Ms. Rai, 41, of Kerun VDC of Morang district had been continuously facing domestic violence from her husband since her marriage in January 2012. She tolerated it as much as she could as nobody was there to speak to her favour. She had lost her parents long time back and and didn’t have any children from her first husband. After the death of her first husband, she was engulfed by loneliness. So she got re-married to Mr. Rai, a widow from Kerun and started to live with him in Morang district. Mr. Rai is a drunkard who physically and verbally abused her without any reason. He didn’t have any job and he made their living by selling her ornaments worth NRs. 200,000, which she had brought with her. In August 2013, he came to home with a newly married wife and started to beat Ms. Rai violently till she got unconscious. However, she could save her life – thanks to her neighbours. Afraid, she then came back to Kathmandu, took a room on rent at Chhauni, Kathmandu and started to work at a hotel to make her living.
The owner of the hotel also happened to hail from the same district originally. When he heard about her story, he took her to file a case of polygamy at Kathmandu Metropolitan Office at the end of December 2013. The case was then referred to Morang District Police Office before being referred to the CeLRRd.
On 3rd January 2014, her case was registered at CeLRRd however a legal problem was there since, as per the Nepalese law, victim has to file a case on polygamy within three months following her acknowledgement and confirmation of husband’s polygamous status. After consultation with concerned police officer, her husband was called to police station for mediation. Ms. Rai wanted to have divorce from her husband with property and NRs 200,000 of her ornaments that he had sold. Mr. Rai, however, disagreed with her idea saying that he didn’t have any property with him, so he couldn’t give it to her and that he wouldn’t pay her the amount of ornaments as he had spent it for both of their living. He further added that if she would live with her he would look over her expenses and if she wanted to have divorce he would give it to her. After long discussion, Ms Rai viewed she would go for divorce if her husband bore the whole expenses that she and her employer spent in the course of filing their divorce case, including their travel and accommodation expenses and that if returned her amount – NRs. 200,000. Her husband agreed with her proposal so a case was filed at district court for divorce. On January 12, the case ended in divorce and she she received the agreed cash on the same date.
No one can compensate for her for physical and mental torture she has suffered. But despite the delay in registration of case, she was able to receive her money back through which she could make good living. She was delighted as she received the money back that she had thought she had lost. Over telephone she sounds cheerful as she got freedom from continuous torture and in inquiring, she expresses satisfaction that has been earning fair amount of money working at the hotel.
