Two disturbing reports on violence against Pakistani women.
From Dawn:
"As many as 7,733 cases of violence against women were reported in the print media all over Pakistan during the year 2008. Out of these, 4,360 were reported in Punjab, 1,385 in Sindh, 1,013 in NWFP, 763 in Balochistan and 212 in Islamabad.
The report “Situation of violence against women in Pakistan” was released by Aurat Foundation under its national programme “Policy and data monitor on violence against women” here on Tuesday.
Among all the reported cases, the percentage of abduction/kidnapping of women stood at 22.79 per cent which was the highest followed by murder 19.60 per cent, hurt and body injury 10.91, suicide 7.49, honour killing 6.10, rape 5.68, domestic violence 4.14, gang rape 3.97, torture 3.88, attempt to suicide 2.56, sexual assault 2.42, attempt to murder 1.59, custodial violence 1.51, threat of violence 0.91, vanni/customary practices 0.32 and miscellaneous cases 3.80 per cent.The highest number of violence cases was reported from Punjab. Out of the 4,360 cases in the province, 1,403 were of abduction followed by 690 cases of murder, 279 hurt and body injury, 316, 248 gang, 273 torture, 105 attempted suicide, 128 sexual assault, 49 threat to violence, 31 burning, 15 customary practices and 19 cases of acid throwing.
However, the highest number of cases of honour killing - 220 - , 320 domestic violence, 42 attempt to murder and 69 cases of custodial violence were reported in Sindh."
From the News International:
"Annually an estimated one million pregnant Pakistani women are physically abused at least once during pregnancy by their partners.
This was said by Prof Unaiza Niaz, the president of the Women Section of World Psychiatric Association and director of the Institute of Psycho-Trauma Pakistan, while delivering a lecture on Gender issues and Women’s Mental Health at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) here on Friday.
She further said that in Pakistan, societal attitudes and norms, as well as cultural practices such as Karo Kari and Vani severely affected women’s mental health. Religious and ethnic conflicts, along with the dehumanising attitude towards women, the extended family system, role of in-laws, represented major issues and stressors, Dr Niaz said, adding: “Gender discrimination at each stage of the female life cycle contributes to health disparity, sex selective abortions, neglect of girl children, reproductive mortality, and poor access to healthcare for girls and women.” She stated that risk of depression in women was higher during the childbearing years. She said women were also vulnerable to depression during the period immediately after childbirth."
From Dawn:
"As many as 7,733 cases of violence against women were reported in the print media all over Pakistan during the year 2008. Out of these, 4,360 were reported in Punjab, 1,385 in Sindh, 1,013 in NWFP, 763 in Balochistan and 212 in Islamabad.
The report “Situation of violence against women in Pakistan” was released by Aurat Foundation under its national programme “Policy and data monitor on violence against women” here on Tuesday.
Among all the reported cases, the percentage of abduction/kidnapping of women stood at 22.79 per cent which was the highest followed by murder 19.60 per cent, hurt and body injury 10.91, suicide 7.49, honour killing 6.10, rape 5.68, domestic violence 4.14, gang rape 3.97, torture 3.88, attempt to suicide 2.56, sexual assault 2.42, attempt to murder 1.59, custodial violence 1.51, threat of violence 0.91, vanni/customary practices 0.32 and miscellaneous cases 3.80 per cent.The highest number of violence cases was reported from Punjab. Out of the 4,360 cases in the province, 1,403 were of abduction followed by 690 cases of murder, 279 hurt and body injury, 316, 248 gang, 273 torture, 105 attempted suicide, 128 sexual assault, 49 threat to violence, 31 burning, 15 customary practices and 19 cases of acid throwing.
However, the highest number of cases of honour killing - 220 - , 320 domestic violence, 42 attempt to murder and 69 cases of custodial violence were reported in Sindh."
From the News International:
"Annually an estimated one million pregnant Pakistani women are physically abused at least once during pregnancy by their partners.
This was said by Prof Unaiza Niaz, the president of the Women Section of World Psychiatric Association and director of the Institute of Psycho-Trauma Pakistan, while delivering a lecture on Gender issues and Women’s Mental Health at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) here on Friday.
She further said that in Pakistan, societal attitudes and norms, as well as cultural practices such as Karo Kari and Vani severely affected women’s mental health. Religious and ethnic conflicts, along with the dehumanising attitude towards women, the extended family system, role of in-laws, represented major issues and stressors, Dr Niaz said, adding: “Gender discrimination at each stage of the female life cycle contributes to health disparity, sex selective abortions, neglect of girl children, reproductive mortality, and poor access to healthcare for girls and women.” She stated that risk of depression in women was higher during the childbearing years. She said women were also vulnerable to depression during the period immediately after childbirth."
1 comment:
I think the focus on "honor killings" or similar outliers blinds the eye to the cultural norm that is violence against women. It happens every day inside seemingly normal homes. In Pakistan, I can't even imagine what kind of violence against women rises to the level of "domestic violence" because violence against women seems completely underreported.
Post a Comment