Justice Ayesha Malik rejects idea that women ‘invite’ rape at launch of bench book for judges

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik has challenged attitudes that blame women for sexual violence. She rejected the assumption that women somehow invite rape and called for a fundamental change in how society views survivors.

She made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing the launch of a bench book designed to guide judges handling rape cases in gender-based violence (GBV) courts. The event was organised by the Ministry of Human Rights, the Legal Aid Society and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

In her keynote address, Justice Malik expressed concern that sexual violence had become so common that it no longer generated the level of public outrage it deserved. She stressed the need to reconsider deeply rooted social attitudes that shift responsibility from perpetrators to victims.

The gathering brought together judges, prosecutors, parliamentarians, government officials, legal experts and development partners. They discussed ways to improve the handling of gender-based violence cases and to strengthen the justice system.

According to the Ministry of Human Rights, the bench book gives judges practical guidance on relevant laws, judicial precedents and the assessment of evidence. It is divided into 10 chapters arranged according to the stages of a trial. The ministry said this is meant to help ensure that proceedings are conducted fairly and that decisions are based on law and evidence.

The event also marked the launch of a national study examining low conviction rates in gender-based violence cases. The two publications aim to strengthen judicial decision-making and address weaknesses in the criminal justice system. These weaknesses run from the initial reporting of an offence to investigation, prosecution and trial.

Rabeea Hadi, director general of the ministry's Child Protection Institute, presented the study on low conviction rates. It was prepared by the ministry in collaboration with the Senate's Functional Committee on Human Rights. The research examined the stages at which cases encounter difficulties in the justice system.

The launch brought the bench book and the study together as tools for those who handle such cases, from the courtroom to the stages that precede a trial.