999 complaints in six months at Hyd women protection cell

The women protection cell of Hyderabad Police registered 999 complaints from January to June this year, with half of them pertaining to the threats of murder, assault, acid attack and harassment.

The cell registered a total of 632 cases at an average of 158 per month during the four months of lockdown due to Covid-19. Interestingly, 368 cases with an average of 184 per month were logged in January and February before Covid-19.

According to the statistics shared by an official at the cell, 299 complaints of threats of murder, assault, acid attack and other offences, and 184 of six types of harassment were recorded in the first half of 2020.

A total of 27 cases of physical violence against women by their husbands were reported during the stated period, in addition to another 136 cases of violence perpetrated against women by their families or in-laws. Moreover, around 93 women complained of being assaulted or tortured by persons other than their family members.

The cell recorded 21 cases of rape or attempted rape and 18 of kidnapping or missing women. Six complaints of forced marriages, three of forced prostitution and as many of selling kidnapped women and one of 'honour' killing were also registered.

Among the cases of harassment, 94 complaints of harassment by neighbours, 26 of cyber blackmailing, 19 of sexual harassment, three of workplace harassment and five of public harassment were reported at the cell.

Geographical data

Dadu, Jamshoro and Hyderabad districts reported the highest number of cases at 238, 169 and 167, respectively. Meanwhile, as many as 145 complaints were registered in Badin, 94 in Sujawal, 71 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 50 in Tando Allahyar, 33 in Matiari and 32 in Thatta district.

In Dadu district, the highest number of complaints, 158, were made against people giving threats of assault, acid attack or murder.

As many as 64 cases of a similar nature were reported in Jamshoro district.

However, in Hyderabad, the cases of violence against women by their husbands topped the list, numbering 75 out of the 167 cases in the district. Of these, 21 cases were registered at the cell.

Sujawal district reported six rape cases followed by Dadu, where five rape cases were reported.

Besides, six cases of kidnapping were reported in both Badin and Jamshoro districts.

Among 26 cyber complaints, 22 were recorded in Hyderabad alone.

Furthermore, Badin accounted for 75 per cent of cases of harassment by neighbours. Two complaints of workplace harassment were reported in Sujawal and one in Hyderabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2020.