Cases of violence against children are widespread in our society but often go unreported. However, this 15-year-old brave girl from Swabi has broken the glass ceiling by reporting domestic abuse by her step-mother to the police.
Meet Ayesha daughter of Rehman Shah from Bacha Khan Village of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) approached the police and lodged an FIR against her step-mom Salma Jabeen who used to torture her and her younger sister, Sonia.
The teenager contended that his father had married a woman named Salma Jabeen from Punjab three years ago after their mother had passed away.
He [Rehman Shah] married Salma two years ago after the death of my mother — Tayyaba.
Ayesha contended in her complaint that her father is a laborer in Islamabad who stays away for weeks, while her step-mother, a cruel woman, often beats her and her 13-year old sister.
Two days ago Salma Jabeen burnt my tongue with a hot knife and burnt fingers of my sister with an iron. Today she was angry for no reason and started beating us with a stick and water pipe forcing us to come to the police.
Acting on the complaint, the KP police arrested the lady in question from her residence.
Speaking to the media, a police official of Swabi Police Station told the media that such cases are widespread in our society but often go unreported.
“These two children approached us and we took action against the accused, who is behind bars now,” the official said, adding that the police has launched an investigation into the matter, and hoped that the accused will not repeat the offense in the future.
Children’s rights activist Imran Takkar said that violence against minors is a ground reality that cannot be ignored. Takkar said that violence against children is more prevalent among the lower classes of society. He called on all stakeholders including the government and parents play their part in eliminating the menace.
“There are child protection centers in K-P but it seems that they have been established just to provide employment to a few individuals as the government has not provided sufficient funds for them and most of these centers have been closed due to the lack of funding,” he added.
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