The War We’re Waging Against Women

Despite the trend moving towards excepting domestic violence against women as wrong , the actual prevention and punishment of such violence is a far dream that is being seen only by a few organisations and indivisuals that actually tackle the issue of violence against women and children in a country which chooses to turn a blind eye , pretending that if one doesn’t see something it really is not occurring – I suppose it’s a good thing that Pakistan is famous for carpet weaving , it ensures enough carpets to sweep allt he filth under and allow offenders to go free.

The data looks bleak;  as reported 75,039 cases of violence against women have been reported in the last 9 years while 13,972 women have been murdered. About 17,107 women have been subjected to torture and 452 women were raped and then murdered.

The major causes of violence are listed as the lack of education, poverty and a feudal mindset. As though a feudal mindset is not bad enough for forcing it’s oppressive regimes on those perceived to be of lower castes or non-land owners it also is one the spokes that turns the wheels of abuse. Pakistan’s power dynamics ensure that people all know their places and dare not attempt to change them.

The sad part is the most common perpetrators of both domestic violence and honour killings are  relatives , which begs the question who will step in to protect, save and change the cycle?  

I also find myself asking if it is not just a small attempt by the powerless to exercise power over those who have none or is it the sheer anger at our impotence in the face of the corruption of our own governement and the imperialist governments of the west imposing their will on us?

(source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Karachi/20-Jan-2010/Domestic-violence-at-alarming-level-report)