ESCALATING incidents of violence against women, children and other vulnerable sections reflect a dire need to plug procedural gaps before enacting laws. The National Assembly has passed a new Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2025, which aims to build “protection, relief and rehabilitation of women, men, transgender, children and any vulnerable person against domestic violence” in Islamabad. It sets broad parameters for the many forms of cruelty — physical and sexual to psychological and economic — with penalties and compensations applicable under the PPC. But this, too, is in danger of becoming another piece of legislation rendered toothless by dismal conviction rates and poor institutional processes. Until the authorities discard the idea that domestic abuse is a family affair, protections will remain inaccessible for most.

Harsh punishments alone cannot ensure balance, respect and justice. Brutalisation persists without proper coordination among investigators, medico-legal, police and prosecution. Meanwhile, financial constraints not only impede rehabilitation for survivors but also encourage police corruption. Skilled investigators and a committed support infrastructure for sufferers across the country are desperately needed. Additionally, cases involving women, children and the differently abled should be resolved within a set time period. Other challenges — pending cases, insensitive attitudes, lack of witness and victim protection programmes — contribute to prolonged proceedings and erode faith in the justice system. Moreover, the government must work harder to dislodge the stigma attached to reporting abuse, as well as espouse UNFPA’s ‘life-skills-based education’ and promote bodily autonomy as deterrents. The human rights ministry listed 63,000 gender-based violence cases from 2020-2023. In 2023, 10,201 cases of domestic violence were reported in Punjab alone — representing but a tiny fraction of the actual prevalence of domestic violence which mostly goes unreported. When morality is society’s burden to bear, justice is easier to access.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2025