Kathmandu— Rape cases involving girls are occurring at a higher rate than those affecting women in Nepal's Madhes Province, according to data compiled between 2023 and 2025. Police investigating these crimes report that victims include girls as young as ten years old, and even younger. The figures, published by the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), show a total of 630 rape cases recorded in the province during this period, with 331 victims being girls and 299 women.

Rising Numbers and Regional Disparities

The INSEC Human Rights Year Book of Nepal indicates that 100 girls were victims of rape in 2023, increasing to 130 in 2024, before slightly decreasing to 101 in 2025. Comparatively, the number of women victimized rose from 79 in 2023 to 97 in 2024 and then to 123 in 2025. Sarlahi district recorded the highest overall number of cases with 67 girl victims, followed by Saptari (55) and Siraha (53). Among women, Dhanusha saw the most incidents at 97, while Siraha reported 43.

Vulnerability of Younger Girls

The data highlights a particularly acute vulnerability among adolescent girls and those below the age of ten. Stakeholders point to several contributing factors including misuse of social media, lack of comprehensive sex education, insufficient parental oversight, substance abuse, contact with strangers, and various forms of inducement as key drivers behind the increasing number of cases involving young girls.

Social Media and Education Concerns

Human rights activist Rekha Jha emphasized the negative impact of uncontrolled social media use on children. She stated that sexually explicit content available online can affect their psychological development, necessitating regulation and increased parental supervision. “Children need age-appropriate sex education and should be taught about good touch and bad touch, as well as the risks associated with unsafe physical contact,” Jha said. She also stressed the importance of strengthening family roles to provide children with a safe environment, adding that weakening moral education and open communication within families contribute to increased risk.

Systemic Challenges and Prevention Strategies

Raju Paswan, Madhes Province representative of INSEC, noted that ineffective implementation of child rights laws, international commitments, and the tendency to conceal incidents due to social stigma further complicate the problem. He argued that addressing rape cases involving girls requires a holistic approach extending beyond criminal justice, encompassing child protection, education, family responsibility, and social awareness. Paswan stressed the need for effective coordination among families, schools, local governments, police, and communities to prevent these incidents.

Stakeholders acknowledge that reported data likely represents only a portion of the actual problem due to underreporting stemming from social pressures and fear of legal repercussions, underscoring the importance of strengthening safe reporting mechanisms and victim-friendly justice processes.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.