Country Bhutan
Year 2006
Type of Measure Administrative data > Health
Form of Violence Domestic violence/Intimate partner violence

Brief Description


In 2006, 57 cases of domestic violence were treated at the National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, with the most common reason for the violence being alcohol intoxication of the husband (28 per cent), adultery of the husband (28 per cent) jealousy of the husband (19 per cent) and adultery of the wife (5 per cent).73 The most common type of violence perpetrated in the 57 cases was punching/fist blows (28 per cent) and kicking (19 per cent). In addition, 5 of the 57 cases occurred among pregnant women and in 10 of the 57 cases, children were also assaulted at the same time as the woman. Of the 57 women treated, only 12.3 per cent reported this as the first episode they have encountered, while 56 per cent reported that the current incident was the 5th to >20th episode. Of the 57 cases treated at the hospital, 61 per cent were reported to police. Although there is no official system for the collection of data regarding cases of gender based violence treated within the Health Care System, there has been an individual effort through the forensic medical specialist at the National Referral Hospital.

Source of Information

Response of the Government of Bhutan to the questionnaire on violence against women 2011; CEDAW/C/BTN/7