New York: New York City Council member Farah Louis has said that in order to prevent domestic violence, it is important to educate women more about their rights and legal processes.
She was addressing an awareness session organized by Pakistani American Skilled Women Organization in collaboration with other organizations on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York.
The event began with the recitation of a few verses of the Holy Quran.
Women of Pakistani American community, American officials and police officers of 60th precincts also participated in the session.
Addressing the participants, Councilwoman Farah Louis said that she herself has been a victim of domestic violence.
She said the domestic violence victims should raise their voice against the crime and they must not keep mum over this grim issue.
Representatives of the District Attorney’s Office of Brooklyn Borough and other officials informed the women participants about their rights and legal procedures.
They said that domestic violence does not only include physical torture, but also sexual harassment, speaking ill of women, and threatening is also a violation of the law.
In an address to the participants, the chairperson of Pakistani American Skilled Women Atia Shahnaz said that domestic violence is not largely considered a violation of right in the South Asian community.
But what is more worrying is that the majority of women who are victims of domestic violence are forced to accept the situation and never file a complaint.
On this occasion, the police officers of 60th precincts informed the women about the complaint procedure in case of domestic violence.
The women who participated in the session said that after attending the session, they got very useful information about their social and legal rights; they will try to inform other women around them about this.
