Our media showcases violence in prime time because such news is sold and improves ratings compared to airing programmes on education or health issues. There are prime time TV programmes on violence which cannot be seen with family especially children. However, still, a majority of people especially youth watch these programmes. The impact of such shows is devastating on the youth as they get immune to violence.
The news of violence often appears on channels and is not noticed by the law enforcement agencies until the court or political parties takes notice. The reaction and response of police to such issues is also reactive.
While elites are proactive in taking notice of individual cases of violence, they can do more for future generations if they take notice of early marriages, forced marriages and customs like honour killing and Suwara once and forever. Laws have been devised against most of these crimes, but the implementation of laws against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) will significantly reduce these crimes from happening. The first step should, however, be a nationwide awareness campaign on these issues and the appointment of public watchdog institutions in all parts of the country.
Numerous studies have shown that children growing up around violence are more likely to become victims or perpetrators in the future. It is time to break this cycle. Awareness Programmes for kids need to be introduced to empower them, so they can report such incidents in their surroundings as well
Around 5000 women are being killed every year in Pakistan due to domestic violence, and thousands of women have been victims of acid attacks and domestic violence. This issue is not only devastating for victims of violence but also entails significant social and economic costs. Failure to address this issue may cause significant difficulties in the future. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Report — the majority of those affected by GBV are women and girls.
Our conservative society doesn’t allow women to make their own choices. Most women are either married early or are forced to marry, sometimes men much older than them. When a forced marriage takes place, an unending series of issues start between the two families which might result in GBV but also sometimes ends in honour killings.
In some parts of the country, little girls younger than 10 years, are married to elderly men to punish the girl’s family. This tradition is called Suwara or Vani. The cases of Vani and Suwara are still very common in Pakistan but highlighted by the media when a video clip of an incident appears. The Human Rights Ministry should introduce a mechanism where such videos/clips can be reported and brought to the notice of the ministry for strict action.
While GBV directly affects the survivours, it also affects the family of survivors. Male children who see their fathers beat their mothers are 7 times more likely to be violent adults than those who have not witnessed such behaviour. Men who assault women are more likely to harm children physically, sexually, and emotionally. Their need for power and control over family members often stifles the healthy development of their children. Children who witness abuse suffer from psychological effects in the form of post-traumatic stress. Numerous studies have shown that children growing up around violence are more likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence in the future. It is time to break this cycle. Awareness Programmes for kids need to be introduced to empower them, so they can report such incidents in their surroundings as well.
The Human Rights Ministry under the leadership of Shireen Mazari has started working proactively to eradicate GBV by engaging key stakeholders. This is an ideal time for the Human Rights Ministry to strengthen laws that will prevent violence against women, girls, transgenders, and children
Often in our society, women are socially pressurised to remain quiet when violence is committed against them by family members such as husband, brother, father or other family members. Sometimes girls are the only bread earners of their families and when they are targeted their whole family suffers.
The Human Rights Ministry under the leadership of Shireen Mazari has started working proactively to eradicate GBV by engaging key stakeholders. This is an ideal time for the Human Rights Ministry to strengthen laws that will prevent violence against women, girls, transgenders, and children. The Ministry can work on limiting violent content on the media and replace it with case studies backed by the law and appropriate actions taken against the perpetrators of such heinous crimes. A comprehensive awareness campaign needs to be started by the media. The money which was spent on personal publicity by the past governments can be spent on this noble cause. It is high time for us as a society to stop violence against women and minorities and give them their social rights.
The writer is a media and communications professional. He can be contacted at [email protected] or Twitter: zia051
Published in Daily Times, September 19th 2018.