Let’s ponder over a few misconceptions about the motorway rape case here. First of all, not all women are privileged enough to have protection of family, especially male relatives, financial security and resources to stay inside the house or getting escorted when going outside the house.
Though being raped is one common and most prevalent fear which cuts across women of all ages, class and creeds. They face this fear every day and try to manage life regardless. In real life, women need to work, travel and live alone at times.
Women need to look after and provide for themselves and family members
They, in most cases, need to look after and provide for themselves and family members including children, the elderly or other dependents. Therefore, being out and about is a necessity of their personal and professional life.
Mistakes do happen, one can forget to refill the fuel or run out of petrol due to leakage or a car breakdown due to a technical mishap. Even it was her error she didn’t deserve this brutal, devastating and potentially life-threatening treatment.
The reaction of police contradicts with their professional role in this case. It could happen to anyone anywhere in the world let alone France but what matters is how the law-enforcing authorities react to the situation.
After going through the unimaginable trauma, she was further traumatized by being blamed for the unfortunate incident
Here she was not given an emergency response due to jurisdiction issues rather dacoits appeared out of nowhere after she called the police. After going through the unimaginable trauma, she was further traumatized by being blamed for the unfortunate incident thanks to CCPO sahab.
The question is why has the government opened the motorway and charging toll tax but not providing police patrol and basic services like petrol pumps on the way? Roadside rapes may happen at the other lands but why did it happen in the land of pure where men, top to bottom, refer to women as maan, behn, bahu, beti.
People argue that Islam has given a better status to women through respect and protection but have the state and the people of Pakistan have given the similar status, protection, respect to women, all women not just their own.
we need to fight deep-rooted patriarchal ideas about women’s mobility and safety to create a better Pakistan for our daughters
We, women and men need to fight these deep-rooted patriarchal ideas about women’s mobility and safety to create a better Pakistan for our daughters. We need to make it a secure and safer place for our next generations regardless of their gender, class and creed.
