Sexual Harassment Widespread in Rohingya Refugee Camps: Study

 Sexual harassment is the biggest concern for Rohingya women and girls living in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, according to a new study released on Sunday.

The district now shelters about a million Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state after a violent military crackdown. ActionAid, a major nonprofit working in the camps since 2017, carried out 66 in-depth interviews highlighting the severe challenges women and adolescents face.

“Sexual harassment is the biggest issue,” said Tamazer Ahmed, ActionAid’s policy, research, and advocacy manager. The study found that early marriage and polygamy are widespread, and 93% of women surveyed had no access to legal support.

Many reported abuse not only from people they knew but also from members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN), a government security force deployed in the camps. Girls aged 6 to 15 were found to be most vulnerable, especially near toilets, bathing areas, schools, hospitals, distribution centers, and even inside relatives’ homes.

ActionAid said the problems have shifted over the years—from lack of basic necessities in the beginning to systemic issues like sexual violence, trafficking, and exclusion from education today.

The women surveyed called for better lighting in public spaces, replacing APBN officers with army personnel, involving men in prevention efforts, and expanding access to education and livelihoods. However, trust in law enforcement and religious leaders remains very low.

APBN officials denied knowledge of any such allegations. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has seen another 150,000 Rohingya refugees arrive from Myanmar since early 2024.

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