SEXUAL ASSAULT, FORENSIC INVESTIGATION, AND LEGAL SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN: A REVIEW

MS RAZA; A AHAD; R NAWAZ; M AHMAD; JU HASSAN; U MEHMOOD

doi:10.54112/bcsrj.v2023i1.465

Authors

MS RAZA Department of Biological Sciences Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan
A AHAD Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan
R NAWAZ Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan
M AHMAD Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan
JU HASSAN Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan
U MEHMOOD Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 51451, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v2023i1.465

Keywords:

Sexual Assaults, Sexual Harassments, Sexual Violatioins, Rape Laws, Islamic Laws, Forensic Examination, Forensic Protocols, Forensic Investigations, Crime Scene Investigations, Medico-legal Assessments

Abstract

Sexual assaults are horrific crimes and major human rights violations everywhere, particularly against women and children. According to statistical surveys around the globe, the occurrences of sexual assaults are more common in developed countries. According to different survey reports published in The Nation, almost 11 cases are reported every 24 hours in Pakistan. Besides this high occurrence rate of rape cases, many cases go unreported. Conviction rates are surprisingly as low as 0.5% due to multiple factors like the unfamiliarity of victims with the legal procedures and basic human rights, the social pressure created by the families of victims, time-consuming and challenging legal processes, worry about retaliation from the attacker etc. With the prevalence of modern scientific technologies and trends in the World, modern and improved technologies and techniques like DNA testing and DNA profiling are being used in Pakistan also, even with the limited availability of full-fledged forensic labs. The need of the hour is to spread awareness and to enhance the literacy rate because more than 60 million people lack knowledge about basic human rights and the legal procedures regarding assault cases that they must follow in case of any unfortunate happenings.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmed, B., Yousaf, F. N., & Asif, U.-R. (2021). Combating Street Harassment: A Challenge for Pakistan. Women & Criminal Justice, 31(4), 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2019.1644697

Andersen, I. (2007). What is a typical rape? Effects of victim and participant gender in female and male rape perception. British Journal of Social Psychology, 46(1), 225–245. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466606X101780

Arif, M., Ahmed, M., & Hanif, F. (2014). Natural sexual offences;: medicolegal assessment in Punjab. The Professional Medical Journal, 21(05), 980–986.

Bari, S. M. (2022). The legal aspect of rape: a review of the 2020 amendment of Nari O Shishu Ain (Act no VIII of 2000). Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Legal Studies, 4, 58–67.

Data: One year of rape cases in Pakistan - The Current. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://thecurrent.pk/data-one-year-of-rape-cases-in-pakistan/

Edwards, K. M., Turchik, J. A., Dardis, C. M., Reynolds, N., & Gidycz, C. A. (2011). Rape Myths: History, Individual and Institutional-Level Presence, and Implications for Change. Sex Roles, 65(11), 761–773. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9943-2

Ferdoos, A. (2005). Social status of urban and non-urban working women in Pakistan – a comparative study. Osnabrueck, Germany: University of Osnabrueck.

Fontes, L. A., & Plummer, C. (2010). Cultural issues in disclosures of child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 19(5), 491–518.

Garcia-Moreno, C., & Watts, C. (2011). Violence against women: an urgent public health priority. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 89, 2.

Hassan, Q., Bashir, M. Z., Mujahid, M., Munawar, A. Z., Aslam, M., & Marri, M. Z. (2007). Medico-legal assessment of sexual assault victims in Lahore. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 57(11), 539–542.

Imran, R. (2005). Legal injustices: The Zina Hudood Ordinance of Pakistan and its implications for women. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 7(2), 78–100.

Imtiaz, S., & Kamal, A. (2021). Sexual Harassment in the Public Places of Pakistan: Gender of Perpetrators, Gender Differences and City Differences Among Victims. Sexuality & Culture, 25(5), 1808–1823. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09851-8

Jatoi, B. (n.d.). The Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016: A Critique.

Khan, A. (2020). ’Honour’Killings in Pakistan: Judicial and Legal Treatment of the Crime: A Feminist Perspective. LUMS LJ, 7, 74.

Mangi, D. (2021). Forensic Protocols and Investigation of Crimes in Pakistan: A Case of Sindh. Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 5(II), 614–630. https://doi.org/10.35484/pssr.2021(5-ii)48

Map: Rapes reported in Karachi so far in 2021 - Archives - SAMAA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/2442258

Mateen, R. M., & Tariq, A. (2019). Crime scene investigation in Pakistan: a perspective. In Forensic Science International: Synergy (Vol. 1, pp. 285–287). Elsevier.

Mazhar, U. (2018, October 02). Say no to harassment. Retrieved from https://nation.com.pk/02-Oct-2018/say-no-toharassment

Mehdi, R., & Niazi, A. A. K. (n.d.). The Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006–A Challenge to the ‘Divine Sanction’in Pakistan? NAVEIÑ REET: Nordic Journal of Law and Social Research, 1, 58–72.

Moore, S. E. H. (2011). Tracing the Life of a Crime Category: The shifting meaning of “date rape.” Feminist Media Studies, 11(4), 451–465.

Mumtaz, Z. (2003). Gender and reproductive health in Pakistan: a need for reconceptualisation. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Munir, R., Abbas, R. Z., & Arshed, N. (2021). DNA profiling and databasing: An analysis of issues and challenges in the criminal justice system of Pakistan. Medicine, Science and the Law, 61(1), 27–33.

Need for forensic laboratories in Sindh greater than ever. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://tribune.com.pk/story/1921192/need-forensic-laboratories-sindh-greater-ever

Noor Mukadam murder case: A timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2321549/noor-mukadam-murder-case-a-timeline

Organization, W. H. (2019). Violence against women: intimate partner and sexual violence against women: evidence brief. World Health Organization.

Pak woman gang-raped by robbers in front of her children on a motorway : The Tribune India. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/pak-woman-gang-raped-by-robbers-in-front-of-her-children-on-a-motorway-139273

Pakistan: Couple Harassment Case - Human Rights News. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://ghrtv.org/pakistan-couple-harassment-case

Pakistan to set up special courts to tackle violence against women. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://news.trust.org/item/20190619193302-lp7iz/

Persson, S., & Dhingra, K. (2022). Attributions of blame in stranger and acquaintance rape: A multilevel meta-analysis and systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(3), 795–809.

Qaisrani, A., & Liaquat, S. (2018). Women’s Access to Justice: Ending Violence against Women in Pakistan. Journal of Development Policy, Research & Practice (JoDPRP), 2(1), 48–58.

RANK, F. A. U. S. A. D., & JANG, W. O. N. (n.d.). The Asia Pacific Affairs Journal.

Rasool, N., & Rasool, M. (2020). DNA evidence in sexual assault cases in Pakistan. Medicine, Science, and the Law, 2-8.

Ross, S. (2021). Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Encyclopedia of Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2, 767–773.

Russell, K. J., & Hand, C. J. (2017). Rape myth acceptance, victim blame attribution and Just World Beliefs: A rapid evidence assessment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 37, 153–160.

Sellers, P. V. (2008). The prosecution of sexual violence in conflict: The importance of human rights as means of interpretation. Women’s Human Rights and Gender Unit (WRGU).

Shaikh, S., & Ahmed, I. (2023). Pakistan’s Flawed Forensic Investigation System in Sexual Assault Cases.

Shehrbano, A., Can, Z., Narratives, R., Lives, S., Killing, H., Sharpe, J., & Grewal, I. (2018). A f i y a S h e h r b a n o Z i a Can Rescue Narratives Save Lives? Honor Killing in Pakistan. 44(2).

Tackling violence against women. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://tribune.com.pk/story/797500/tackling-violence-against-women

Tariq, S. A., Qasim, A. P., & Naeem, M. (2014). Pattern of female medicolegal cases attending the casualty department of a teaching hospital. Journal of University Medical & Dental College, 5(1), 20–25.

Tiry, E., Zweig, J., Walsh, K., Farrell, L., & Yu, L. (2022). Beyond forensic evidence: Examining sexual assault medical forensic exam mechanisms that influence sexual assault case outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(7–8), NP5693–NP5727.

Watts, A. L., Bowes, S. M., Latzman, R. D., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2017). Psychopathic traits predict harsh attitudes toward rape victims among undergraduates. Personality and Individual Differences, 106, 1–5.

Woman raped at Margalla Hills’ hiking trail in Islamabad: FIR - Pakistan - DAWN.COM. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1764710

Zainab murder: Riots in Pakistan’s Kasur after child rape and killing. (2018). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42637027

Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Abbas, S. (2016). Domestic violence against rural women in Pakistan: an issue of health and human rights. Journal of Family Violence, 31, 15–25.

Zubair, M., Haider, S. I., & Khattak, F. (n.d.). The Implementation Challenges to Women Protection Laws in Pakistan.