total expenses related to lower court. Total cost related to cost of food and
transport to attend court is Taka 10.7 lac which imply an average cost of Taka two thousand and
two hundred.

Cost of violence is not specific to the families of the victims only. The families of perpetrators also
incur various costs. The perpetrators of violence can get injured leading to medical expense. As
perpetrators of crime they often try to hide the truth and in the process ends up paying bribe at
different law enforcing agents. However, because our survey took place only with the victims
family it was not possible to capture various costs that perpetrators family had to incur. We asked
the victims family some questions on the basis of which some cost items applicable to the
perpetrator and his families could be captured.

Total costs to the perpetrators family mainly consist of three components. Often after the
incidence of violence, particularly in cases of serious violence, the perpetrators go in hiding. This
cost them money in terms of transportation, food and lodging. The total cost for hiding came out
to be Taka 5.7 lac, which implies an average cost of little less than one thousand two hundred.
The second category of expenditure is regarding organizing Shalish. The total cost for this
purpose is Taka 5.9 lac, which implies an average cost of little over Taka one thousand and two
hundred. The third category of cost is amount paid as monetary penalty paid to the victims. The
total fine paid by the perpetrators family is Taka 38.5 lac, which amounts to an average of Taka
little under taka eight thousand.

The sources of loss of income for the perpetrators family are divided into three categories (i) work
loss due to permanent physical injury of the victim and family members of the victim; (ii) Work day
loss because members of the family has to attend the family court; and (iii) Work day loss
because member of the family has to attend the criminal court. Income losses captured are from
two reasons. One source of income loss is because of hiding which usually takes place after the
incidence of violence. Second source of income loss is when some the perpetrators were
punished with imprisonment or jail sentenced.

The direct monetary costs and time cost for the victims, family members of victims, perpetrators,
family members of perpetuator constitutes the total cost of domestic violence in this study.
It must be pointed out clearly that calculation of costs of domestic violence against women lead to
an underestimation. There are at least three reasons why these estimations are likely to be
underestimated. First, by definition it is difficult to tangibly identify and capture all kinds of costs of
violence. Secondly, we based our national calculation on the basis of cost that takes place in the
rural areas. This is expected to be less compare to the urban areas. And thirdly, we also assumed
on average that only 25 percent of the families experiences violence. This number is lower than it
is perceived to be.

Linking the study findings with the calculation of National Costs of Domestic Violence
against Women in GDP

In calculating national cost of domestic violence we start with the following facts and
assumptions:
First fact is that Bangladesh has a population of 145 million or 14.5 crore
Second fact is that the average size of the family in Bangladesh is around 5
First assumption is that on average domestic violence took place in 25 percent of the
families. Other studies indicate that this number could be as high 30 to 40 percent 1.
However, in line with the general strategy to make conservative estimation the study
assumed a lower number.

In terms of percentage it comes out to be 1.18 percent of GDP from direct monetary cost. It is
about 0.87 percent of the GDP from time cost. The combined cost of violence to the nation and it
is in the amount of Taka 14,084.56 million, which is about 2.05 percent of the GDP. This amount
is almost equal to the total government expenditure for the annual health and the nutrition sector.

This cost at the family level could be used for various other purposes which would bring improved
welfare to the families. Thus 2 percent of GDP per annum is totally wasted for such a social evil.
This estimation of cost only indicates what it cost to the society (nation) only at the family level. To
get a meaning full estimate of national cost of violence against women we need also to estimate
all the expenses that is undertaken by the government and the civil society to mitigate violence
against women.

1
A study carried out among 4,051 households between 2000 and 2004 both in urban and
rural areas of Bangladesh shows that on average 41 percent of women have been physically
abused by their husband Naved et al. (2006).