The Aurat Foundation, in partnership with the Violence Against Women Watch Group, has release the first bi-annual report on the scope and types of violence against women in Punjab Province of Pakistan. The report, entitled Situation of Violence Against Women in Punjab, reveals that 2,909 women were affected by violence between January and June 2010.
The results, which were largely obtained from local and regional newspaper accounts, individuals, and shelter homes, were released at a press conference attended by the Joint Action Committee Convener Shahtaj Oizilbash, as well as human rights activists Abdullah Malik, Nabeela Shaheen and Abid Ali.
In total, 2,690 cases were reported, of which 913 were abductions, 381 were murders, 377 were rapes and gang rapes, 166 were suicides, and 102 were so-called “honor” crimes. The majority of the cases included within the report (2,353) were registered with the police stations.
Of the 710 victims whose age was known, the majority (467) were under the age of eighteen, while 185 were between the ages of nineteen and 36, and 58 were over the age of 36. Though 1,535 were unmarried, the majority of the rest – 1,217 – were. Notably, it was revealed that the accused was known to the victim in every case, usually as a close relative, neighbor or member of the police force.
There were a greater number of cases reported in rural areas (1,546) than the 1,141 cases reported in urban areas. The district of Lahore experience the highest prevalence, with 458 cases, while Faisalabad district reported the second highest incidence of violence against women, with 393 cases.