London, March 18 (AHN) Pakistan’s systemic denial of justice for survivors of gender-based violence goes beyond procedural failure, exposing deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes and administrative failures embedded in the country’s governance structures.

When victims are ignored, dissuaded, and denied fair hearings, justice becomes an empty promise — one that perpetuates violence and marginalisation, a report has detailed.

“Patriarchy in Pakistan is not merely a social attitude but a deeply entrenched system that shapes laws, institutions, and everyday power relations, placing women in structurally subordinate positions and normalising violence as a means of control. From early childhood, restrictive codes of behaviour, rigid gender segregation, and the powerful ideology linking “family honour” to female virtue govern women’s lives, while abuses committed in the name of culture or religion are routinely excused or sanctified,” a report in UK-based newspaper 'Asian Lite' detailed.

“Practices such as honour killings, rape and sexual assault, acid attacks, forced marriages, custodial abuse, domestic violence, dowry-related deaths, and abductions persist not as social aberrations, but as mechanisms through which patriarchal authority is enforced and preserved,” it added.

The report noted that the pattern of systemic violence across Pakistan has consistently drawn global scrutiny.

“Justice for survivors of gender-based violence is routinely obstructed by patriarchal corruption embedded within police, courts, and local power structures, where victims are often disbelieved, blamed, or pressured into silence,” it stated.

According to the report, women belonging to religious minority communities, including Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs bear the brunt and face overlapping layers of discrimination based on gender, faith, caste, and socio-economic status.

Despite constitutional provisions of equality in Pakistan, it said, minority women frequently remain outside the reach of meaningful legal protection and social services.

Citing findings of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the report said, around 70 per cent of women in the country have faced domestic violence, a figure widely considered to be underreported — especially among minority communities where fear of retaliation and institutional bias discourages complaints.

“Economic abuse, restricted access to education and employment, and rising digital harassment further compound their vulnerability, pushing many survivors beyond the reach of formal redress. Pakistan’s stark gender inequality is also reflected in global indices measuring women’s economic participation and political representation, where the country ranks near the bottom. This imbalance reinforces the belief in male superiority that underpins gender-based violence. International frameworks have long recognised this dynamic,” the report highlighted.

Pakistan saw a significant rise in gender-based violence in 2025, with documented incidents rising by 25 per cent compared to the previous year.

A compilation by Sahil, a NGO in Pakistan working for the welfare of children, indicated that the surge included “thousands of murders, abductions, physical assaults, suicides and rape cases” recorded across the country between January and November 2025.

“These statistics reflect a worsening landscape for women and girls already threatened by violence in both public and private spaces. Yet, behind these numbers lies a more troubling reality: the state’s failure to deliver justice to survivors,” the report noted.