Book Launch: Domestic Violence in Pakistan

The Research Group for Law, Gender, Race and Sexuality at Westminster Law School is pleased to invite you to the launch of Dr Daanika Kamal’s new book, Domestic Violence in Pakistan: The Legal Construction of 'Bad' and 'Mad' Women. OUP, 2025 . The event will take place in hybrid format on June 16, 2025. There will be a presentation and a Q and A with the author followed by drinks in Room B.03 Westminster Law School, Little Titchfield Street (LTS), 4–12 Little Titchfield St, London W1W 7BY at 5.00-6.30pm followed by refreshments. Places are limited so please sign up as soon as possible. The link is below.

About the book

Domestic Violence in Pakistan: The Legal Construction of 'Bad' and 'Mad' Women explores how women who pursue justice for domestic abuse are often discredited in Pakistan’s legal system—branded as either morally suspect or mentally unstable. Drawing on feminist post-structuralist theory, the book examines how legal and institutional practices shape and constrain women’s identities in court, often silencing their experiences through stereotypes, police inaction, and routine legal tactics. Grounded in empirical research conducted across three cities, the book reveals how the law not only fails to protect women but actively participates in reconfiguring their stories to fit dominant narratives about family, morality, and gender. It challenges the public/private divide and exposes how the legal system reinforces control over women under the guise of justice. It offers powerful insight into the gendered dynamics of law in Pakistan and calls for critical reflection on how justice is defined—and denied—for victims of domestic violence.

About the author

Dr Daanika Kamal, is a Lecturer in Law at Royal Holloway College, University of London. Her research explores the intersection between gender, law and the access to justice.