Women are fragile and so is the man’s chauvinistic instinct to subdue her. Reading history, one finds beside the booty, the other charm for the soldiers was to lay hands on the captive women. The revolutions also witnessed the same darker side. The August 1947 did give us a free country but the price was too high. How many women laid their honour and how, is a painful tale. “Thnada Ghost” by Manto is enough to expose the haunting tragedy.
The earth quake of 2005 in KP and Azad Kashmir took thousands of lives. The sick minds and cold hearted rapist even took advantage of this calamity. As a police officer, I was often confronted with a situation when an innocent girl was molested but the parents were hesitant to lodge the FIR, first to avoid the stigma and then a deep distrust in the system – the police and the courts combined.
As IG Motorway Police, I had an unpleasant moment of my life to hear the recorded conversation of lady seeking help on Sialkot link Road. She had ran out of fuel on a murky night. While she placed Rs. 1,000/- on the dash board and waited for the help to come, the beasts arrived and torn her respect in front of her minor children. The worst was that people passing by did see some unusual scene on the road side, no body stopped to help her. And by the time the help arrived, it was too late. The only positive aspect is the identity of lady has been kept secret by the police and the culprits nabbed.
The victim and her family passes through the worst crisis in such situation. They try their best to hide it. Interestingly, one of our prime minister, whenever got any such news, will take off his helicopter and reach the remotest areas. If earlier only the villagers knew, now the whole country had the news and opportunity to gossip.
In our society, a lady cannot travel alone and if she does, the piercing eyes of men will chase her with dirty remarks. Sadly, the rape incidents have risen alarmingly high, inflicting tragic and profound pain on the victims and their loved ones. What’s even more distressing is when individuals close to them exploit the sanctity of their relationships, manipulating and taking advantage of their vulnerability for their own lustful desires.
The distressing 37.12% increase in gang rape cases in 2022 compared to the previous year reveals critical shortcomings in local intelligence, community policing, and the investigative process. These failures often result in the benefit of doubt being given to the accused, emboldening criminals, and exacerbating the issue.
In the recent past, TV channels aired a Turkish drama serial “Fatima Gul”. A village girl was gang raped by the rich and powerful boys. In the end, the boys were given exemplary punishment as their system is strongly against such a crime. On the other hand, those who remember film actress Shabnam case in Pakistan, will agree that our system lays hurdles for the victim and encourages the perpetrators. The victim either hides in shame or is silenced through coercive means.
In West, women roam around at midnight without any fear. Though such incidents do happen there as well, when reported the justice swings into action. Generally, people dare not to even stare at some lady.
Pakistan, like many other developing countries, finds itself on precarious ground when it comes to ensuring safety of women. The country’s persistently low conviction rate and the escalation of rape cases, especially in rural areas, contribute to a disconcerting “rape epidemic.” Victim-blaming and excessive supervision of women continue to perpetuate this problem.
Law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, hold a significant responsibility as first responders and a visible pillar of safety within society. However, despite the introduction of initiatives such as apps and specialized units for women and child protection, they have proven insufficient in effectively addressing the alarming rise in incidents and conducting timely investigations that serve as a deterrent for future offenses-a slenderest understanding that sexual violence cases requires a unique skill set.
Most of the police force comes from the same mind set – the supremacy of men. They are quick to blame the victim. But the worst is ‘money’ matters. The charge sheet deliberately leaves lacunas to help the offender.
The enduring nature of these experiences underscores the urgent need for National Action Plan. The crime is as heinous as terrorism. While it may be an unfortunate part of human nature, one must strive to evolve and confront these challenges and let not victim become an accused.
Women must be trained how to defend themselves and men be taught to respect the frail gender. When reported, the law must come into action swiftly and justice done in the quickest possible way. Collaboration with educational institutions, community organizations, media outlets, NGOs, and other societal representatives is vital to promote awareness and disseminate accurate and empowering information.
“It is not the bruises on the body that hurts. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind”.
