In her silence, bruises bloom,

Unspoken words fill the room.

Her laughter buried, dreams undone,

Another battle lost, never won.

The world moves on, blind to her scream,

She fights alone, in shattered dreams.

But there’s hope—still faint, still small, 

That one day, she will stand tall.

Violence against women remains a pervasive global issue, affecting nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide. According to UN Women and the World Health Organization, 35% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives, primarily at the hands of an intimate partner. In certain regions, as much as 38% of female homicides are committed by partners. The scale is so vast that it affects all women regardless of their social, economic, or cultural background 

This kind of violence isn’t just an act—it’s a lifetime sentence. Imagine living every day in fear, unsure of what might trigger the next bout of rage. For many women, the scars aren’t just physical; they’re emotional, invisible yet deeply embedded. It robs them of their autonomy, shattering self-esteem, stripping away joy, and altering the course of their lives. Every action is a calculation: how to stay safe, how to avoid conflict, how to survive.

It’s a cycle that doesn’t just affect women directly. Children who grow up in homes marked by violence often internalize the trauma, sometimes repeating the same patterns later in life, either as victims or perpetrators. The damage is generational and ripples through communities, fueling more harm.

Have you ever stopped to think about the silence that follows? The stolen dreams, the choices that were never made? Violence erases futures, and yet the world continues to turn, often blind to the devastation.

Let’s ask ourselves: what kind of world do we live in where nearly half of our population lives in fear?

The conversation around violence against women needs to be louder, sharper, and unyielding. This is not just a women’s issue—it’s a societal failure, and every single one of us must be part of the solution. 

If we let it continue, we’re not just allowing violence against individuals; we’re dismantling our collective humanity.

Women’s helpline
Tel: +94 11 2186055
Emergency Hotline: 1938

Penned By:

Rtr. Kavisha Yapa

Co-Editor 24-25