Crimes against women and children

Violence against women and children universally has shown an upward trend, progressing each year according to UNICEF data. Crimes of this nature are prevalent globally with some countries showing dangerously high proportions and intensity in physical and emotional violence.

 

The victims of such violence suffer physical and mental health issues. Such vulnerability is endowed to lower economic status of women as compared to men, which has manifested in form of intimate partner violence. Laws exist in many countries that address domestic violence, however, the enforcement and conviction rate is so low that the perpetrators come out of the entire process unscathed and perpetuate the crime damaging the social fabric. Such offenders are not only a threat to the society but to all in weaker and subdued positions such as children.

 

Women and children under threat of violence, abuse and similar crimes are denied human rights and fundamental freedoms and strip them of living as an equal citizen with equal rights. Lack of effective laws, legal aid, protection and the justice system skewed in favor of the perpetrators of such crimes has made the situation worse, continually.

 

Many factors have contributed to the rise in such crimes over years. Access to pornography and pedophilia along with poor socioeconomic conditions has put women and children at a higher risk of heinous crimes. In order to curb such atrocities efficient policing that ensures apprehending the criminals and ensuring proper investigation and prosecution without discrimination would be a deterrent. Profiling of criminals along with their psychological assessments should be used as a barometer to study the behavior of those who abuse their position of power to justify their criminality. Such assessments should be used to devise public awareness campaigns of identifying and reporting such behavior to authorities at initial stages so that potential offenders are admonished which would significantly discourage such behavior not only in intimate relationships but also extraneously.

 

According to UNICEF, Pakistan ranks highest (12%) in the time period of 2018, for the demographic of 15-17 years of girls that have faced physical and sexual abuse only in comparison to countries such as Papua New Guinea (9.7%), Nigeria (5.9%) and Mali (5.2%), which have shown lower rates of such crimes. For the similar time period, women who have ever partnered and subjected to physical, sexual, psychological violence have shown highest rates in Papua New Guinea (47.6%), following Zambia (25.3%), Mali (20.9%) and Pakistan (14.5%).

 

The pattern during Covid-19 times has emerged with growing trend across the world. Economic insecurity that everyone faces globally has fueled the fire that has exacerbated violent crimes. Lock-downs have not been friendly to victims of domestic abuse, women and children included. Many countries have pushed for increased protection for women and children in quarantine. For instance, UK police asked for more powers to evict perpetrators from their homes to ensure protection of women and children.

 

The UN Secretary-General said in April 2020 to governments that women and children should be put at the center of Covid-19 recovery efforts:

 

“Limited gains in gender equality and women’s rights made over the decades are in danger of being rolled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

UN’s sustainable development goal 5 that addresses achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls will have a profound impact in decreasing the trend, given that all countries collectively enforce laws and policies that are not only gender sensitive but also aid in protecting children.

 

All efforts should be focused to address gender inequality and balance in power to protect the vulnerable. Socioeconomic conditions and other causes of abuse and crimes should be dealt with in a manner that brings more equity. Without probing the causes of this global issue and taking steps to significantly eliminate the menace, it will surge erratically putting the vulnerable in ever-growing danger that will have adverse effects on the global society.

 

Lets work towards a solution to bring more equity.

 

We at Polyown Think Tank value your opinion. Let us know, what you think is the cause and solution to this growing trend of crimes against women and children?