Letter To Editor | Stop Domestic Abuse 

The shocking domestic abuse incident in Baramulla which led to the death of a 28 year old woman shook everyone. The woman was a mother of two children. She was beaten up by her husband and in-laws and later she was taken to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries. This incident has shocked everyone across the valley, sent shivers down the spines of everyone especially women. It is very unfortunate that women are still being treated so inhumanely even in the 21st century. Decades and centuries of women’s miseries and struggles do not seem to end.

Our society has still not developed the understanding that women are just as human as men and they are entitled to the same amenities, but instead our society is still struggling to treat women as humans and not animals.

The oppressive culture of pushing our sisters and daughters into unhappy and abusive marriages needs to end. Families should support their daughters and not tell them to ‘adjust’ with their in-laws until she’s beaten to death or burnt alive. Unfortunately the law does not seem to be strict enough for these abusers and murderers. All of these abusers involved in the case must be dealt with strictly, in fact such stern action should be taken that nobody ever dares to raise their hand on a woman again. The extent of extremism is that even after we have already seen so many women die owing to domestic abuse, the society still hasn’t learnt a lesson and neither have the authorities. Until and unless the police takes a stern initiative, uncultured beasts like this will continue to harass and abuse women.

Our society has terribly failed to save their women in almost every sphere, and it is now the time to make amends in this matter. Women are not objects or possessions that can be beaten up or killed according to their husband’s or in-law’s choice, she is a human and as equal as a man is. Society cannot prosper unless men don’t learn to respect women and treat them with regard.

Shameen Shafi