Unmasking the Shadow of Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan; a Critical Analysis

The objective of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of gender-based violence in Pakistan. It reviews the alarming rise in such incidents and the accompanying psychological and societal effects. This research aims to analyze the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country and to explore the power dynamics, gender stereotypes, and cultural factors that contribute to this pervasive issue. Cases of gender-based violence are on the rise, and the consequences are worrisome since they cause social and psychological issues for the women targeted. This paper further tells us the strategies to mitigate this issue and the for this purpose, I have used qualitative research design, In-Depth Interviews (IDI) were conducted with women and men selected purposively who faced violence. Moreover, interview guide was used as research instrument for collecting the data and thematic analysis has been done to make sense of the data. Two cities namely Islamabad and Rawalpindi (Pakistan) were selected on the basis of existing higher trend of domestic violence. The study identified that both women and men encounter various forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including verbal, emotional, psychological, sexual, and physical abuse. Additionally, non-physical violence such as financial struggles, marital dissolution, verbal harassment, forced and child marriages, and other coercive tactics were reported by individuals of both genders. Married women particularly faced instances of sexual assault, with many expressing feelings of objectification and pressure to meet their husbands' sexual expectations. Furthermore, incidents of cyber abuse, including harassment, stalking, and blackmail via digital channels, were prevalent among both men and women. Keywords: Austerity, Intimate partner violence, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Sexual Harassment. List of abbreviations: SGBV Sexual and Gender-based Violence DVA domestic violence and abuse IPV intimate partner violence GBV gender-based violence FGM Female genital mutilation UN United Nations