According to a report published by the Aurat Foundation, “Situation of Violence against Women in Pakistan”, 7,733 incidents of violence against women were reported in Pakistani news media in 2008. The Foundation notes, however, that many cases of violence go unreported, so the figure is much lower than reality. Of the cases reported in the media, 73 percent were registered with the police, as well. The incidents included abductions (comprising almost 23 percent), murder (almost 20 percent), bodily injury (close to 11 percent), suicide (7.5 percent), honor killings (6 percent), rape (over 5 percent), and other forms of violence. More than half of the 7,733 cases occurred in Punjab province. The report aims to inform communities about the problem of violence against women and put pressure on the government to take action to end these harmful practices.
Compiled from: Cases of violence against women in Pakistan Reported in the year 2008, Press Release, Aurat Foundation, 17 February 2009 [PDF, 2 pages]; Over 7,700 cases of violence against women in 2008, Dawn.com, 18 February 2009.