Trip to Perversion

Lets start with the meaning of Pervert - To turn from truth or proper purpose; to corrupt; to misinterept; to misapply.

Not exactly the words I am looking for but relative to some extent. Okay so let’s face it perverts are every where! Be it in UK, be it in USA and of course in Pakistan! Talking of Pakistan it reminds me of my wonderful (yes, I am being sarcastic) experience with one of these perverted individuals.

It was about 4:30 pm Karachi time, I was parking my car in a well known shopping mall’s car park and yes being from the UK it was a truamatic experience driving in Karachi. I parked the car and got out when all of a sudden this man wearing a dhoti and a kurta was standing behind my car with a comb in his hand singing "Tujhey dekha to yeh jana sanam" now this man must be about my father’s age. He looked at me from head to toe as if he was undressing me with his eyes. My cousin said "Oh ignore him Nida, yeh sab kaam hai inlogon ka yahan". So I decided to oblige to her request and as I went past him he touched my dupatta! This had gone too far, for me any way! and my cousin grabbed me from my side and dragged me towards the mall saying " yaar rehney do na, hum kuch nahi kersaktey yahan, yeh Uk nahi hai"

This comment made me think about all those women in Karachi or anywhere else for that matter who couldn’t raise a voice against such people. I don’t understand how women allow such behaviour and who in God’s world gives these men the automatic right to behave like this. Do these men not have any respect for women? Do they not have females in their own house?(when I say female I mean their wives) No daughters, no mothers, no sisters? Would they tolerate this if it ever happened to their family members? Or would they brush it off and accept it as a norm and part of society? This incident obviously ruined my day and my shopping trip!

This behaviour was a minor example compared to the other experinces I had in Karachi, but women who have faced worse, and have been unheard, silenced by others around them and have accepted it as part of life. I told another other male cousin of this incident and instead of him being sympathetic he said " the way you girls dress, it’s obvious you are asking for it, and these men give it to you". I was disappointed and some what ashamed to see that even the educated people fail to understand it’s seriousness. I do not believe that perverts uneducated people, even the educated ones have higher strategies up their sleeves in perversion.

I am not jsaying it’s only in Pakistan, but even in UK, I went to a place called ’Green Street’ with a friend to this supposedly Desi shopping haven amongst other things. These people were educated (looked educated at least, judging by their clothes and general behaviour). We entered a boutique and the owner did not take his eyes off us even for a second. At first I thought we looked like potential theives to him but I was wrong. His sheepish smiles explained another story. As it was my territory I told him to eat s**t and die and left the shop. I had the right to complain against him if I felt I was being sexually harassed. Such options are only available in developed countries and yet the countries that experience it most have weak form of justice for women.

All of these experiences have raised many questions for me - questions like:-

Are these men frustrated?
Are these men lonely?
Are these men just pathetic individuals who have no respect for women?
Are they just bored?
Are these men uneducated and unaware?

It needs to be understood everyone that such behaviour should never be tolerated. That this kind of behaviour is anti-social and sick. It is not normal, in fact it is psychotic and must become entirely UNACCEPTABLE - in ANY circumstance!

I am not one of those women who want justice and equal right in everything (though it would be nice to have them) but some things just have to be said. We all need to take a stand towards this to keep respect and dignity intact. To protect the people you/we love and care for.