Illegally armed figures play a prominent role in the increase of violence against women in Parwan province, a provincial women's affairs official said Saturday.
Speaking to TOLOnews, Shahjan Yazdanparast, head of the Parwan Women's Affairs Department, emphasized that Afghan security forces are often unable to detain the powerful armed men in the province. These men also often impede the proceedings of cases of violence against women.
"Illegally armed individuals exist in Parwan province, and the police is unable to detain them which, in some cases, causes a delay in the proceedings of cases," Yazdanparast said.
Abduction, murder, forced marriages and rape are among the most common forms of violence targeted at women.
About 170 cases of violence against women were recorded in Parwan in 2012, which is among the highest in the country. Most cases go unreported, however.