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Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 25 (3): 1401 - 1418 (2017) SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ Domestic Violence against Women: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan Ashraf, S.1, Abrar-ul-haq, M.2* and Ashraf, S.3 1Department of Political Science, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan 2School of Economics, Finance and Banking, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010 Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia 3Department of Commerce, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan ABSTRACT It is a common belief that women in Pakistan have limited rights or privileges in a male dominated society. Women fare batter in urban areas and middle and upper sections of society. The condition of women rights in rural areas is very alarming. In fact, women face different kinds of violence such as sexual violence perpetrated by their family members, domestic abuse including spousal murder, beating, threat, honour killings, torture, acid attacks and child custody problems. Islam and most international organisations condemn violation of women rights. The feminist movements have started worldwide to protect women rights and gender-based violence. The current research focused on all those violations which women have to face in their domestic live. The case study of Bahawalpur indicates conservative environment and its impact on women rights violations. Descriptive and analytical method of study was used in this study. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from the different areas of the district Bahawalpur. Legal and punitive measures cannot succeed unless social customs, norms and societal mentality are changed. Meanwhile, better education facilities, opportunities of employments and proper social and political participation can overcome this issue. Moreover, proper implementation of law and justice after violence is necessary to eliminate this problem in the Pakistani society. Keywords: Women rights, domestic violence, education facilities, Pakistan ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received: 22 September 2016 INTRODUCTION Accepted: 02 February 2017 Violence against women is generally E-mail addresses: [email protected] (Ashraf, S.), practiced in every society and recognised as [email protected] (Abrar-ul-haq, M.), [email protected] (Ashraf, S.) * Corresponding author ISSN: 0128-7702 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press Ashraf, S., Abrar-ul-haq, M. and Ashraf, S. a global concern as 10 out of 70 women are social and economic discriminations (Agnes, hit physically by their partners in their lives. 2004). The constitution of Pakistan and In fact, they experience hostile behaviour different laws prohibit these discriminations starting right from their childhood. They on the bases of gender but often lack proper mostly face depression, poor physical, enforcement by the authorities. The judicial psychological and mental health. The system, property and family laws create consequences of all this have affected their problems and hurdles for women to attain lives and that of their children ultimately the protection of their rights (Abrar-ul-haq, pose a great threat to the well-being of the Jali, & Islam, 2016; Carpenter, 2005). society (Lombard & Mcmillan, 2013). It is Bahawalpur is a division of Punjab a common belief that women in Pakistan with three districts. This division is an have limited rights or privileges in the underdeveloped and backward area. The male dominated society. Although women reason behind choosing this division as a fare better in urban areas and middle and case study is that the women of Bahawalpur upper sections of society, the condition are facing multiple forms of threats in of violation in rural areas is very critical their domestic lives. Identification of the and alarming. Seventy-five percent of multiplicity of forms of violence against Pakistani female population are living in women suggests the universality of the the rural and tribal areas (Wikan, 2009). problem (Faridi, 2010). The biased mentality Pakistani women remain structurally of people reflects their cultural and social disadvantaged and are considered as second differences against women. The kinds of class citizens. In the southern Punjab, in violence against women are battering, rape, particular, women victims confront social incest, suttee, foot binding, infibulations, and cultural discriminations. Factors behind dowry death, selective meal nourishment, this discrimination including poverty, low emotional abuse, bride burning and child social and economic status of women sexual abuse (Ramanamma, 2005). in different social traditional norms and family rules hinder them to go for jobs Problem Statement (Shahid, 2004). Most existing literatures For many decades, women have been have attempted to highlight the violations facing problems in their domestic and social of women rights and urged to address the lives. They are treated as inferior and less issues. Islam provides protection for women wise creatures of the world. Meanwhile, in every field of life (Faridi, 2010). their basic rights can be marginalised by Pakistan is considered as the third most everyone in society. However, since the dangerous place for women in the world. The previous decade, the status of women in status of women varies from class to class, their society, and even the mentality and educational profile, number of children and judgment of the people, have experienced marital status. Women in Pakistan face legal, a transformation. Moreover, this research 1402 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 25 (3): 1401 - 1418 (2017) Domestic Violence against Women would analyse the representation of women • Women have faced domestic domestic problem in Pakistan, especially in violence like honour killing, the district Bahawalpur. In this connection, burning, educational discrimination the main reasons to choose this issue are and child marriage in Bahawalpur. the day-to-day observation and experiences • The government and civil society, that compelled to breakout voices against as well as women also do not this situation because thousands of cases cooperate due to their social values against women occur in domestic life but and fear of society. only few are registered. Unfortunately, • Islam provides protection to women those registered cases remain unresolved in their domestic lives; however, for many years. this concept is commonly misused There are many reasons behind for not by the male dominated society. registering the cases as most of the women keep in view the honour and fear of society, as well as the so-called reputation of their Literature Review family. Generally, police and judges are Violence and crimes against women are also reluctant to register violation cases a global phenomenon. In order to control involving women and consider them as or mitigate this issue, a lot of measures family matters or problems which can be have been adopted in different countries solved at family level. Therefore, the current and by different international bodies in the research presents the situation of women effort to curtail such heinous acts against facing their domestic lives and highlights women (Mookherjee, 2002; Rondald, 1997; all these violations which make them very Shahnawaz, 2002). The Aurat Foundation pitiful victims. Therefore, the key objectives Reports (2013-14) and the USSD Human of the current research are to highlight Rights Reports (2013-14) indicated that women issues, causes behind these issues women have to face serious problems when and find possible solutions for violations they try to report to the Police as no privacy of women rights. Pakistan is mostly a is provided for First Information Report patriarchal society and women in Pakistan (FIR) and this encourages both parties to have to face many systematic and substantial reconcile and mostly women will return to challenges in their daily lives. Some of these their abusing family members. In addition, challenges are listed below: the unfriendly environment of courts also • Violence against women interferes discourages women to report such abuse with the roles of women in domestic cases. and social lives and that the Phillips and Dustin (2004) explained mentality of people and traditional that forced and child marriages, which values are abominable against mostly involved children at the age of women. 13 to 15, are very common in Pakistani Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 25 (3): 1401 - 1418 (2017) 1403 Ashraf, S., Abrar-ul-haq, M. and Ashraf, S. societies (Flavia, 1996). Women are also Women’s Rights in Islam discriminated by their family who are not Islam believes on equality, justice and peace. ready to give them inheritance. The recent The Islamic teachings concerning women global movement for women’s rights rights are highlighted in the current research has achieved considerable re-thinking because Pakistan is an Islamic country. regarding their rights since many violations Their freedom and privileges cannot be of women’s rights occur in the private sphere compromised by imposing any unnecessary of family life and are justified by appeals to restrictions whatsoever. The Holy Quran cultural or religious norms. Both families explains: and cultures (including their religious aspects) have come under critical scrutiny (Collins, 2000; Okines, 1998; Wing, 2003). Translation: “And they (women) have provision of living expenses. It does not rights (over their husbands as regards make men dictators over women and at the living expenses) similar (to those of their same, it