Target: women

While men, who claim that they are following religious or cultural norms, continue to comment on the clothes women wear, and governments impose outlines for what can be depicted in television shows or not depicted in the case of scenes of any intimacy between married couples, the stories that appear daily in our newspapers are simply harrowing – a women over 80 years of age raped; an unknown teenager raped and murdered at a Metro Station in Islamabad, a woman killed by her in laws because she was at the point of giving birth to a third daughter – and the list goes on.

So where is our culture? Where are our traditions? Do we not want a society within which women are safe from rape, assault and murder, both within and outside their homes? Although more cases are being reported, it is also true that such cases have existed for a very long time even if they were not spoken of. If anyone is truly concerned about morality and values in society, surely they should be aiming to curb violence against women, both within their own homes and the world that lies beyond it. This includes public transport where women often face harassment and in workplaces, where again harassment and even rape are not unknown. Working class women are of course most vulnerable due to the glaring class inequalities in our society.

In the first place, misogyny over social media and on other forums, whether from influential figures, politicians or others, needs to be cracked down on. These comments, which according to analysts have seen a surge in recent months, simply drive forward the violence women face on a daily basis. Few give them even the right to defend themselves, with multiple examples of women appearing on television shows being attacked by male counterparts who refuse to hear their side of the story. The growing culture of violence and rape in our country does not befit a state which calls itself moral or religiously inclined. Surely this cannot happen if so many women, some no more than babies, are molested and subjected to horrendous violence each day.