Unspeakable and hidden: intimate partner sexual violence against married women in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a significant form of violence against women that remains largely under-researched in Pakistan, primarily due to sociocultural and religious factors. This study documents the nature and factors associated with IPSV against women in Pakistan by conducting qualitative in-depth interviews with Christian and Muslim women residing in both urban and rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. A thematic approach was employed to analyse data gathered from seventeen participants. The findings revealed that the patriarchal nature of the society, privileged position of men within marriage, poverty and child marriages, consumption of alcohol and drugs, joint household system, legal ambiguities, and the absence of a supportive environment were contributory factors that increase the risk of sexual violence against women within intimate partnerships in the Pakistani context. It is crucial to acknowledge that sexual violence needs to be understood in the broader context of intimate partner and domestic violence. Additionally, there is a need for further research to explore the specific circumstances faced by women from diverse identity categories and to understand the multifaceted consequences of sexual violence on the physical and mental health of women.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual violence
• married women
• violence against women
• marital rape
• Pakistan

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Professor Sundari Anitha for her detailed feedback on the earlier versions of this manuscript. We would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their encouraging and useful comments that helped to improve the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the British Federation of Women Graduates.

Notes on contributors

Faiza Tayyab

Faiza Tayyab has a PhD in Sociology and Social Policy from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. She is associated with the Department of Gender Studies, University of the Punjab, Pakistan. Her research interests include Gender-based Violence, Religious and Ethnic Minority Women, Qualitative Sensitive Research, and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Higher Education.

Fouzia Sadaf

Fouzia Sadaf is working as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Social & Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Pakistan. She completed her PhD at Durham University, UK in 2022. Her research interests include Gender-based Violence, Sociology of Higher Education, Academic Careers, and Qualitative Methodological Innovations.