Pakistan rape survivors face justice gaps despite legal reforms, Equality Now report says

By AI, Created 10:07 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – A new Equality Now report says Pakistan’s expanded sexual violence laws have not delivered better outcomes for survivors because of weak enforcement, poor evidence handling and limited support services. The findings point to a 0.5% rape conviction rate and call for better training, oversight and survivor protections.

Why it matters: - Pakistan has made legal reforms on sexual violence, but survivors still face a system that rarely delivers accountability or safety. - The report says weak implementation, long delays and poor support services help explain Pakistan’s 0.5% rape conviction rate. - For survivors, the gap between law and practice means more retraumatization, fewer protections and less access to justice.

What happened: - Equality Now released a report, Legal Response to Sexual Violence in Pakistan: Challenges in Enforcement and Access to Justice, on April 30, 2026. - The report says reforms to sexual violence laws, higher penalties and new procedures have not translated into better justice for survivors. - The findings describe illegal out-of-court “compromises,” flawed evidence collection, shortages of public prosecutors and long delays in investigations and trials. - Police, prosecutors and courts are said to rely on outdated and narrow views of rape and consent.

The details: - Rape law in Pakistan is based on absence of consent, so physical evidence of violence is not required and survivor testimony can be enough for conviction. - Authorities still often look for signs of injury or resistance, and some courts incorrectly demand corroborative evidence. - Defence lawyers continue to raise a survivor’s sexual history or “immoral” character, even though that evidence is inadmissible. - Equality Now found broad agreement that sexual violence investigations are weak. - Police rely too heavily on medical verification such as DNA and miss other forensic and non-forensic evidence. - Resources are thin for collecting, preserving and analyzing evidence. - The report calls for better evidence collection, more investment, stronger coordination between departments, mandatory training and clearer guidance. - Better courtroom oversight is needed to stop improper evidence demands, rape myths and prohibited questioning. - Timely medical exams are critical because Pakistan law requires DNA samples from the victim and accused during medico-legal examinations. - For women, those exams must be done by a Women Medico-Legal Officer, but shortages mean survivors often travel long distances. - Many survivors are also not told how to preserve evidence. - Women Medico-Legal Officers lack resources and need training on legal changes. - Some officers still record whether the victim is a virgin, a practice the report describes as irrelevant and shaped by harmful bias. - Support services are uneven outside major cities. - The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021 promises legal aid, counselling, Anti-Rape Crisis Cells and one-stop reporting and examination centers. - The report says those services are often unavailable. - The law also requires perpetrators to pay compensation, but courts reportedly do not enforce that provision. - A shortage of safe shelters leaves survivors vulnerable to harm and intimidation. - Women and girls from marginalized Christian and Hindu communities face higher risks of sexual harassment, abduction and forced religious conversion, including through child marriage. - Women with disabilities are reported to be up to three times more likely to experience sexual violence.

Between the lines: - The report suggests Pakistan’s legal framework is stronger on paper than in practice. - Training, staffing and oversight appear to matter as much as formal legal language. - The findings also point to social bias inside the justice system, especially around consent, virginity, religion and disability. - Jacqui Hunt said Pakistan needs consistent legal implementation, better resourcing, training and accountability, plus stronger state support services. - Sahar Bandial said access to justice and support remains slow, difficult and often retraumatizing for survivors.

What’s next: - The report urges Pakistan to improve evidence gathering, increase coordination and expand training across police, prosecutors, courts and medico-legal staff. - It also calls for stronger victim and witness protection, better legal aid, more psychosocial care and more safe shelters. - The report says Pakistan should close legal gaps on marital rape and incest by making both distinct crimes. - It also recommends harmonizing child marriage laws so 18 is the minimum age nationwide without exception. - Aligning provincial rules would reduce confusion and loopholes that hinder prosecutions.

The bottom line: - Pakistan’s sexual violence reforms have not yet delivered real-world justice for many survivors, and the report says enforcement, evidence and support systems now need urgent repair. - More information is available in Equality Now’s announcement.