KABUL (SW) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that, according to its investigations, domestic violence has increased by 50% in all countries affected by political, economic, social, and migration crises, including Afghanistan, during the current calendar year.
In a statement, the organization stated that this violence has endangered the mental health of women.
Some women who are victims of domestic violence, including forced and underage marriages, restrictions on individual decision-making, physical abuse, or verbal violence, say that they have no choice but to endure the situation.
Somaya Ahmadi, a resident of Nimuz, says she has found no joy in her married life due to forced marriage. She adds: “I was 12 years old when I got married; after the marriage, I realized that my husband was abusive; he had mental and emotional instability; I felt like a prisoner, thinking that someone would come and free me.”
Gul Chaman Nazari, a resident of Ghazni who has experienced domestic violence, said: “I plan to set up a sewing workshop near our house, but my family is against it, which has caused me to fall into depression; my life is stuck within the four walls of our house.”
Social experts point to ignorance, the presence of false beliefs within families, and generational contradictions as factors contributing to the increase in domestic violence and warn about its consequences.
Rashed Sediqi, a sociologist, stresses that to reduce domestic violence, family awareness must be raised. He says, “The bad traditions in some areas, illiteracy, ignorance, or negative perceptions are the root of these problems; if these behaviors and practices are not stopped, they will be passed on to future generations, making it difficult to solve the issue.”
Meanwhile, Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, says that several government bodies are working to address the issues of women, especially victims of domestic violence.
“Relevant institutions have always addressed issues in this regard; all security commands and police stations have been instructed to deal with any cases that arise; the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs also has a department that handles family-related problems,” he added.
Previously, officials from the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (MoPVPV) had stated that in the current solar year, it had prevented 2,638 cases of violence against women and 5,500 forced marriages in the past three years.
