When a woman finds herself in any kind of trouble, she naturally seeks help from her family in the hope that they will fight for her rights and possibly resolve the problem for her.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case and many times, particularly in matters related to marriage and children, a woman’s family fails to provide her the support she needs. In fact, she might even be dismissed by them and forced to accept and live out her troubles as a part of life.
Not only does this fuel the internalised suffering of women in our society, ignorance of crimes against them gives the offenders a free hand to continue with their heinous ways. Many women find themselves alone and crashing under societal pressure to maintain their relationships and save face. They are also too afraid of the police to resort legal help. But in the midst of all this darkness, the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) of Sindh has provided a beacon of hope for women in need of help, in the form of a Women’s Complaint Cell.
Thanks to CPLC’s efforts, the women of Sindh no longer have to live their lives out as silent victims, devoid of justice or a voice of their own. The complaint cell provides them with the support and shelter they are unable to receive elsewhere. The cases dealt with include a wide variety of issues from domestic disputes like divorce, underage marriage, spousal abuse and child custody battles to more ‘external’ ones like kidnapping, blackmail and property matters. Ever since its inception in June last year, the Cell has registered 123 cases out of which 58 had been resolved by December 2014.
“Although CPLC had already been established and was helping women, we wanted to create a setup which catered specifically to women’s problems,” shares Nusrat Nusrat, a renowned TV personality and the head of the Cell. “The idea is to provide a platform where these women can speak freely, to train female personnel and allows them to feel at home.” Nusrat feels that the presence of female officers encourages the victims to overcome their inhibitions and speak about their predicaments openly.
One such victim was Samina Ashraf* who sought help from CPLC following a complicated divorce. Not only did the couple part ways, Samina’s former husband took their son and had him sent away to distant relatives so as to cut off all ties between the mother and child. As much as it tore her heart, Samina, a health worker by profession, did not possess the necessary resources to fight for custody and it was then that she approached CPLC for assistance. She filed a case immediately and CPLC intervened free of cost to have the child returned to Karachi. “I would never have been able to see my son again had it not been for CPLC’s Complaint Cell,” admits Samina, who is now allowed to meet him freely until the impending custody battle is settled. “My son could have been taken away from me forever.”
According to Nusrat, “Most of the cases registered at the Cell are those of domestic violence and divorce.” Much like Samina, another victim Mona Khalid* also turned to CPLC after her husband announced his intention to divorce her. The Cell provided Mona and her three children shelter and conducted counselling sessions between the troubled couple to resolve the matter. “This case was a great moment for us at CPLC because Mona’s husband was so staunch that we didn’t expect him to take her back,” admits Qurut-ul-Ain Raheel, an officer at the Cell. “Fortunately, our efforts paid off and the future of not just Mona but three innocent children was saved.”
Qurut-ul-Ain goes on to say that, “Women should understand that a little perseverance and support from the right authorities is all they need to get their lives back on track.” Lack of finances and confidence should not deter one from lodging a complaint should they be unable to eradicate the problems themselves. The process of filing the complaint, Nusrat explains, is fairly simple. One can simply visit the Cell or register their case via the phone or email. Once the complaint has been shared, the complainant is called in by a CPLC officer who speaks to them, makes note of all relevant details and then registers the case. Upon registration, the case is disclosed to other CPLC officers who study it closely and try to come up with the best way to handle it. “The first step in this regard is contacting the other party to obtain their side of the story,” says Nusrat. This in itself can be problematic as the alleged offenders may not always be so compliant. “Our ultimate goal is to resolve the matter amicably but if all our “While many have shown a high regard for us and arrived immediately, others have resisted our efforts and have to be brought in with help from the police."
It is only when the defending party has been assured that they will be taken care of as well that they start to cooperate. “We treat both parties equally, emphasising on getting to the root of the matter,” adds Nusrat. “Our ultimate goal is to resolve the matter amicably but if all our efforts fail, we pass the case on to the courts via the Legal Aid Officer (LAO) who fights the cases on a pro bono basis.” Fortunately, the court tends to such cases on a pro-bono basis, saving the involved parties from additional financial worries.
“Sometimes, interference from families, outsiders pushes the couple further apart,” shares officer Zareen Hussain. “The issues keep escalating. But at other times, all the couple needs is a place where they can talk openly and communicate their problems to each other.” With proper counselling and guidance, some of the cases are wrapped up in just a few sittings.
However, not all of the complaints registered are as simplistic in nature — some require much more intervention than others. Also, not all of the cases involve domestic disputes between distraught couples. The case of Nasreen Adam*, who was extorted by a religious charlatan for over two years lends credence to the variety of cases the Cell addresses on a daily basis. Nasreen had come under the influence of the young boy who piqued her interest through baseless religious predictions regarding her family and demanded compensation in the form of money and jewellery. It wasn’t until he asked for a donation of 1.3 million rupees that Nasreen and her husband became suspicious and enlisted CPLC for help. The Cell arranged a pseudo meeting between Nasreen and the boy where the latter was apprehended and arrested. “The case is still underway but we are trying to retrieve Nasreen’s money and belongings,” says Nusrat.
Nonetheless, domestic issues remain the leading cause behind most of the cases filed at the Cell. According to Nusrat, “Domestic violence in Pakistan is irrespective of religion, class or creed. Even educated women from relatively affluent families are turning a blind eye to their difficulties for the sake of their marriage and children.” Naturally, Nusrat is staunchly against the concept of overlooking spousal oppression and living one’s life in unspoken misery. “Women must seek help upon the first incidence of abuse as it only escalates,” she advises. “They should try and stop their offenders themselves and if they fail, we are here for them. We don’t want to break up their families but improve their relationships and save them from injustice.”
It is only when a criminal is identified and given adequate punishment that others will refrain from committing the same crimes. To improve the domestic lives of women and the standing around the world, it is imperative for us to come forth against injustice and suppression. Speaking from experience, Mona urges all women to muster up some courage and fight for themselves.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Women Worker's Help Line (WWHL)
The Women Worker’s Help Line (WWHL) Pakistan caters to women employed in cottage industries (eg home-based stitching, embroidery, decoration etc) who suffer from exploitation, discrimination and even violence at the hands of their employers. WWHL hopes to promulgate a just and economically equitable society and also provides funds for its participants to purchase raw materials and establish their work for a better life. They can be contacted at 042-36363915 or mail@wwhl.org.pk for help.
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, January 25th, 2015.
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