The Correlation Between Laws Controlling Women And Acts Of Violence Against Women: A Cultural Comparison Between The United States And Pakistan

Abstract

This paper is a cultural comparison between the United States and Pakistan, a country in which it is common for women to be brutally attacked. It analyzes the correlation between the frequency of attacks and the number of laws that restrict women specifically in each country. The paper discusses honor killings and acid attacks as specific case studies, and considers whether the laws that prohibit only women from taking certain actions have a sufficient impact on the cultural perception of women in order to give rise to the frequency of this behavior. It finds that countries such as Pakistan which more tightly dictate the actions of women see much higher frequencies of these attacks than countries like the United States, where women live and work virtually unrestricted. It will conclude on a hopeful note as many women in Pakistan are seeking legal assistance and actively working to change laws and, further, how they are culturally perceived.