SOCIO-CULTURAL CAUSES OF INCREASING POLYGYNY, EXPLOITATION AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: A CASE STUDY OF A VILLAGE BAIG SOUTH PUNJAB

Abstract

Specific cultural traditions determine exploitation that leads to violence against women. The community has had been prisoned by the cultural conventions for a long period of time and these conventions encourage the male members of the village to commit violence against their wives, sisters and even their mothers. This study aims to identify the specific traditions of polygamous marriages and domestic violence. Further it was to identify the violence behavior of male’s members in terms of cultural phenomenon. For this qualitative study purposive sampling technique was applied for data collection. Moreover, in-depth interviews were conducted from targeted population. This research study shows the socio-cultural tradition of polygamy that is encouraging the violent behavior of the male members of the village. Wata Satta (exchange marriage) is most common phenomenon found in the village that leads towards domestic violence. The   study was conducted in Basti Baig, Tehsil and District Dera Ghazi Khan. Civil Society Organizations with the assistance of local government can engage the native religious clerics, lawyers, teachers, and local political as well as community leaders to eradicate the domestic violence.