The Sustainable Social Development Organization’s bi-annual report released recently reveals deeply disturbing trends of gender-based violence across the province of Punjab.
According to the report, over 15,000 cases of violence against women were reported from January 2025 to June 2025, equivalent to roughly 85 women facing violence every single day. There are seven major categories of such offences: rape, kidnapping or abduction, domestic violence, honour killing, internal and external trafficking, cyber harassment, and sexual harassment.
The findings of the report depict a grim picture of women’s safety in Punjab, and the Sustainable Social Development Organization has called for urgent, coordinated action to address the alarming trends. It is hoped that remedial and proactive measures will be taken in Punjab at all levels, including police stations, so as to ensure that women-folk in the biggest province of the country are accorded the respect and dignity that is enshrined in our divine law as well as our national law.
Abbas R Siddiqi
Lahore
