Gender-Based Violence Cases Rise by 25% in 2025, Sahil Report Reveals
ISLAMABAD: Cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Pakistan surged by 25 percent in 2025, according to new data released by Sahil, an organization that has been compiling GBV statistics to support safer and more equitable communities.
The latest report is based on incidents reported in 81 national newspapers across all four provinces, as well as Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
The findings show that a total of 6,543 GBV incidents were reported between January and November 2025, compared with 5,253 during the same period last year. The report documents 1,414 murder cases, 1,144 kidnappings, 1,060 incidents of physical violence, 649 suicides and 585 rape cases, highlighting a sharp increase across multiple categories of abuse.
Sahil’s analysis indicates that perpetrators were often known to the victims. In 32 percent of reported cases, the abuser was someone familiar to the survivor, while 17 percent involved strangers. Twelve percent of cases identified the perpetrator as the victim’s husband, and 21 percent involved unidentified assailants. The report describes this trend as a worrying reminder of the vulnerabilities women face within their immediate social circles.
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The data also shows that private spaces remain the most common locations of violence. Sixty percent of incidents occurred inside the victim’s home, while an additional 13 percent took place at the perpetrator’s residence. According to Sahil, this concentration of cases in personal spaces underscores the persistent risks women face in environments that should offer safety and protection.
Provincial breakdowns reveal significant regional disparities. Punjab accounted for 78 percent of all reported cases, followed by Sindh with 14 percent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 6 percent of the incidents, while the remaining 2 percent came from Balochistan, ICT, AJK and GB combined.
The report also reviews case registration patterns. Seventy-seven percent of all reported incidents were formally registered with the police, while 21 percent of cases did not specify any registration status. One percent of incidents were explicitly categorized as unregistered, and police reportedly refused to register two cases.
Sahil emphasized that while improved documentation reflects growing awareness and reporting, the rising numbers also point to an urgent need for stronger protective measures, responsive policing and sustained community-level interventions to address the deep-rooted issue of gender-based violence in Pakistan.
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