Punjab has seen a sharp increase in gender-based violence, with concerningly low conviction rates.
According to a recent report by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), Punjab saw a concerning increase in gender-based violence in 2024, despite the fact that conviction rates were still quite low.
Based on district-level statistics from January to December 2024, the report details thousands of violent incidents, such as domestic abuse, rape, honor killings, and kidnappings. Even though there were many occurrences reported, the SSDO observed that relatively few of the offenders were prosecuted.
The results show that gender-based crimes have significantly increased in both urban and rural locations. With 532 recorded rape instances, Lahore led the list, followed by Faisalabad (340) and Kasur (271).
In order to confront the escalating issue and enhance the prosecution of gender-based crimes, the SSDO has called on authorities to act immediately.
