Faisalabad tops the list as the worst-affected district with 728 reported cases of rape in 2023

LAHORE: Faisalabad emerged as the epicentre of a harrowing surge in violence against women, reporting 728 cases in 2023, according to a released by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO).

The report sheds light on the escalating incidents of violence, rape, kidnapping, and honour killings against women in both Punjab and Sindh provinces.It disclosed that the year 2023 witnessed nearly one case of violence against women reported daily in Sindh alone. The total number of reported cases reached a staggering 10,201, marking a disturbing 16 per cent increase from the 8,787 cases documented in 2022.

Similarly, Punjab faced a grim situation, with 10,201 reported cases of violence against women.Incidents of violence against women spanned all districts in Punjab, with Lahore reporting a distressing 1,464 cases. Following closely were Sheikhupura with 1,198 cases and Kasur with 877 cases.Simultaneously, incidents of rape showed a disconcerting surge across the province.

A total of 6,624 cases were reported in 2023, reflecting a 12 per cent increase from the 5,890 cases reported in 2022.Faisalabad took the lead as the worst-affected district, with 728 reported cases, followed by Lahore (721) and Sargodha (398).Furthermore, the report detailed the alarming rise in cases of kidnapping, with 626 reported cases in Punjab. The worst-hit areas included Lahore (136), Faisalabad (30), and Vehari (26).Meanwhile, honour killings remained a grim reality, with 120 cases reported, and Rahim Yar Khan (9), Jhang (8), and Rajanpur (8) emerged as the most affected areas.

Human trafficking also surfaced as a concern, with 20 cases reported, 19 of which originated from Chiniot.The executive director of SSDO expressed deep concern over the escalating incidents, saying there was a 16% increase in violence against women in Punjab during 2023.To address the distressing trend, the government has been urged to strengthen laws against violence targeting women and establish protection centres for their safety.

Meanwhile, Sindh witnessed a similarly distressing surge in violence against women in 2023, as per the data provided by the Sindh police. The report revealed an alarming increase in incidents across various categories, with recommendations for urgent government intervention.In 2023, an average of 26 women were kidnapped every week, a significant increase from the figures in 2022.

Similarly, rape cases in 2023 saw an average of four women per week, surpassing the previous year's numbers.Shockingly, an average of 13 women per month lost their lives in honour killings in 2023.Comparing 2023 to 2022, the figures showed an increase in honour killings (136 to 96), kidnapping cases (1,500 to 1,349), and domestic violence cases (350 to 346).In addition, reported cases of rape and sexual assault stood at 165 in 2023, down from 200 in 2022, while workplace harassment cases numbered 73 in 2023, compared to 94 in 2022.The report concluded that the figures reflect a distressing surge in domestic violence against women in Sindh, necessitating urgent attention and intervention from relevant authorities.

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