Victim blaming

Unfortunately, in Pakistan, the culture of victim blaming has made it difficult to talk about gender-based violence in the country. Last year, following the horrifying Lahore motorway incident in which a woman was gang-raped in front of her children, the then Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore blamed the victim and said that she shouldn’t have left her home without a male companion. This year, on August 14, a woman was harassed and tortured by a group of 400 men at Minar-e-Pakistan. Once again, people have started blaming the woman for the horrific incident. Women play a pivotal role in socio-political and economic development of a country. But these incidents of violence against women discourage them to participate in such activities. We should always remember what Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said about women: “No nation can ever be worthy of its existence that cannot take its women along with the men. No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women.”

Experts believe that the certainty of punishment – instead of its severity – will go a long way in averting such incidents in future. An FIR has been lodged by the victim against the unknown 400 men. The police should investigate the case and give punishment to the culprits according to the law. The civil society and media should play their role by raising their voice for victims. The incumbent government must implement the existing laws in letter and spirit and create a safe environment for women.

Shafique Ahmed

Mirpur Mathelo