Rape is considered a global problem and according to WHO, every one in three women suffer from physical or sexual violence at some stage in their life. Over the recent years, Pakistan has been witnessing increased incidents of rape cases across the country, which has in turn created a sense of insecurity and fear among women.
Punjab, being the biggest province of Pakistan with regard to population, has recorded more cases of rape than any other province. Regardless of several government and non-government efforts, such as Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, a massive 3,885 cases of rape, 1,361 cases of child sexual abuse, and 12,650 cases of kidnapping of women have been reported since 2019. These numbers, however, do not reflect the actual scale of the problem because most cases are either not reported or are negotiated at the family level. Long persisting societal norms prevalent among most ethnic groups in Pakistan treat sexual discourses as a taboo, therefore, family members, or individuals themselves, would try to hide such an incident so as to not dishonour their family name. Lack of awareness seems to be the main hinderance towards ameliorating the problem since sex education is often avoided, especially for minors. Furthermore, many are also unaware of the legal procedures to follow.
It is about time that special action is given to rape victims, who suffer tremendously due to psychological complications long after the incident. Media campaigns regarding women’s rights and sex education need to be initiated in order to educate parents in teaching their young children on how to protect themselves. It is also important to introduce a separate topic regarding gender studies at the primary and secondary level. Parents need to talk about gender-related issues with their children in order to ease their curiosity in educated manner. In the end, strict implementation of laws that condemn any form of violence, specifically against women and children, and timely action against perpetrators need to be carried out will full force.
Malik Javed Jabbar
Kashmore
