by Omera Saeed
Multan, Pakistan

There is an old Chinese saying: “Women hold half the sky”

In Pakistan, women fall victim to traditional practices that violate their human rights. The persistence of the problem has much to do with the fact that most of these physically & psychologically harmful customs are deeply rooted in the traditional & culture of the society.

Kinds of Violence

• Criminal violence
• Custodial violence
• Domestic violence
• Societal violence

CRIMINAL VIOLENCE

Criminal violence consisted in acts of kidnapping, rape, murder & public humiliations. It was usually perpetrated by private individuals or groups, sometimes such as feudal land-lords & police functionaries. This category of violence often includes sexual assault, even when the primary impulse was to settle some family score or to average some real or imagined slight.

During 2004-2010:

Women murdered: 800 approx
Raped: 1000 approx (most of them were between 4 to 11 years)
Kidnapped: 500 approx

As far as Multan district is concerned, the reported cases alone of rape averages more than 18 every month in Multan city and outskirts.

CUSTODIAL VIOLENCE

Violence against women by the very people who are supposed to protect them, members of the law enforcement and criminal justice systems is widespread. Women are physically or verbally abused. They are also sexually and physically tortured.

According to Amnesty international:

“Thousand of women held in custody are routinely raped in police detention centers worldwide”

In Pakistan, women are not fully safe in the shelter homes and even in the jails, most of them are sexually abused by the police officers & land lords

VIOLENCE AGAINST REFUGEES & DISPLACED WOMEN

Women and children from the great majority of refugee population are especially vulnerable to violence & exploitations. In refugee camps, they are abused and raped by law enforcement officials, immigration personnel and male ethnic groups.

According to a latest report covering the recent flood disaster in Pakistan, many young girls were kidnapped from different shelter homes.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic violence remained a pervasive phenomena. The supremacy of the male & subordination of the female assumed to be part of culture and  violence by one against the other in a variety of its forms are accepted & pervasive features of domestic life

According to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), 400 cases of domestic violence were reported in a year.

SOCIETAL VIOLENCE

This principally consisted in repressive & social practices. Watta Satta (marriage in such a way that brother and sister are respectively married with sister and brother of another family) remains a practice in Pakistan. It often compels mismatches & sowed seeds of continuing grouse.

DOWRY RELATED VIOLENCE

An average of 5 women a day are burnt in dowry related disputes.

EARLY MARRIAGES

Early marriages, especially without the consent of girl, are also forms of human rights violations. Early marriages followed by multiple pregnancies can effect the health of women for life.