Mapping gender-based violence in Pakistan : district-level analysis of rape, kidnapping and honor killings

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“Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most pervasive types of abuse and human rights violations globally, taking on a plethora of forms and dimensions, including sexual, physical, mental, emotional, and financial. The phenomenon of GBV is not restricted to a particular socioeconomic or geographical context, but different intersectional factors such as race, ethnicity, social class, sexuality, and location can also amplify victims’ vulnerability towards violence. While men can also be victims of GBV, it is an undeniable fact that this violence is inherently rooted in gender roles, norms and perspectives, due to which ultimately women are disproportionately affected, making up the bulk of GBV victims (World Bank, n.d.). This gives rise to unequal power structures where women are more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of men and lack access to resources and social capital, while also being further subjugated due to structural and institutional barriers. As a result, the terms GBV and violence against women (VAW) are often used interchangeably (World Bank, n.d.). Likewise, this will also be the case in this report, which primarily presents the prevalence of gender-based violence against women at the provincial and district levels in Pakistan.”