Meanwhile, her husband has denied indulging in any kind of illicit relationship, claiming that the woman in question was just a co-worker due to which he had to spend a considerable amount of time with her.

A lecturer on feminism, Amrita who teaches her students about myriad problems faced by women in the society and how they have been stripped off their rights, has found herself entangled in the same social evil and left fighting for justice.

“I had accepted the marriage proposal without giving a second thought as I considered myself lucky to find a well-educated partner,” said Amrita, who had been a gold medalist throughout her academic career.  

“Even though I kept quiet even after knowing about his illicit relationship with another woman for years hoping that he will change one day, I was forced to go to court after being subjected to constant abuse,” Amrita revealed.  

In another such instance, a women’s rights activist, Anjana (name changed) was compelled to file for divorce after being subjected to years of domestic violence and abuse. While these are mere examples, many educated women who are well versed in the country’s law as well as their rights opt to stay mute despite being subjected to years of domestic violence and abuse due to deeply rooted social stigma attached with divorce. According to advocate Shobha Parajuli, in most cases where it is hard to gather substantial evidence against the wrongdoings of their partner, women fall victim and are forced to settle for divorce with no claims on property or support. Moreover, as the cases pertaining to ownership of property in divorce cases are often lengthy and full of hassles, most victims try to avoid the trouble and opt for out-of-court settlement.

“Due to the tendency of gender bias and the society being indifferent to women’s rights, even educated women have been falling victim to domestic violence and abuse,” Parajuli said, adding that the problem will persist unless there is a change in the culture as well as society’s perspective on women. In the fiscal year 2013/14, the District Court, Kaski had registered 548 cases of divorce. In most cases, the women had accused their husband and family of subjecting them to physical and emotional abuse. While 460 cases have been settled, most victims are found to have settled for divorce with no claims on property.