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Violence against women increased by 6% in 2011: VAW
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: As many as 8,539 women became victims of violence in 2011 and there was an overall 6.74 percent increase in reported cases of violence against women (VAW) in the country, as compared to those in 2010, according to a report.
The 2011 report of Violence Against Women was launched at a local hotel in the federal capital, conducted by Aurat Foundation (AF).
According to the report, 8539 women became victims of violence in 2011, out of which, 6,188 incidents were reported in Punjab, 1,316 in Sindh, 694 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 198 in Balochistan, and 148 in Islamabad. The figure was 8,000 in 2010; in 2009, the incidents of violence against women were 8,548; and in 2008, these incidents were 7,571.
The report revealed that a large number of incidents were not reported to police, which reflected lack of public trust on the department.
Among the total 8,539 incidents, FIRs were registered in 6,745 cases whereas no FIR was registered in 911 cases and there was no information available in 883 cases. The biggest number of unregistered cases was noted in Sindh where FIRs were not registered in 605 cases and no information was available in 75 incidents among the total of 1,316 reported cases.
The annual statistics revealed that, 2,089 women became victims of abduction, 1,575 victims of murder, 610 victims of domestic violence, 758 victims of suicide, 705 victims of honour killing, 827 victims of rape/gang rape, 110 sexual assault, 44 acid throwing, 29 burning and 1,792 victims of miscellaneous violent incidents.
The number and percentage of the cases of abduction tops the list with 2,089 such cases reported in 2011 with a very high proportion of 24.46 percent. Murder combined with ‘honour’ killings total to another ugly figure of 2,280, constituting 26.70 percent of the total crimes against women, with 1,575 murders (18.44%) and 705 ‘honour’ killings of (8.25%).
There were 827 incidents of rape and gang-rape in 2011 with 9.68 percent, while 758 (8.87%) cases of suicide were reported by women in 2011. There were 110 cases of sexual assault (1.28%), 29 each of burning and acid throwing (0.33%), and offences of miscellaneous nature were 20.98 percent, of total with 1,792 cases in four provincial regions and Islamabad.
In the process of collecting data, the Aurat Foundation staff observed some emerging trends that, if allowed to continue, would further aggravate the situation of violence against women in the country. One such trend was noticed in Balochistan where, in most of the cases of honour killing, the women were killed on the orders of a jirga but the same Jirga let the men live after an exchange of heavy amount in terms of compensation.
The report stated that in some forms of violence, there had been a notable increase, for instance, sexual assault increased by 48.65 percent, acid throwing increased by 37.5 percent, ‘honour’ killings by 26.57 percent, and domestic violence increased by 25.51 percent. However, with an overall 6.74 percent increase in violence cases from 2010 to 2011, the number of incidents decreased 8.03 percent from the first half to the second half of 2011.
Addressing the occasion, AF official Waseem Waghoo said that most of the perpetrators of violence against women were found to be the relatives of the survivor or the victim such as husband, brother, cousin, father, uncle, father and mother-in-law, brother-in-law, son or step-son. Honour killing was almost always committed by male members against female members who were accused of having brought dishonor upon the family.
He said at the same time, it was heartening that 2011 witnessed some landmark women-related legislations being unopposed in the National Assembly and Senate. The AF believed that the establishment of an independent and autonomous National Commission on Women (NCW) and the passage of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill from parliament were some of the major achievements of the present government and would go a long way in protecting women from violence and discrimination in future.
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: As many as 8,539 women became victims of violence in 2011 and there was an overall 6.74 percent increase in reported cases of violence against women (VAW) in the country, as compared to those in 2010, according to a report.
The 2011 report of Violence Against Women was launched at a local hotel in the federal capital, conducted by Aurat Foundation (AF).
According to the report, 8539 women became victims of violence in 2011, out of which, 6,188 incidents were reported in Punjab, 1,316 in Sindh, 694 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 198 in Balochistan, and 148 in Islamabad. The figure was 8,000 in 2010; in 2009, the incidents of violence against women were 8,548; and in 2008, these incidents were 7,571.
The report revealed that a large number of incidents were not reported to police, which reflected lack of public trust on the department.
Among the total 8,539 incidents, FIRs were registered in 6,745 cases whereas no FIR was registered in 911 cases and there was no information available in 883 cases. The biggest number of unregistered cases was noted in Sindh where FIRs were not registered in 605 cases and no information was available in 75 incidents among the total of 1,316 reported cases.
The annual statistics revealed that, 2,089 women became victims of abduction, 1,575 victims of murder, 610 victims of domestic violence, 758 victims of suicide, 705 victims of honour killing, 827 victims of rape/gang rape, 110 sexual assault, 44 acid throwing, 29 burning and 1,792 victims of miscellaneous violent incidents.
The number and percentage of the cases of abduction tops the list with 2,089 such cases reported in 2011 with a very high proportion of 24.46 percent. Murder combined with ‘honour’ killings total to another ugly figure of 2,280, constituting 26.70 percent of the total crimes against women, with 1,575 murders (18.44%) and 705 ‘honour’ killings of (8.25%).
There were 827 incidents of rape and gang-rape in 2011 with 9.68 percent, while 758 (8.87%) cases of suicide were reported by women in 2011. There were 110 cases of sexual assault (1.28%), 29 each of burning and acid throwing (0.33%), and offences of miscellaneous nature were 20.98 percent, of total with 1,792 cases in four provincial regions and Islamabad.
In the process of collecting data, the Aurat Foundation staff observed some emerging trends that, if allowed to continue, would further aggravate the situation of violence against women in the country. One such trend was noticed in Balochistan where, in most of the cases of honour killing, the women were killed on the orders of a jirga but the same Jirga let the men live after an exchange of heavy amount in terms of compensation.
The report stated that in some forms of violence, there had been a notable increase, for instance, sexual assault increased by 48.65 percent, acid throwing increased by 37.5 percent, ‘honour’ killings by 26.57 percent, and domestic violence increased by 25.51 percent. However, with an overall 6.74 percent increase in violence cases from 2010 to 2011, the number of incidents decreased 8.03 percent from the first half to the second half of 2011.
Addressing the occasion, AF official Waseem Waghoo said that most of the perpetrators of violence against women were found to be the relatives of the survivor or the victim such as husband, brother, cousin, father, uncle, father and mother-in-law, brother-in-law, son or step-son. Honour killing was almost always committed by male members against female members who were accused of having brought dishonor upon the family.
He said at the same time, it was heartening that 2011 witnessed some landmark women-related legislations being unopposed in the National Assembly and Senate. The AF believed that the establishment of an independent and autonomous National Commission on Women (NCW) and the passage of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill from parliament were some of the major achievements of the present government and would go a long way in protecting women from violence and discrimination in future.
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