ASIA/PAKISTAN - Shazia and violence against Christian women in Pakistan

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – The sad story of Shazia - a Christian girl who was raped, tortured, and killed by her employer, a wealthy Muslim lawyer in Lahore (see Fides 25/01/2010) – is "a reminder to the public and the international community of the violence against women in Pakistan, especially against Christian workers," sources of the Church in Pakistan tell Fides.
According to the Pakistani NGO “Alliance Against Sexual Harassment,” 91% of domestic workers say they have suffered abuse or sexual violence. Plus, "Shazia, who was young and belonging to a minority religious community was particularly vulnerable," notes the NGO. According to the organization, each year there are numerous complaints of similar cases and kidnappings suffered by workers, who are often torn from their Christian families and forced to marry wealthy businessmen and convert to Islam.
In 2009, the reported cases of violence against women (Christian or not) increased by 13%, says the Aurat Foundation, active for over 20 years in the defense of women in Pakistan. And many cases remain unknown. According to data compiled by the Foundation, in 2009 there were 1,052 murders of women, 71 cases of rape with homicide, 352 rapes, 265 gang rapes, 1,452 cases of torture, and 1,198 abductions.
Some of these cases concern even young girls, as was the case in the recent incident of a 4-year-old child who was raped and killed on January 31 in a village near Faisalabad, in Punjab.
"The situation is worrisome," noted Fides sources. "Social discrimination against religious minorities is widespread. There are many abuses against women, perpetrated by Islamic militant groups, but also by members of the middle class, as occurred in the case of Shazia. The government must take serious steps to ensure the freedom and rights of women in Pakistan." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 8/2/2009)