Rape Survivor Families Struggle Against Odds

Re: # 11
Beena Sarwar was exposing a horrible social, cultural and human problem in Pakistan. It is true it has a religious dimension that has come from the past. I suggest you go to neighboring India and you will notice similar rise in these crimes. Rape in the open and sometimes in the full view of the public is quite common. There are very harsh laws, but still have not been effective. Recntly, a young woman from Britain on the way to Bhubaneshwar in Orissa was dragged from the bus and was raped in front of her father. Other travellers did not do anything. Police did not do anything. What happened to that UK girl who was gang raped and then murderd in Goan beach. Ever read that news?

These dreadful occurences are not the monopoly of Pakistan nor Muslim countries. Strictest enforcing of rule of law is what is needed.

So be a bit more compassionate and undertanding. Religion alone is the cause of all evils. Human society has full of sociuopaths, and psychopaths etc. To overcome this evil, one needs education and punishment too.

You remind odf a cow laughing at other cows saying the one in the front is displaying cow's private part! She forgets other cows can see her own too! So don't be a fanatic putting the blame on Pakistanis or Islam wholesale.

Kamath

Beena,

This is the usual pathetic white washing version of article.

As a woman why cant you say teh real and root cause, it is the hoodood and teh requirement to have 4 male witnesses. That is teh root cause, and no one in pakistan will dare to say that.

Hoodood is per the book and that is the only reason why no one dares to change it and no one dares to mention the root cause even on chowk.

Time to stop the pretentions, no need to white wash the image of pakistan, time to tell the truth if you really care to change anything.

With due respect with the feminist as a lawyer, I witness that a great majority of women accusing men of sexual harassment and adultery (rape) liars and blackmailers.

I stand corrected. "Woman Against Rape (WAR)" (www.womanagainstrape.com) is a different organization from the one mentioned in this piece. In fact, there are several other organizations with similar-sounding names (and missions).

Good article, Beena.

If I remember correctly, WAR is actually "Women Against Rape".

I found the site, I wish they had a paypal account or something...

http://www.war.org.pk/donate.html
with much respect,
thinking storm

Is there a website for WAR? Can people make online donations to it?
with much respect,
thinking storm

TS why did you have to dignify that with a response?

Bijli and Clean water are important, yes, but equally important is obtaining human rights and equality for 50% of our population (the women). How can we ever make progress with one hand tied behind our backs?
with much respect,
thinking storm

testing

I think it's time we got over this Mukhtara Mai thing and think about more important matters. Like GIVING PEOPLE AN UN-INTERRUPTED SUPPLY OF BIJLI AND CLEAN WATER!!!

Hitman

Not a very flattering picture of Pakistan, but honor killings and rape in rural Pakistan has recently gotten the world’s attention, thank in part to Mukhtaran Mai. Although this article only reports cases of rape, but I hope, it aims to generate discussion on how can our society be free of this menace. Here are a few thoughts:

- all public schools must be mixed, so boys can learn from a young age to view girls as their equal, and not a weaker and defenseless gender
- Same policy for Mosques. Mixed sex prayers. Mixed sex Maddrassas.
- Abolition of Shariah based Laws. Death penalty for rapists
- Legislations to have per capita gender representation in Assemblies (i.e., all political partiers be required to have 50% female candidates – they can work out the details, I can help)

Giving lip service to gender equality will not solve the problem, only the concrete steps taken in the direction of equal opportunity for girls as for boys will crack this terrorism against women. Unless women are treated as equal to men, the violence against them will continue.

Now some idiots will come and tell us the rape rates in the USA and other nonsensical garbage to deflect attention from gender based terrorism in Pakistan.