Violent crimes haunt women

Over 30,000 cases of gender-based violence reported across Punjab in 2022

LAHORE:

A report has revealed the abysmal frequency of incidents of violence against women.

Quoting data collected from Inspector General of Punjab Police Dr Usman Anwar, the report said that there was a slight decrease in number of cases. “This, however may only be indicative of low reporting and not low crime against women”, the recently released Punjab Gender Parity Report 2022 clarified.

During the year 2022, over 34,854 cases of violence against women were reported as compared to 35,518 in 2021. Kidnapping was the most commonly reported act of violence against women.

The report further showed that a total 1,026 women were murdered, a minor drop of six percent compared to 2021, where 1,092 women had been killed. However, the number had fallen compared to 2018 and 2018, as in 2019, 1,007 and 1,101 were killed during the years respectively.

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Out of 1,026 women killed in 2022, 395 were murdered in incidents of domestic violence, 176 for honor and 453 due to other motives. Similarly in 2021, 444 women lost their lives to domestic violence, 197 for honor and 451 for other reasons.

“Domestic murders dropped by 11 percent as did honor killing. Other types of murder increased by two registered cases in total,” the report highlighted. The most women were killed in Lahore, numbering 126. Meanwhile in Bhakkar, no incidents of gender-based violence were reported.

A total of 1,129 cases of domestic violence reported in Punjab, including 395 cases of murder, 157 cases of attempted murder and 577 cases of domestic torture. Domestic violence was most frequently reported in Lahore, with 200 cases, the report mentioned.

According to the report, the number of reported sexual assaults dropped by 10 percent in 2022 as compared to 2021, as there 4,247 and 4,707 cases were reported respectively.

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The report further read that rape cases decreased by 9.5 percent in 2022 with 4,329, as compared to 2021 with 3,914 cases. Incidents of gang-rape fell by 0.4 percent and incidents of incest also decreased by 40 percent. Seven cases of custodial rape were reported in 2022 as compared to 2021, where nine were reported. A total 3,914 cases of rape and 268 cases of gang-rape were reported in Punjab. Lahore reported the highest number of cases, 682, in 2022.

Meanwhile, a total number of 176 honor crimes were reported in the province in 2022, a figure lower than the 197 cases registered in 2021.

As many as 41 acid attacks were reported in Punjab, a 20 percent increase as compared to 34 in 2021. District Lahore and Muzaffargarh reported the highest number of cases, 7, in 2021. Similarly, the number of abduction cases rose from 16,483 to 17,316, a five percent increase.

Of all gender-based violence cases reported in Punjab, only four percent resulted in convictions and 96 percent resulted in acquittals. In 2021, the conviction rate was also 4 percent.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2023.