YK Poudel

Haa — After disappearing for five days following a dispute with her husband, 23-year-old Sonam (name changed), a mother of two sons, aged two and four, returned home yesterday.

Her family, including her mother in Rangtse, Gakiling Gewog, Haa, were anxiously waiting for her return, before reporting it to local authorities to locate her.

But this is not the first time she had disappeared without informing.

A victim of domestic violence (DV), every once in a while, Sonam would run away,  in desperation and silent protest, to escape the violence at home. Her life hasn’t been easy.

She shared her story with Kuensel during the sensitization workshop on ‘Disability to Strengthen and Expand the Support Group for Families or Caregivers of Children with Disabilities’, organised by the Ability Bhutan Society (ABS).

Sonam said that she experienced domestic violence after her second marriage three years ago. “I want a peaceful mediation with my husband without affecting our relationship.”

“With two young children, I cannot work to support myself and my family,” she said. “I want my husband to help financially, but he hardly provides the support I need. This has forced me to borrow money just to meet daily expenses.”

Despite her plea for help, she is yet to receive support from authorities. She highlighted the need for better advocacy and support for women suffering from domestic and gender-based violence (GBV).

“If the government invests in helping women facing GBV and DV, it could reduce these issues nationwide,” she said.

In a neighbouring village in Yokha chiwog, another woman facing similar abuse had to flee to Thimphu for safety.

However, the Rangtse ta-nga yokha tshogpa, Sangay Tempa, said that he was not informed of Sonam’s disappearance case.

“Each year, we typically see six to eight cases of domestic violence or gender-based violence, but many cases go unreported,” he said. “When people face problems, they usually turn to the police, but they rarely report them to local government authorities.”

Police records from 2019 to 2024 show minimal reporting of DV and GBV cases, with only three battery cases reported in 2022 and 2023. Despite these low numbers, the police have been proactive in conducting annual awareness programmes to educate the public about laws, services, and available assistance.

According to the police, alcohol consumption is the major contributing factor to these issues, though alcohol use has reduced in recent years.

Phub Om, an administrative assistant for Haa Dzongkhag, who volunteers as the focal point for RENEW-related services in the dzongkhag, said that it is challenging for her to directly reach out to victims in remote areas due to her administrative duties.  “But when cases arise, we provide consultation and legal assistance to help resolve the issues,” she said.

However, Phub Om pointed out that many cases go unreported, which limits the ability of agencies to provide necessary services.

According to the National Health Survey 2024, Bhutanese women aged 20-24 experience the highest rates of GBV by intimate partners.

In 2023, the number of reported GBV cases reached 788, marking a 43.27 percent increase from 2022. This year, GBV cases increased by 55.68 percent compared to the number recorded between 2021 and 2023. In 2021, 507 cases were recorded.

Economic abuse is also a significant issue in this age group, with 8.7 percent of women reporting that their partners restricted their ability to work or earn money. Overall, economic violence was most frequently reported among women aged 20-24, with 8.7 percent experiencing it in their lifetime and 8.1 percent in the past year.

RENEW, a key organisation dedicated to addressing DV and GBV, runs various targeted programmes such as GBV case management, sexual and reproductive health advocacy, awareness campaigns, and programmes engaging men and boys for social change.

Since its inception in 2005, RENEW has assisted hundreds of children, providing educational support, shelter, and a pathway to safety.

From 2019 to 2023, RENEW has helped 928 children across the country. In 2023 alone, 197 students benefited from RENEW’s educational initiatives, and 27 children found permanent shelter at the Gawaling Happy Home in Thimphu.

Since its opening in 2013, the Gawaling Happy Home has sheltered over 1,800 beneficiaries, including 1,098 girls and 292 boys.

RENEW is expanding its emergency shelter services across Bhutan, aiming to provide safety and support to survivors in all 20 dzongkhags. Through collaboration with local communities and volunteers, this initiative seeks to empower survivors, helping them rebuild their lives and contribute to society.

Since 2022, RENEW has also been setting up Community Service Centres in various dzongkhags, with the first three established in Tsirang, Paro, and Bumthang, which report high rates of domestic violence.

As of now, the programme has expanded to 10 dzongkhags, including Trashigang, Dagana, Punakha, Samtse, Chukha, Sarpang, and Zhemgang.

These centres focus on advocacy, awareness creation, and collaboration with local governments to address domestic violence more effectively.

RENEW also partners with civil society organisations and the media under the EU-funded project, managed by Save the Children Bhutan, to advocate for policies that protect vulnerable populations.

This story is supported by RENEW, as a part of the EU-funded project managed by Save the Children Bhutan in collaboration with Bhutan Transparency Initiative and RENEW, under CSO-Media engagement component. To report cases of violence or seek assistance, individuals can contact RENEW at 17126353.