Consequences of Rape and a Framework to End Violence Against Women

Abstract

The study attempted to examine police registered rape cases through the contents of First Investigation Reports (FIRs) as rape is a phenomenon that has sever social and psychological consequences on the lives of survivors and in general on women. This was explored through ten in-depth interviews with the survivors. All the registered cases of one city of one year were included and 51 copies of FIRs were obtained from the police department. The contents of the FIRs were revealed that 94.16% cases were reported from the urban slums of Lahore city. The highest risk age group during this year was 7-21 years. In all the reported cases, six cases interviewed were children between the age group of 7-15. The survivors included in the FIRs were 39.2% housewives/girls, 25.5% students, 23.5% domestic servants and the rest were office workers and laborers. In all the cases 76.47% survivors were single, 17.64% were married and only 5.9% were divorced. The results showed that 39.21% victims were raped at home during day time, 25.5% at the workplace and 23.52% at rapist’s place. The last 9.8% raped incidents were happened at clinic/hospital. It showed that women are not safe at any place. They live in constant threat of rape that anywhere, anytime and anyone can rape them. The findings further revealed that 93.4% of the cases, the survivors knew the rapist on one or the other type of relation from acquaintance to ex-husband. The stranger committed only 5.9% rapes. During the interviews with the rape survivors it was found that rape was always planned in advance. All the survivors interviewed suffered from a wide range of consequences as a result of rape and survivors were more likely to avoid certain places. Rape was not only disgracing and traumatic experience for the victim but also for the whole family as purification of women has implications for cultural and religious identity. Lifestyles were affected as a result of the incident. Seeking justice is difficult in all the cases of rape, as 51 cases were reported to the police and none could get justice. These figures of violence against women depicted a situation which is alarming and the challenges are numerous. There is no one solution for addressing the challenges and reaching the objective to eradicate the violence against women. The preventive, protective and supportive framework is highly recommended to end violence against women in Pakistan.