ED: A need to change hearts and minds

The Covid-19 pandemic has done immeasurable damage across the board, and the sharp rise in domestic violence, torture, and repression that girls and women have been subjected to must rank as one of the most worrisome and infuriating.

However, what has unfortunately exacerbated the situation further is the lack of help and support that the victims receive after their experiences. They are forced to remain silent as they continue suffering and therefore, the majority of incidents with respect to domestic violence continue to go unreported.

As addressed in a webinar last Thursday by international rights advocacy organization ARTICLE 19 by numerous speakers, increasing the degree of punishment for the perpetrators will have a negligible impact if women are not coming forward to speak of their experiences and their sufferings in the first place.

Indeed, what continues to be the biggest roadblock in the way of women receiving justice is the culture and stigma that persists in our society with regards to listening to women about their ordeals. This is particularly true in rural areas and those who are from a lower socioeconomic background, where patriarchy’s adverse effects are more apparent.

It is this stigma that is embedded in our society that must be eliminated. It is about time that serious attention was paid to this issue, and to empower the girls and women in this country to come forward and report all incidents of domestic violence. We must create a society where those that have been subjected to torture and violence will not be turned away again and again by those who are supposed to protect them.