A woman was raped on the motorway. The police blamed her. Twitter was enraged.
This is a dangerous country for women. And anyone who says otherwise is probably living in a parallel universe with no connection to ground realities.
But what makes everything worse is when officers are hired and paid to protect the public — we believe that does include women as well — not only fail to do their jobs but instead blame and shame rape victims.
Yesterday, two men raped a woman at gunpoint while she was waiting for help on the motorway after her car — in which her children were also present — developed a fault. Reports say the woman crossed the toll plaza on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway when her car stalled.
When that happened, she called a relative in Gujranwala who asked her to call the police helpline for assistance as he also left home to reach her. When he arrived at the location, he found the woman terrified with her clothes stained with blood.
Armed men had taken the woman and her children to a nearby field at gunpoint and had gang-raped her.
And then came Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh, who is set to lead the investigation of the heinous incident, saying the victim was at fault for “choosing the route she took and not checking her petrol tank” before heading out. Pakistanis were not going to take kindly to this kind of victim-blaming and victim-shaming.
Clearly, our ‘protectors’ are not interested in doing their jobs and then blaming us for crimes committed against us.
Women are at risk and this is a systemic problem — reinforced by those in power
Women are at risk and this is a systemic problem — reinforced by those in power
Shireen Mazari, and Hina Rabbani Khar condemn CCPO’s remarks
For those who say ‘strong is safe’— we know, but that’s really not the issue here…
The problem is that apparently EVERYTHING works against women
And It seems the ‘private sphere’ isn’t always the safest option either…
Maybe it’s time the roles are reversed
Being a woman in Pakistan
And this is why we need Aurat March, every single day of the year
Courtesy: Dawn Images