Child marriage leads to rising incidents of domestic violence, divorce cases

By Our Correspondent,Rukum West, Feb. 8: A boy stalked 17-year-old Poonam (name changed), an 11 grader from Sanibheri Rural Municipality-7 and convinced her to elope with him. Lacking a job and addicted to alcohol, he took her to India, promising a better life. 

Five months later, a Nepali woman in India warned Poonam that she was about to be sold. With the woman’s help, she escaped and arrived in Nepal, only to find that her father had passed away. Poonam is now living with her mother and younger siblings and without income to support the family.

Similarly, Harimaya (name changed), from Aathbiskot Municipality-12, eloped with a boy from another caste while studying in grade seven. After years of hiding, her in-laws accepted her, but her husband later abandoned her for another woman. Pregnant at the time, she gave birth to a daughter and languished at her maternal home before moving to Khalanga for work. She remarried, but her new in-laws rejected her. Forced to return to Khalanga with her children, she now earns a living by doing labour-intensive work.

Poonam and Harimaya are among many girls in Rukum West suffering from child marriage and domestic abuse, leaving them with regret and an uncertain future. "My sisters were unable to pursue their education, but my younger brother is lucky enough to go to school. It is very difficult to manage household expenses, and my mother is constantly worried," said Poonam.

Girls like Poonam who married at an early age and were on the verge of being trafficked are receiving training at Rupantar Nepal in Musikot. 

According to programme coordinator Jharna Khadka, the organisation shelters and imparts income-generating skills to the women affected by violence and human trafficking, with 25 women already benefiting from the programme.

According to the District Police Office, 67 cases of violence against women were reported last fiscal year 2023/24, with 25 cases registered so far this year. Most incidents are informally settled within villages, with only unresolved cases reaching the police.

Inspector Rishi Pathak stated that early marriage often leads to domestic violence and divorce. Mandira Shahi, registrar at Rukum District Court, confirmed that divorce cases were rising, with 120 registered since mid-July this year, including eight related to domestic violence.

Gokarna Khadka, president of the District Network for Ending Child Marriage, attributes issues like violence, divorce and polygamy to child marriage. 

The 2021 National Census shows that 74.3 per cent of marriages in Rukum West involve minors. Lack of education, unemployment, parental negligence and technology misuse are the contributing factors for growing number of child marriages.

Despite this, Musikot, Tribeni and Bafikot municipalities have implemented strategies to combat child marriage. As a result of these initiatives, there has been a gradual reduction in the incidents of child marriages.