KARACHI – The MPAs belonging to the opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly will contact the Treasury benches MPAs to move a joint resolution with regard to the domestic violence, sources close to opposition benches disclosed to The News.
In this connection, opposition benches women MPAs may take their counterparts from the Treasury benches into confidence.
However, the source, disclosed that women MPAs greed that it was an urgent problem needing legislation. But, he said, party politics, was the main hurdle in tabling the resolution jointly to the House.
However, besides women MPAs belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who are reluctant to join hands for a common social cause, other women MPAs have the consent to move the resolution, the sources said.
They believe that open discussion be held in the House on domestic violence or abuse by the spouse, physically or emotionally, harmful acts between husbands and wives, or between other individuals in intimate relationships, and a strategy be formulated to bring it into the statute book.
Victims of domestic violence experience both short-term and long-lasting effects. An opposition woman MPA said that physical injuries could range from bruises, cuts, and burns to broken bones, stab wounds, miscarriages (in women), and death. Also, victims experience depression and other psychological distress, eating disorders, and alcohol and substance abuse problems, and they are more likely than other people to contemplate or attempt suicide. Children who witness domestic violence experience depression and psychological distress and are more likely than other children to be physically violent.
According to the lady MPA, there is a dire need in a society like ours to institute programmes and services both for victims and offenders to nip the evil of domestic violence in the bud. Under these programmes, shelters or homes for battered women should be established, to provide simply a safe place for victims (and often the victimsÂ’ children) where victims of abuse could receive legal assistance, counseling for themselves and their children, referral to other treatment programmes (such as substance abuse rehabilitation), and additional treatment and advocacy services.
An increasingly common response to domestic violence has been the establishment of treatment programmes for offenders. Courts often require offenders found guilty of physically or sexually assaulting their partners to attend these programmes as a condition for softening or remission of their sentences. The length of programmes should vary from six to 32 weeks.
Although programmes for offenders vary in form and in underlying theory, most involve group therapy. Many are educational and offer a feminist perspective on domestic violence. Such programmes seek to educate male offenders about the role of patriarchy and to demonstrate that men’s attitudes and behaviour about control and power lead to abuse of women. The programmes would also encourage men to examine their attitudes about what it means to be a man. Many treatment programmes also emphasize anger management for offenders. Counselors teach participants to recognize the tendency to anger and then use a technique, such as waiting a period of time to calm down before reacting, to control the anger and avoid violent behaviour.
Source: The News
Date:5/28/2004
