Study of Capturing the Journeys of Violence Survivors

This pioneering study on the journeys of GBV Survivors through the justice system of Punjab was conducted by UN Women Pakistan with the aim to capture the voices and experiences of survivors themselves as they made their way through each step of the system and the essential services within it, specifically police, health sector and courts.

Findings of the study provide a unique insight into the survivors’ experiences at every level, and reveal a grim picture of the state of essential services in Punjab. Though not always tangible, from the survivors’ perspectives, involvement with the justice system often comes at a great cost, both financial and psychosocial. Addressing these challenges requires evidence-based and sustainable multi-level strategies, based on the lived realities of the women and girls whose lives are affected by them. Few studies view the system from the survivors’ perspectives, even though they are critical to effective and sustainable change. This study attempts to provide these perspectives to inform policies and programmes for making the justice system survivor-centred and gender-responsive.