Fact Sheet of Violence Against Women

Fact Sheet of Violence Against Women

Fact Sheet of Violence Against Women

Category Reported Annual Cases (approx. 2023–2024) Key Trend/Data Source
Sexual Violence (Rape) 5,339 – 6,624 2023 HRCP data indicates one woman is raped every 45 minutes in Pakistan.
Honor Crimes 405 – 547 While some provinces show a slight downward trend in reporting, “honor” remains a primary motive for femicide.
Domestic Violence 2,238 – 3,385 2024 police data recorded 3,385 cases of physical battery and 1,641 murders linked to domestic disputes.
Abduction/Kidnapping 24,493 This remains the most frequently reported crime against women, often linked to forced marriage or trafficking.
Cyber Harassment 9911 (Helpline) Over 1.8 million women have reported facing digital crimes (blackmail/stalking) in the last five years.
Suicide (Women) 875 (Annual) Research indicates that roughly 38% of all completed suicides in Pakistan are by women, often cited as being due to domestic conflict.

 

Violence Against Women in Punjab: 2024-2025 Statistics

Category

Reported Cases (Annual 2024)

Bi-Annual Stats (Jan–Jun 2025)

Rape

4,641

~1,620 (Avg. 9 per day)

Kidnapping/Abduction

20,720

9,180 (Avg. 51 per day)

Domestic Violence

1,167

4,320 (Avg. 24 per day)

Honor Killings

225

120

Acid Throwing

35-40

Ongoing Monitoring

Cyber Harassment

2,500

Increasingly Reported

Violence Against Women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2024–2025 Stats)

 

Reported Annual Cases (2024) Key Trend
Rape & Attempted Rape 482 Significant increase in reporting due to specialized desks.
Honor Killings 156 While lower than 2015 peaks, underreporting in merged districts remains high.
Domestic Violence 1,280 Now the most reported category following the 2021 Act.
Murder (Femicide) 245 Often linked to domestic disputes or inheritance.
Suicide (Women) 190 High correlation with forced marriages and domestic trauma.
Violence Against Women in Sindh (Annual Reported Stats 2024–2025)

 

Category Reported Annual Cases (2024) Key Trend
Rape & Gang-Rape 742 Significant increase in reporting in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Honor Killings (Karo-Kari) 176 While reported numbers have dropped, activists note many cases are still buried as “accidents.”
Domestic Violence 1,840 The most frequent complaint filed with the Sindh Ombudsman and Police.
Murder (Femicide) 310 Often related to “Honor” or domestic disputes.
Acid & Burn Crimes 25-30 Stricter regulation of acid sales has led to a decrease in these specific attacks.

 

Violence Against Women in Balochistan (2024–2025 Stats)
Category Reported Annual Cases (2024) Key Trend
Sexual Violence & Harassment 1,142 Includes rape, gang-rape, and harassment; numbers are rising due to increased urban reporting.
Domestic Violence 456 Encompasses physical assault, injuries from edged tools, and murder attempts.
Honor Killings (Siyah-Kari) 82 Often underreported in remote tribal areas; Quetta and Jaffarabad are reporting hotspots.
Acid & Burn Attacks 15-20 Significant decrease since 2015 due to stricter control and swift police action in Quetta.
Kidnapping/Abduction 615 Frequently linked to forced marriages and domestic disputes.
Pakistan Demographic & Health Survey (PDHS)

While the primary data remains the 2017-18 PDHS (as the latest full cycle), 2024-2025 updates from the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and supplemental 2023 reports highlight critical ongoing trends:

  • Physical & Sexual Violence: 28% of women (15–49) have experienced physical violence, while 6% have experienced sexual violence since age 15.
  • Violence During Pregnancy: 7% of women have reported experiencing violence while pregnant, a figure that remains stagnant.
  • Spousal & Emotional Abuse: 34% of ever-married women have experienced spousal physical, sexual, or emotional violence. Emotional violence remains the most prevalent form at 26%.
  • Controlling Behavior: 8% of married women report their husbands display three or more specific controlling behaviors (restricting movement, monitoring communication).
  • Injury & Reporting: 26% of women sustain physical injuries from abuse. However, 56% of survivors still never seek help or speak to anyone about the violence, largely due to social stigma and lack of accessible support.
  • Justification of Abuse: In recent 2024/2025 sub-analyses, 42% of women and 40% of men still believe a husband is justified in beating his wife under at least one circumstance.

Global Gender Gap Index Report (2025 Update)

Pakistan’s performance on global equity scales has reached a critical point. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Pakistan is now ranked 148th out of 148 countries, placing it at the very bottom of the global index.

Pakistan’s 2025 Ranking across the Four Pillars:

  • Overall Ranking: 148th (Lowest globally, behind Sudan and Iran).
  • Economic Participation & Opportunity: 143rd (Stagnant female labor force participation, currently at roughly 22-25%).
  • Educational Attainment: 139th (While literacy rose to 48.5%, gender parity in enrollment remains a major challenge).
  • Health and Survival: 132nd (Relative stability in life expectancy parity, but remains low in regional comparisons).
  • Political Empowerment: 112th (A sharp decline noted in 2025 as the share of women in ministerial positions dropped to near zero).