Covers the causes, theories and recommendations for domestic violence. Also has many real life domestic violence stories that has occurred in Pakistan.

1. Domestic Violence
By:
Hareem Syed
Hareem Islam
Iffrah Akhtar

2. Introduction to Domestic
Violence:
Domestic violence is a behavior used by one
person in a relationship to control the other.
Partners may be married or not married;
heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together,
separated or dating. . It is causing physical or
mental harm to a family or household member or
placing a family or household member in fear of
physical or mental harm.

3. Types of Domestic Violence:
Male Domestic Violence:
Men are also victims of domestic violence.
Domestic violence against men can take many
forms, including emotional, sexual and physical
abuse and threats of abuse. It can happen in
heterosexual or same sex relationships.

4. A man can experience domestic violence if his partner:
 calls his names, insults him or puts him down
 prevents him from going to work or school
 stops him from seeing family members or friends
 tries to control how he spend money, where he go or what he wear
 hits, kicks, shoves, slaps, chokes or otherwise hurts him, his
children or pets
A gay can experience domestic violence if he’s in a relationship with
someone who:
 threatens to tell friends, family, colleagues or community members
his sexual orientation or gender identity
 tells him that authorities won't help a gay, bisexual or transgender
person
 tells him that leaving the relationship means you're admitting that
gay, bisexual or transgender relationships are deviant
 justifies abuse by telling you that he is not "really" gay, bisexual or
transgender

5. Female Domestic Violence:
Violence and abuse affect women from all kinds of
backgrounds every day. Sometimes, women are attacked
by strangers, but most often they are hurt by people who
are close to them. Violence and abuse can cause terrible
physical and emotional pain. Abused women often
experience conflicting emotions such as fear, anger,
shame, resentment, sadness and powerlessness.

6. Some immediate health impacts may include:
•Physical injuries - such as cuts, scrapes and bruises,
fractures, dislocated bones
•Hearing loss
•Vision loss
•Miscarriage or early delivery
•Knife wounds
Longer term health impacts may include:
•Back pain
•Fainting
•Depression
•Eating disorders
•Sleep disturbances
•Smoking throughout pregnancy

7. Causes of Domestic Violence:
 Domestic violence may start when one partner
feels the need to control and dominate the other.
 Violent behavior often is caused by an interaction
of situational and individual factors.
 Domestic violence behaviors are learned through
observation.
 Domestic violence against women by men is
'caused' by the misuse of power and control within
a context of male privilege.
 The effect of alcohol addiction and abuse on
human behavior is also a major contributing factor.

8. Causes of Domestic Violence in
Pakistan:
 The causes for domestic violence against women in Pakistan
include women's low educational levels, low empowerment,
and least opportunities to indulge in political activities; wrong
interpretations of religious, traditional and cultural norms in the
society; poverty; dowry system; women's suppressed
autonomy and males' addiction to alcohol.
 The prevailing systems of Pardah and Izzat are misused to
push the social isolation of women.
 Other prominent points for domestic violence in the Pakistani
culture are societal pressures, imbalance of power between
men and women.

9. Forms of Domestic violence:
 Verbal Abuse
 Physical Abuse
 Emotional or Psychological Abuse
 Economic Abuse
 Sexual Abuse
 Isolation

10. Effects of Domestic Violence:
Effects of Domestic violence on women:
 Injuries
 Health
 Homelessness
 Sociological
 At workplace

11. Other long-term effects of domestic violence on
women who have been abused may include:
 anxiety
 death
 drug and alcohol dependence
 eating disorder
 malnutrition
 panic attacks
 poverty
 self neglect
 suicide attempts
 an inability to adequately respond to the needs of their children

12. Effects of Domestic Violence on
Children:
 They may become anxious or depressed
 They may have difficulty sleeping
 They have nightmares or flashbacks
 They can be easily startled
 They may complain of physical symptoms such as
tummy aches
 They may start to wet their bed
 They may have problems with school
 They may become aggressive
 They may have a lowered sense of self-worth
 Older children may begin to use alcohol or drugs
 They may have an eating disorder

13. Theories Regarding Domestic
Violence

14.  Many theories have existed and evolved over time to
attempt to grasp the reasons for unrestrained violence in
human society.
 Theories are important, not only because they offer
different explanations for the phenomenon of domestic
abuse, but because each approach has clear implications
for responses and interventions by practitioners and
policy-makers.

15. Battered women’s syndrome
 First theory developed in the United States.
 Developed as feminist explanation of impact of DV.
 According to this theory, men who abused their wives were
mentally ill and could be cured..
 The results of these first studies were distorted.

16. Learned behavior theory
 Men battered because they learned this behavior in their
families.
 Why?
 There is a statistical relationship between boys who witness
their fathers battering their mothers (they are seven times more
likely to batter their own wives).
 However, there is a possibility that many men who witnessed
violence as children will not abuse their partners.

17. Loss of control
 Closely related to the “learned behavior” theory.
 For example, many believed that men are abusive when they drink
because the alcohol causes them to lose control.
 Others explained men’s violence as a result of an inability to control
their anger and frustration.
 This theory was contradicted by batterer’s behavior i.e. carefully
targeted to certain people at certain times and places
 Often choose to abuse their partners only in private, choose their
tactics carefully
 Such decision-making indicates that they are actually in control of
their abusive behaviors

18. Cycle of violence
 The cycle of violence was the next theory to gain popularity.
 This theory was based on the belief that men did not express
their frustration and anger because they had been taught not to
show their feelings.
 The man’s tension built until he exploded and became violent.
The tension was released, and the couple enjoyed a
“honeymoon” period, during which the husband was apologetic
and remorseful.
 This theory, however, was not consistent with women’s
experiences.

19. Biopsychosocial perspective
 Attempts to tie together biological factors
(testosterone levels, alcohol abuse).
 Social factors such as the level of social stress,
quality of the relationship, the income and extent
of social support available.
 Psychological (antisocial tendencies, hostility,
egocentrism, need for gratification or attention).

20. Rights Theories
 Abuse as a result of failure of recognizing the
women’s rights.
 Legal Reforms and education about the legal
and political rights of women.
 Outcomes of this theory.

21. Male Pathologies
 Focus on experiences/events which shape men to
‘become abusers’.
 The claim is made that the disturbed/violent men suffer
more distress, personality disorders, anger/hostility, and
alcohol problems than ‘normal’.
 Cause of the failure of the theory?

22. Transitional Theory
 Another theory of domestic violence sees it as emerging from
the fact that many societies are in transition from traditional
cultures to a modern, urbanized society.
 Many of the violent quarrels are occasioned in many instances
by social change and men's sense of threat in the face of it.
 For example:
1. quarrels erupt because of men's inability in the modern
economy to support wives or extended families
2. women's growing independence as they take "second" jobs
and interact with other men
3. the difficulty for women to perform household work in
traditionally expected ways when they also work in the cash
economy

23.  All of these are situations that might not have arisen if the society
had remained untouched by the modern world, but they seem
almost inevitable in the economic distress and social dislocation
typical in most of the parts of world today.
 It has also been pointed that migration and urbanization, which
have "brought many families and individuals into situations entirely
unknown in traditional lifestyles, uprooting them out of the context
of corporate morality, customs and traditional solidarity.“
 The influence of the family over its members may be weakening in
other ways as well, as some of its members enter the cash
economy and are thus not as interdependent economically as they
were previously.
 As a result, family elders may not have the same authority to
regulate daily life.

25. Introduction.
 90% of women in Pakistan face domestic violence
(Tribune Express)
It had been observed from a report that somewhere
between 70%-90% women experience some form of
spousal abuse in Pakistan.
In 2011, Thomson Reuters survey ranked Pakistan as
the third most dangerous country for women in the world
after Afghanistan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

26. Governmental Measures
 The government passed a ‘Prevention and
Protection bill in 2009. The bill was supported
by Asif Ali Zardari (Former President) and
Yousuf Raza Gillani.According to the bill those
who found guilty of beating women or children
will face a minimum six months behind bars
and a fine of at least 100,000 rupees ($1,100).
However the bill failed to pass because the
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) said that
the domestic violence bill undermined Islamic
values, and “promote western culture”.

27. Continued…
 In 2010, another bill was passed to uphold women
right which was Acid control and Acid Prevention
Bill. According to the bill, the culprit would face
fourteen years imprisonment and a minimum fine
of 1 Million rupees.
Another Bill against Domestic Violence was
passed on 13th May 2013 which applied a
punishment of two years who ever was suspect as
a culprit to involve in any kind of domestic violence
against women, children or any other vulnerable
person.

28. Newspaper articles

29. NGO’S Working in Pakistan
against Domestic Violence.
 Islamabad
1) Bedari - funded by UNDP (Islamabad)
2) Acid Survivors' Foundation Pakistan
3) Aasha - Alliance against Sexual Harassment
4) FEHRO- Female Human Rights Organization
5) Sexual Harassment Watch (Islamabad)
6) Aurat Foundation (Islamabad)

30. NGO’S Working in Pakistan
against Domestic Violence.
 Karachi
1) War Against Rape
2) Shirkat Gah - Women Resource
Center
3) Tehreek-e-Niswan
4) Kiran Ahmed Welfare Association

31. NGO’S Working in Pakistan
against Domestic Violence.
 Lahore
1)White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan
2) Simorgh - Women's resource and
Publication center
3) Kashf Foundation

32. NGO’S Working in Pakistan
against Domestic Violence
 Peshawar
1) All Pakistan Women Association -
APWa
2) Women Association Struggle For
Development (WASFD) (KPK)
3)PWHRO- Pakistani Women's Human
Rights Organization

33. Prominent cases in Pakistan.
Iram Saeed
She is 30 years old. 12 years ago when she was only 17, a boy's
marriage proposal she rejected, threw a jug full of acid on her.

34. Prominent cases in Pakistan.
Shehnaz Usman
Shehnaz was burned with acid by a relative due to a familial dispute 5 years
ago.

35. Prominent cases in Pakistan.
Najaf Sultana
At the age of 5 Najaf was burned by her father while sleeping because he
did not want to have another girl in family.

36. Prominent cases in Pakistan.
Nasreen Sharif.
Nasreen Sharif when she turned 14 her cousin poured a whole bottle of sulphuric
acid on a face while she was asleep. His only excuse was that he couldn’t stand
other boys whistling at her when she crossed the street. Now she is blind.

37. Prominent cases in
Pakistan.
 Fakhra Yunus
In 1998, Yunus was an 18 year old resident of Napier Road’s
Bulbul Bazar, Karachi’s red light district, when she met the MPA
Bilal Khar.They both got married after a six month relationship.
This was Bilal’s third marriage, while Yunus had a three year old
son from an earlier liaison. Shortly after the marriage, she faced
both physical and mental abuse by Khar, which lasted for three
years before she eventually escaped and moved in with her
mother. Acid was poured over her on May 14, 2000, as her five
year old son watched. She had been undergoing treatment for
acid scarred tissue, including multiple corrective surgeries in
Rome when the news arrived that On March 17, she leapt off
from the sixth floor of a building. Her body was expected to
arrive in Karachi via air on March 25.

38. Prominent cases in
Pakistan.
 Before  After

39. Bilal Khar
 Bilal Khar (Former MPA) is the son of
Mustafa Khar. (Political leader from
PPP)

40. Case study Via – Rozen NGO
http://www.rozan.org/
 Case Study
A 36 old year woman came to Rozan counseling facility for therapy.
She belonged to a wealthy family. She revealed that she lacked self-
confidence and considered herself inferior to others. She felt like living
in isolation and did not have the courage to talk to others. She also said
that she was sad all the time and was not happy even if she received
any good news. She felt low for no obvious reason. Her body ached all
the time. She could not get any rest and hated it when children made
noise. She felt angry and spanks the children. She felt sorry after doing
this and later she cried. After a few sessions it was revealed that her
husband would sometime beat her up and this happened mostly in
front of the children. The children would get scared and she felt
humiliated. Her husband did not even allow her to meet her parents.
She was afraid to talk to anyone just to avoid her husband suspicion.
She was also unable to sleep due to continuous fear.

41. Psychologist study on
domestic violence.

42. Psychologist study on
domestic violence.
 Story
We got married in 2010 and it was an arrange marriage. The first year of marriage went fine
although he never used to talk much. We never went out anywhere but it wasn’t a big concern for
me since I was used to of staying home. Our father never let us out (Conservative family). As first
year passed by he started being rude with me. At first everything I used to say or do pissed him off.
He used to argue and scream out of anger and that is when the violence started.
There was a family dinner and all the over family members were over at our place. Our neighbors
were like family to us. Their children and my younger siblings played together. We had spent our
childhood together. Since we always treated them as a family I invited then over for dinner that day.
One of their son’s names was Waseem and that day we were just randomly talking but I had no
idea that my spouse was noticing such minute things.
We were chatting casually even his wife was a part of our conversation. He was only being a
gentle guest. One the dining table while having dinner he passed to a plate and glass as a polite
gesture. When our guest left my spouse fought with me violently and started throwing furniture
around and kicking things. Then a few days later, I requested my husband to take to the tailor in a
nearby market. We went to the market and coincidentally Waseem and wife was also there. My
husband was watching me from the car. He furiously came, grabbed my arm and dragged to me
towards the car and he drove at a tremendously high speed. Sitting in the car I thought I had no
hope of reaching home safely. Throughout the way he kept using abusive language and accusing
me that I have been in contact with Waseem. He also blamed me for calling him to the market so
that I could meet him.
That was the night he started with the violence. He started hitting me with his belt and threw vases
at me.

43. Conclusion

44. After a whole long debate on domestic violence in our opinion it can be
stated that there is NO justification whatsoever for violence against women.
Domestic Violence is an act of indecency, coward-ness and sheer barbarity.
There should be certain serious and implementable laws, action plans,
programs and strategies to control the rate of domestic violence not only in
Pakistan but all around the world. Educational programs should be
introduced in all societies and culture both for women and men at the same
level. Another suggestion is that awareness programs should be created
which should include birth direct and indirect teaching. Direct teaching
should include teaching and counseling. Indirect teaching should involve
use of media, pamphlets, role play, drama, talk show.
Government should to make sure that women have enough access to reach
any political opportunity and there should be training programs available for
their capacity building on politics. There should also be reforms in the police
departments and judicial processes which place constraints on women from
accessing justice. Women police should be trained to deal with women
facing domestic violence so that women could feel safe and protected.
Indeed the presence of a nurse or doctor in the police department team
would facilitate a pleasant environment for the sufferers.
Therefore to conclude, it can be said that the phenomenon of domestic
violence should be controlled to save the life of all those victims who die
due to this horrendous crime.