Crimes against women
WHY are crimes against women, particularly of a horrific nature, so widespread in Pakistan? They are often ordered to be gang-raped, supposedly to humiliate their husbands or families; they can have their heads shaved and hands, feet or even nose chopped off as a “punishment”.
To restore the family honour, a woman is also killed. Such cruel acts are committed against women almost every day which begs the question: what will it take to contain them? Take the case reported on Thursday from Tando Mohammad Khan (Sindh) where a man shaved his wife’s head because he thought she was having an affair. The wife reported the matter to the police who arrested the man. This is no less than a victory, for far too often men committing crimes against women are not held answerable: either they are not apprehended, or through bribe or influence, they go scot-free. The government needs to ensure justice in all such cases regardless of the power and influence of the offender. For that to happen, the police need to register a woman’s complaint without fail and pursue each case through the investigation and prosecution stages with unabated interest. It is the government’s inability to successfully prosecute criminals that has seen women being denied justice. Mukhtaran Mai’s story is a case in point.
Apart from the legal aspect, there is a social aspect that also needs to be addressed, for laws alone cannot bring about the much needed change in attitude. It will be a positive development if enlightened members of a community come out to voice their opinion on crimes against women. Such an initiative must be matched by an on-going dialogue aimed at creating awareness on these and other important problems. Here, the NGOs can play a valuable role in educating people about the evils of primitive customs and in spreading tolerance and respect.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/14/2007
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