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Increased violence against women in Kashmir

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 3/9/2018 12:27:18 AM

SRINAGAR, Mar 8: March 8 was observed as international day for women across the globe.
Where as in valley the day was marked by seminars, conferences vis-a-vis women's issues, the mounting graph of violence against women in Kashmir has only depicted a gradual but an alarming rise in violence in all forms, against women in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The recent ghastly rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua district yet again showed up as one such case that portrayed the enormity of the crime against women in the state.
Though the incident is not first of its kind in the state, every year scores of women across Kashmir fall prey to gender based violence which includes abuse, molestation, domestic violence, harassment, in one way or the other, inside or outside their homes.
The state government recently revealed a data which depicted a drastic upsurge in the cases of violence against women. The violence includes domestic abuse, sexual violence and harassment to an alarming level.
It was revealed in legislative assembly that over 4714 cases of crime against women were registered in the state during 2017 only.
The information revealed that state witnessed 2850 cases of kidnapping and abduction of women while as 5399 cases of molestation were reported from the state of Jammu and Kashmir in past one year.
The report revealed that 1157 cases of eve teasing were reported from different parts of J&K in 2017.
Over the years there has been an immense escalation in violence against women folk in the state.
Pertinently the cases of sexual violence also have witnessed a gradual but drastic rise. Such incidents have been reported from both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions of the state.
While domestic violence has dominated in Kashmir, cases of sexual violence have been reported from Jammu in large numbers.
A data available with State Commission for Women, revealed that the Commission received over 500 complaints of violence against women in 2015. The data reveals that majority of these cases reported from Kashmir included domestic violence and harassment.
As per the data most of the harassment cases included eve teasing, sexual harassment and molestation and domestic violence.
At women's police station Rambagh, more than 5 cases of domestic violence and harassment are registered almost every day according to the station house officer.
"Almost every day we receive complaints regarding domestic abuse, eve-teasing and harassment. The incidents are reported from all parts of Srinagar and at times other parts of valley also," SHO women's police station said.
"There has been a drastic rise in incidences of cases of crime against women in Kashmir valley during past many years. The State Commission for Women receives at least 3 cases of harassment almost every day," chairperson SWC Nayeema Mehjoor revealed.
Nayeema Mehjoor said that the rise in harassment of women folk in the state could be attributed to the patriarchal setup of the society.
"The scare of being teased and harassed has become a cause of anxiety for young girls as they venture out of their homes. These horrific incidents have spread like social nuisance making its roots firm in the society," said Shajina, an advocate who has been dealing with such cases for several years.