KARACHI:
Every few days, we hear about domestic violence cases in the news. Many Pakistani women regularly experience domestic violence. Children living in abusive and violent situations also suffer from severe trauma and damage. According to the data released by the Central Police Office, under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, cases of domestic violence have increased in the last five years.
Despite the existence of laws to protect victims, domestic violence has risen due to poverty, lack of education, and gender discrimination. During the Covid pandemic, cases of domestic violence further increased as people were experiencing stress, anxiety, and frustration due to financial strains. In our society, domestic violence is often treated as a personal matter. Therefore, neighbours, relatives, and even the police seldom intervene and instead urge victims to try to resolve the issue on their own. However, this has only intensified the dangers for both victims and their children.
Specific laws barring domestic violence and warranting action against the culprits are largely missing from the legal framework. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2020 is yet to be presented to the Senate. The issue needs to be tackled through a multifaceted approach. Women should be encouraged to report incidents and law enforcement agencies must cooperate and assist victims in registering reports. Victims should have access to shelters and rehabilitation so that they do not have to go back to abusive households. National Commission on the Status of Women, Provincial Women Protection Authorities, and others alike should be equipped with resources so that they operate more efficiently and are accessible to women across the country. We must break the cycle of violence and ensure that everyone can live a life free of fear and abuse.
Khadija Muslim
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2023.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
