Violence against women on the rise

Published July 13, 2003

PESHAWAR, July 12: Domestic violence against women is on the rise in the NWFP as several women admitted to local hospitals for treatment happen to be the victims of their in-laws’ inhuman behaviour, a survey report said.

“I belong to Kohat. My husband earns Rs80 per day, most of which goes to my mother-in-law. I used to object to this,” said 20-year-old Samina who is undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

“Two weeks ago, I was cooking food for my husband who had not arrived yet. My mother-in-law warned me of cooking, but I did not pay heed. A few minutes later I felt something burning at my back. Ever since I have been at the hospital undergoing treatment,” she said.

Samina received burn marks on her back, throat and neck, but luckily survived because her injuries were of superficial nature, said a doctor.

Most of the burn victims die on the spot and very few survive because there are no burn units at local hospitals in the NWFP.

Out of 211 burn patients that were admitted to a local hospital in the last six months 73 happened to be young women.