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Not Accepting Abuse As The Norm: Local Forms Of Institutional Reform To Improve Reporting On Domestic Violence In Punjab, Maryam Tanwir, Shailaja Fennell, Hafsah Rehman Lak, Salman Sufi

Journal of International Women's Studies

Gendered social norms are difficult to overcome, due to a lack of consensus among legal, religious, and social institutions on the direction that will result in new social norms. In the case of Pakistan, which ranks sixth on the list of the most dangerous countries for women, it is not possible to change gendered social norms regarding domestic violence by only focusing on legal reform since, in its social context, the act of domestic violence is not in itself regarded as a serious offence. This article explores reform in Punjab, where deeply entrenched legal structural obstacles and discriminatory gender norms …