A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 36-year-old father on January 24, 2025, in Rukum West. The incident came to light after the girl filed a formal complaint at the District Police Office on February 17. The case was initially attempted to be settled. However, the victim approached the authorities despite pressure from multiple sides, even from her mother. Following her complaint, police arrested the accused on the same day. On March 9, the District Court ordered that the accused be remanded in custody for trial. The victim is currently staying with her aunt. The girl is reportedly experiencing mental health issues as a result of the trauma and ongoing social isolation.
A 52-year-old man has been arrested for raping his 12-year-old daughter on June 17, 2025. The victim filed a formal complaint at the District Police Office, Rukum West, on June 24. Following the complaint, police took the accused into custody. On July 21, the District Court ordered the accused to be remanded in custody for trial. The girl, who lost her mother earlier, has an elder sister and a younger brother. After her mother’s death, her father remarried. Following the incident, the stepmother and some locals allegedly attempted to convince the girl to settle the matter. She is now staying at a neighbor’s house, as returning home has become unsafe for her.
Similarly, another 14-year-old girl from Rukum West was raped by her stepfather in India. After her mother remarried, she went there with her mother. Her parents had gone to India for labor work. The girl was raped by her stepfather for two years. When her mother found out, she sent her back to Nepal about a month ago. The girl is currently receiving treatment with the help of a non-governmental organization. However, no complaint has yet been filed with the police.
According to Prema KC, the focal person of the One-stop Crisis Management Center in Rukum West, victims of rape by family members face significant challenges in reintegrating into society compared to those raped by others. Incest rape victims face immense difficulties in rehabilitation. Not only that, but they also encounter numerous obstacles in the judicial process. There are social, political, and other influences at play, which result in the survivors receiving neither family support nor acceptance from society. KC further explained that such incidents are more common after the mother’s death, after the mother remarries, or when the mother goes abroad for employment. She added that most victims of such abuse often refuse to even approach the police.
According to statistics from the District Police Office, Rukum West, from January to July 2025, four cases of rape against girls and two cases of sexual abuse against boys have been registered. Police report that the victims in these cases include girls aged three, nine, and fifteen years. Similarly, those involved in these incidents range in age from a 14-year-old boy to a 60-year-old senior citizen.
On March 28, 2025, police arrested 58-year-old Indra Bahadur Pun from Khaireni, Kalimati Rural Municipality-4, Salyan, on charges of raping three girls aged four, five, and six years on the same day. On April 21, the District Court of Salyan ordered that the accused be sent to prison custody for further investigation.
According to statistics from the District Police Office, Salyan, from January 2025 to July, eight girls have been raped, and one girl has been sexually abused. The victims range in age from three to twelve years. Meanwhile, males aged between 19 and 65 years have been involved in these incidents.
Narayan Subedi, coordinator of the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) Karnali Province Office, informed that 45 girls were raped in Karnali from January to July 2025. He said that women have been becoming unsafe even within their own families and relatives. Every year, the number of incidents against girls is increasing. He further stated that if all three levels of government and non-governmental organizations work collectively, such incidents will be reduced. INSEC has recorded that from January 2020 to July 2025, a total of 325 girls were raped in Karnali Province. Pabitra Shahi, director of Aawaj, an organization working in the women and children sector, says that it is very difficult to reintegrate rape victims into society. People often tend to blame the victims, which further weakens the mental health of the girls. She emphasized that reintegration is the most sensitive issue, and ensuring the victim’s security along with access to health care, counseling, justice, and education should be the responsibility of the state.
In Karnali Province, 353 girls have been victims of rape in the past three fiscal years. According to data from the Karnali Province Police Office, in the fiscal year 2022/2023, 138 girls, in 2023/2024 119 girls, and 2024/2025 96 girls were raped. During this period, 39 girls were raped by relatives, while 314 girls were raped by others.