On Human Rights Day and In Data: Rape Cases in Punjab

In a report, done by the University College of Lahore, ‘Accountability for Rape: A case study of Lodhran’, the numbers show that rape cases in Punjab were staggeringly high in 2016-2017. The study is thorough and looks at court judgements to show how alleged rapists were acquitted. And a whole lot of them were set free.

Police submitted reports on more than 7,000 new rape cases during 2016-17, cases that had a verdict were more than 5,800. Out of the ones that were given a verdict, only 216 cases had a conviction.

The study revealed that major cities had more rape cases, as expected, but what was not expected was the amount of convictions in relation to the cities.

Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur had the highest number of rape incidents and a very low conviction rate. But

The highest number of contest acquittals was in Lodhran, which means that when the case went to trial, an acquittal took place when the judge decided that the prosecution had not proved that the defendant was guilty.

The report also showed the cities with the lowest amount of cases with Mianwali and Jhelum topping the list as ‘safer’ cities.

Interestingly the study also shows judgments that listed the ‘character’ of the women who were raped.

How many cases were individual or gang rapes, with individual rapes being the most common type of rape in Punjab.

The marital status of the women was also documented and most of the women who were raped were married when the incident took place.

More than half of the incidents that took place involved a man who knew the victim.