Over 10,000 Cases Of GBV Reported In Punjab

News Desk

Islamabad: As many as 10,000 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) were reported in the provincial capital of Punjab in the first four months of the current year, according to research conducted by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), a research-based advocacy organization.

The research report is compiled based on the data collected through filing a “Right to Information ” request to the Punjab police, through Article 19-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.

According to the report, the Punjab police registered an alarmingly high number of cases of violence against women and children.

From January 1 to April 30, 2023, a total of 10,365 cases of violence against women were reported to the police collectively, while 1,768 cases of violence against children were also reported in the same period.
The actual frequency of unreported cases may be even higher, the report doubts, as many people are unlikely to report such cases to the police due to social stigma and a lack of faith in the law enforcement system.
Looking at specific types of crimes, a staggeringly high number of 5,551 women were kidnapped in Punjab during these four months, which meant that on average, after every single hour, two women were kidnapped.

Out of all districts, Lahore led with 1,427 cases, which meant that one out of every four victims was kidnapped from the provincial capital.

The next highest numbers were seen in cases of physical assault, which is 2,818, where Lahore once again remained the hotspot of crime with 504 reported cases, followed by Sheikhupura with 262 and Faisalabad with 225.

In addition, 1,111 cases of rape and 613 cases of human trafficking were also reported, where once again Lahore accounted for the highest number of cases, 139 and 210, respectively.

As many as 117 rape cases were reported from Faisalabad, which is also the highest number.
Apart from crimes in the public sphere, a significant number of cases of violence against women in the private sphere were also reported.

A total of 219 cases of domestic violence were reported, with Gujranwala emerging as the hotspot district with 64 reported cases of GBV, followed by Lahore with 38. Moreover, 53 cases of honour killing were also reported, and Rahim Yar Khan’s district, with eight reported cases, was a hotspot district.
In terms of violence against children, it was horrifying to observe that sexual violence was the most prevalent, with a total of 858 cases. This would mean that almost 7 children were sexually abused every single day.

Among the hotspot districts were Faisalabad, with 82 reported cases, and Lahore, with 74. Furthermore, 613 children were also kidnapped in this short time span, for an average of 5 per day. Around 210 of these cases were only from Lahore.

Along with kidnapping, 221 children were also subject to human trafficking, 44 Chiniot cases accounting for almost one-fifth of the cases. Furthermore, 48 children were also murdered, while 24 cases of child labour and four cases of child marriage were also reported.
SSDO Kausar Abbas said, “We believe that the Punjab police are doing a remarkable job registering cases of violence against women and children, and that is why increased numbers are seen in the reporting. It is also commendable that a comprehensive database of such cases is also being maintained.

It is pertinent to mention here that during just the first four months of this year, the registration of over 12,000 cases painted an alarming picture of women’s safety in Pakistan’s largest province. Kausar Abbas said, “We hope this data can provide a reference point for policymakers and other stakeholders to direct their efforts towards a targeted approach to curbing this issue.”