The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for Bahrain

June 1, 2026, 7:01 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-1

"I have been at Isa Town [female detention center in Bahrain] since May 2017. I vividly remember the day I was taken: I was driving to work and was pulled out of my car by masked, armed men, who threatened to kill me and rape members of my family. During my detention, I was harshly beaten and told I would be raped if I didn’t confess. The injuries I sustained on my head have left their mark; a painful reminder of my powerlessness at the time. When we protested for the discrimination against us for our status as political prisoners, we were confined to our cells for up to 23...more
June 1, 2026, 6:41 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-1

"Police beat children arrested in protest-related cases in early February 2021, in the lead up to the 10th anniversary of the uprising in Bahrain, and threatened them with rape and electric shocks. Prosecutors and judges, who refused to allow the children’s parents or lawyers to be present during their interrogations and ordered their detention, enabled the abuses. A government report denied that security forces beat, insulted, or threatened to rape the boys" (para 22).
June 1, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-DATA-1

"Mr. Rouwane [Country Rapporteur and Committee against Torture Expert] said that the Committee had received information from multiple sources that acts of torture or ill-treatment continued to be practiced in Bahrain, both in and out of detention. Reports indicated that political opponents, human rights defenders and migrants continued to be subjected to violations such as beatings, sleep deprivation and sexual violence. Vulnerable groups in detention centres had alleged facing threats of rape, solitary confinement and medical negligence" (para 3).
May 27, 2026, 8:49 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-DATA-1

"The prevalence of female sexual assault allegations was 7%. During the studied period, there were 272 cases of sexual assault overall. Most cases were in the age group 18–30 years (41.2%). In 58.1% of assaults, the assailant was the boyfriend or partner of the victim" (para 2).
May 23, 2026, 2:44 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-2

"Article 334 of the penal code reduces the penalties for perpetrators of so-called honor crimes" (para 21). This discourages survivors from reporting sexual violence because these reduced sentences reinforce cultural ideas that sexual violence brings shame upon a family rather than focusing on harm done to the victim (LEN - CODER COMMENT).
May 23, 2026, 2:12 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-2

"Bahrain’s penal code criminalizes adultery and sexual relations outside marriage, a violation of the right to privacy which disproportionately harms women and migrant women. Women who are pregnant outside marriage, as well as women who report rape, can find themselves prosecuted for consensual extramarital sex" (para 31).
May 21, 2026, 4:22 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: EWCMS-PRACTICE-3

For the required timeframe, 2020 to present, there has not been any documented evidence on practices within Bahrain’s military that encourage or discourage rape/assault, discourage victims from reporting, cover up such incidents, or encourage victims to report. Although women serve in the Bahrain Defence Force, no Bahrain-specific reports, investigations, or personal testimonies were found showing actual reporting practices or cover-up patterns involving intra-military rape/assault. U.S. military sources from NSA Bahrain discuss sexual-assault reporting resources, but these apply to U.S. personnel stationed in Bahrain, not Bahraini female service members (MR-CODER COMMENT).
May 21, 2026, 4:03 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-3

For the required timeframe, 2020 to present, there has not been any documented evidence on how often rape/assault within Bahrain’s military is prosecuted, dropped, or dismissed in cases involving female Bahrain Defence Force personnel. While Bahrain’s military legal framework may allow such crimes to fall under military jurisdiction, no source was found showing actual prosecution patterns or case outcomes for intra-military rape/assault (MR-CODER COMMENT).
May 21, 2026, 4:03 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-2

For the required timeframe, 2020 to present, there has not been any documented evidence on how common rape/assault is within Bahrain’s military, including rates of reports or estimates of unreported assault involving female Bahrain Defence Force personnel. Although women serve in Bahrain’s military and reserve forces, no Bahrain-specific reports, data, or personal testimonies were found. U.S. military sources from NSA Bahrain discuss sexual-assault prevention, but those refer to U.S. personnel stationed in Bahrain, not Bahraini female service members (MR-CODER COMMENT).
May 21, 2026, 3:42 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: EWCMS-LAW-5

"Article (13) Anyone who commits a military offence is considered to have committed a crime falling within the jurisdiction of the military courts. Any person subject to the provisions of this law who commits one of the offences specified in this law or in the Penal Code or any other law, whether as a principal or accomplice inside or outside the Kingdom, shall be punished by the penalty prescribed under those laws. Article (14) Any person subject to this law who commits, outside the Kingdom, an act that makes him a principal, accomplice, or accessory in a felony or misdemeanour falling within the jurisdiction of the military judiciary shall be...more
May 20, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: GEW-PRACTICE-1

From 2020 to present, there are no documented instances of the Bahraini government or military accepting or perpetrating rape or kidnapping of women and girls as weapons of war, nor does its use appear to vary by ethnicity. No evidence of forced labor or peacekeeper misconduct was found. Bahrain does have an active subnational threat in the form of Iranian-backed Shia militant groups, most notably Al-Ashtar Brigades, though no documented instances of these groups using rape or kidnapping as deliberate tactics of war were identified. No government programs specifically addressing women victimized by soldiers or rebels were found (MR-CODER COMMENT).
May 20, 2026, 7:28 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: GEW-DATA-1

From 2020 to present, crimes against women and girls such as rape during war appear to have little to no potential in Bahrain, as the country has not been engaged in active armed conflict. No war-related rape has been documented under the current or any previous government administration. While Iranian-backed militant groups such as Al-Ashtar Brigades operate within the country, no instances of sexual exploitation by these groups or by Bahraini peacekeeping forces abroad were identified (MR-CODER COMMENT).
May 20, 2026, 6:47 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: GEW-LAW-1

"Article 344 [s amended by LEGISLATIVE DECREE NO.1 OF 1986] Life imprisonment shall be the penalty for any person who assaults a woman without her consent... Article 348 The following shall be aggravating circumstances in the crimes provided for in the preceding Articles of this Chapter:... If the perpetrator is one of the public servants or officers entrusted with a public service, clergymen, medical practitioners or their assistants and has abused his office, position or trust in him..." (Ch. 2, Rape and Sexual Assault). This information shows that, while Bahrain criminalizes rape and sexual assault under Articles 344–348 and even mentions the perpetrator being one of the public servants or...more
May 5, 2026, 8:24 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: SUICIDE-DATA-1

"According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data for Bahrain in 2021, self-harm was responsible for approximately 1.45 deaths per 100,000 women and 6.62 deaths per 100,000 men. The data shows that suicide rates were considerably higher among men than women during this period. Although self-harm did not appear among the top listed causes of death in the WHO graphs, the downloadable WHO datasets still recorded measurable suicide mortality rates for both sexes in Bahrain in 2021" This information did not appear among the top causes of death listed in the WHO graphs for Bahrain in 2021. However, the downloadable WHO spreadsheets still reported measurable suicide mortality rates for both...more
April 15, 2026, 10:13 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-PRACTICE-2

"According to Islamic Sharia Law, incest is regarded as any sexual acts between intimate family members who are not allowed to marry, regardless of the individuals’ ages or consent. Most incest instances are reported to involve fathers and daughters. Additionally, brother-sister relationships are common but rarely reported since the victims are afraid of their families’ reactions and views and assume that no one will believe them (Nita A. 2009). Further research in that area is necessary because the current results do not accurately reflect the actual situation. It is questionable who should file a complaint when a family member sexually assaults a minor female, especially if the parent or guardian...more
April 15, 2026, 10:13 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-LAW-2

"marital rape is not defined in Bahrain’s penal law"(para 28).
April 15, 2026, 10:13 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-PRACTICE-1

"Marriage in Islam is based on kindness and equity, compassion and love, sympathy and consideration, patience, and goodwill, and in most Islamic countries, it is impossible to define rape in the context of marriage even if it occurs since there is a religious and cultural presumption that marriages are peaceful because husbands and wives always agree. Accordingly, marital rape is not defined in Bahrain’s penal law"(para 28).
April 15, 2026, 9:11 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-LAW-2

"The law does not address spousal rape. Penalties for rape include life imprisonment and execution in cases where the victim is a minor younger than 16, if the rapist is the custodian or guardian of the victim, or when the rape leads to the victim’s death."
April 15, 2026, 8:53 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-LAW-2

"This term is not defined because marital rape is not criminalized in the Kingdom of Bahrain."(para 11).
April 15, 2026, 8:46 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRCM-LAW-2

"The Penal Code includes sanctions against acts of domestic violence but does not criminalize marital rape. Honor crimes continue to receive mitigated sentences under the Penal Code, which also exempts a rapist for punishment if he marries his victim."(para 9).
April 13, 2026, 4:57 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: SUICIDE-PRACTICE-1

"According to court documents, the man [36-year-old Bahraini man threatening a Bahraini woman] threatened to share naked photos of her [40-year-old Bahraini woman] if she did not engage in sexual acts with him. He also threatened to send the pictures to her husband. The distressed Bahraini woman informed her husband about the threats before committing suicide by hanging from the ceiling fan of their home, in the presence of her four children, aged between three and 14" (para 4-6). This information shows the presence of coercion and pressure on Bahraini women to choose suicide as a means of avoiding shame/ further punishment, even in situations in which they are the...more
April 13, 2026, 4:38 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: SUICIDE-PRACTICE-1

"A BAHRAINI woman committed suicide reportedly after her plea for divorce was rejected by a court, it has emerged. Eman Alwahed Alamer from Sitra was found hanging in the kitchen of her husband Hussain Abdulnabi’s home in Al Qarya early on Monday morning. According to sources close to the family, the 22-year-old had filed for divorce alleging physical and psychological abuse at home" (para 1-2). This information shows that suicide is used as a response to domestic violence and as a means of escape in response to no access to divorce (MR-CODER COMMENT).
April 6, 2026, 9:43 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-LAW-1

"Having sexual intercourse with a female without her consent is punishable by way of life imprisonment and/or the death penalty if the victim is less than 16 years old" (para 22).
April 6, 2026, 1:38 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-LAW-1

"Sexual and domestic violence are perpetuated in law and practice, as: Spousal rape is not considered a crime... Non-marital rape marriage refers to the fact that while rape outside marrige is a crime with punishment of life in prison, Article No.353 of the Penal Code exempts those who commit rape from punishment if they marry their victim. A rapist may escape his crime, since in most cases, women are forced by their family to marry their rapist in fear of 'shame' or 'dishonour' among social circles. Also, Bahrain’s penal code criminalises adultery and sexual relations outside marriage, which disproportionately harms women" (10).
April 6, 2026, 12:22 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-2

"Bahrain is a Muslim country and as such there are several things to note when reporting a rape and/or sexual assault to the police. Sexual relationships outside of marriage are illegal. Therefore, the biggest risk for a survivor who chooses to report a rape and/or sexual assault to the police is the perpetrator filing a counter-claim against them. Homosexuality is not actually a crime in the Bahrain penal code, but you should be prepared to face officers who may respond as if it is. Drinking alcohol is not a crime, but blatant public intoxication is. Regarding Muslims, a harsher punishment is not applicable and they will be dealt with in...more
April 6, 2026, 12:01 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-LAW-4

"On June 26, the king signed legislation to repeal a penal code provision that had allowed rapists to evade criminal prosecution if they agreed to marry their victims. Regional media reported the change was welcomed by women’s rights activists, who had fought for years to eliminate the provision" (34).
April 6, 2026, 11:59 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-LAW-1

"Rape, including of men, was illegal. The law did not address spousal rape. Penalties for rape included life imprisonment or execution when the survivor was younger than age 16, the rapist was the survivor’s custodian or guardian, or the rape caused death. The government enforced this law" (34).
April 6, 2026, 11:49 a.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: LRW-LAW-4

"On 28 June, the Kingdom of Bahrain officially abolished a 'controversial' law that had allowed rapists to escape prosecutions if they agreed to marry their victims. The scrapped Article 353 of the 1976 Penal Code of Bahrain stated that 'no penalty shall be imposed on a person who commits one of the (sexual) crimes stipulated in the preceding articles if a valid marriage is concluded between him and the victim'. It also stated that 'if a final judgment is issued against him before the marriage contract is concluded, its execution shall be suspended, and its side effects shall end'" (para 1-3).
April 3, 2026, 2:49 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: MURDER-DATA-4

According to the World Bank, in 2022, the female murder rate was 0.3 per 100,000 females in Bahrain.
Feb. 12, 2026, 3:52 a.m.
Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Costa Rica, D R Congo, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Variables: DV-SCALE-1

4