Pseudo-Justice Is Not The Solution: Marriage As A Cover-up For Rape Is A Complete Injustice

Rina (pseudonym) was 15, going to school, playing with her friends, and living her life like any other 15-year-old. But one night changed her life—not just because she was raped, but because weeks later, her family, pressured by whispers of honour and shame, arranged her marriage to the very man who assaulted her who was twice her age! She wore red Benarasi, not out of choice, but out of fear.

In villages across Bangladesh, stories like hers are not rare—they are routine. And they reveal a terrifying truth: when marriage is used to “settle” rape, justice is not just denied—it is reversed. This deeply disturbing trend has become a shortcut to communal happiness and continues to persist under the guise of “justice”—rape survivors being married off to their accused rapists. This practice not only strips survivors of their rights but also reinforces a culture where sexual violence is normalised and excused.

According to a report by Prothom Alo, between 2002 and 2011, at least 20 rape survivors were married to the men they accused of raping them. Among these, 11 marriages ended due to physical and mental abuse. One girl remained married but suffered ongoing violence. The rest could not be tracked, but none were described as successful. More recently, eight survivors interviewed by Prothom Alo between 2020 and 2024 shared similar experiences—none were able to build a stable family life, and many struggled to get legal recognition for children born as a result of the rape.

In the most tragic instance, one of these survivors was murdered by the man she was forced to marry.

Why Is This Still Happening?

Families often agree to these so-called “solutions” out of fear of social stigma, especially in cases where a young girl becomes pregnant due to rape. In some instances, such marriages have even been approved by courts. One notable example is that of singer Mainul Ahsan Noble, who was arrested on rape charges in 2024 and later married the survivor in court with magistrate permission.

This disturbing trend raises critical questions:
➡ Are we silently accepting marriage as a form of legal escape for rapists?
➡ Does this practice not amount to institutional complicity in silencing victims?

“Rape is a criminal offence, and rapists must face due punishment under the law—not be rewarded with marriage.”

The Legal and SRHR Implications

Under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, rape is a non-compoundable offence—it cannot be settled outside the court. Yet, informal village arbitrations and family negotiations continue to bypass this law, often forcing survivors into a lifetime of trauma.

From an SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) lens, these marriages are deeply harmful:

• Survivors are denied bodily autonomy and legal remedies.

• They face further sexual violence, often without any recognition of marital rape.

• Children born from rape are often not legally recognised, worsening the survivor’s vulnerability.

The Way Forward

Bangladesh has made progress in reproductive health access and education, but no progress is meaningful if the justice system continues to allow rapists to walk free through a marriage certificate.

This is not just about law enforcement — it’s about changing societal mindsets, ensuring justice mechanisms are survivor-centered, and reinforcing that rape is a punishable crime, not a marriage proposal.

Justice cannot be negotiated through a marriage contract. When survivors are married to their rapists, we are not protecting them — we are sentencing them to lifelong trauma. It’s time we ask ourselves: whose honour are we really protecting? The survivor’s, or the criminal’s? If laws are bypassed by silence, and courts turn into wedding venues, what does that say about our collective conscience? Bangladesh must choose — between appeasing stigma, or standing firmly for justice, dignity, and the right to say: no means no — in every language, under every roof.

Source: The Daily Star