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KABUL: Violence against women has had an unprecedented increase in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, provincial officials say.
The violence cases include divorce, beating, escape from home and family violence.
Sharifa 19, is a resident of the Kohestan district’s village of Pas Pol. She married when she was 15 years old with a man 15 years senior to her.
She says that her marriage was arranged by her parents while she was against it. Sharifa is now the mother of three and her husband has kicked her out of home after he got second marriage.
“I am 19 year old and have three children. I got married four years ago and stood by husband side in his bad days, but he found another girl and married her, then he kicked me out of his house. I lived with my mother-in-law for a few weeks but she also starting misbehavior to me. I am now living in my parents’ house with my children. I don’t have a good life condition and I have come to the women affairs department to file complaint against my husband,” Sharifa said while crying.
“Divorce cases are increasing in Badakhshan province. Women’s unawareness to their rights and lack of prosecuting the violence cases as well as poverty and unemployment are the main reasons of family violence and divorce,” Lina Sherzad, a women’s rights activist said.
Officials in Badakhshan say that violence against women has increased 48 per cent comparing to the same period of time last year.
They say that 148 cases of violence against women were reported last year, but the number soars up to 270 this year, according to officials.
Poverty, joblessness and bad economic conditions in the families are the main reasons of violence in the families.
