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I couldn’t help but laugh at the first story I read in the newspaper this morning at my breakfast table. The headline, which read ‘Higher penalty for women’s harassment approved,’ indicated that the government had increased the fine and years of imprisonment for all those lecherous men out there. And, in fact, according to the Criminal Law (Amendment Bill), the punishment for sexual harassment has been increased to three years' imprisonment (up from one year) and an 'unspecified fine' for a 'vague insult' to a woman.
As I read on, I realised that the bill was aiming to do more than just dole out stricter punishments. It was about an amendment in the ‘definition’ of a Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) section which seeks to ‘reduce poverty’ by clamping down on offenders so that more women will be able to enter the job market without fear of sexual harassment.
If only it were that easy.
The story reminded me of my days as a trainee reporter – a journey I began on the public bus system. As I commuted from one end of the city to another to fetch a story, I had to be wary of a number of things, primarily the rampant harassment at the bus stop and inside buses.
I remember out of seats - all eight of them - allocated for women, who constitute 52 per cent of Pakistan’s population, I chose to sit only on the seat adjacent to the driver or on the single seat above the engine. The remaining four seats connected to the male compartment, and I would deliberately avoid those, even if they lay empty. Better to stand than fall victim to the prodding, touching (from any angle!), and brushing by male commuters.
Those women who have experienced the same tension boarding a bus may understand how humiliating those everyday rides were. Now that we have a clearer definition of harassment in the PPC section, I wonder if any woman will feel more optimistic about boarding a bus? Perhaps not.
We have seen how the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006 – an ‘amended’ version of the discriminatory Hudood Ordinance - has not really made a difference to the life ordinary women because our police remain ill-trained and the dominant mentality of Pakistani society continues to discriminate against women.
No steps have been taken to raise awareness among the public about such laws and the individual rights that the constitution guarantees. Few Pakistanis know that they are doubly protected by international laws such as The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) that Pakistan is signatory to.
I am aware that the job of parliamentarians is to work on legislation and introduce it in the parliament, but in the case of this latest amendment, can they not call for an effective implementation instead of a tweaking of definitions and raising of fines? Or possibly talk of an amendment in other laws and rules relating to the law-enforcement agencies? I wonder why the police - who are charged with protecting the public, including women on buses, and enforcing the rule of law in everyday circumstances - are never questioned.
This brings me back to my argument of how practical is an amendment to the PPC that most lecherous men in public will probably never even hear about? And if they do, they couldn’t care less, because it's not as if anyone will ever stop them from misbehaving with women.
Yes, in the case of a workplace, the new specifications may help. But would it make the life of a working woman, who commutes using public transport to work every day, any different?
The bill does not define how offenders who engage in sexual harassment on the street and in public places will be tried for this crime (since the police are hardly around when we need them the most). Also, what about those men who pinch you in public places and run away? Can the members from the treasury and opposition benches explain how we're going to hold such people accountable to the law in their ‘statement of objects and reasonings’ as well?
If not, they might as well make another amendment before it becomes an act: exclude ‘public’ and limit the amendment to ‘private and workplaces’ only. At least that way women have the hope of pursuing sexual harassers by utilising the mechanisms available to them in their offices. Without any regard for the practical implementation of such an amendment, it will remain ineffective.
Aroosa Masroor is a staff reporter for Dawn.com.
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Comments (85) Closed
Nov 05, 2009 01:36pm
I do agree with the writer, such amendments cannot be the solution to stop sexual harassment from the society, unless it gets implemented through the state honestly & seriously, moreover every state holder must participate to remove & eradicate this sexual difference.
No one can refuse this reality "it is not a hot cake, it is a long row to hoe" it means it is very difficult task, which might take more time to get. Even though it seems very difficult, it is not impossible.
In this regard people need to be more educated & need to have broad vision & should be divergent thinker.
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Nov 05, 2009 02:12pm
The best way to stop sexual harrasement is to make the teachings of Quran common so that the offender should fear the All Seeing!!
No human law, no matter how powerful and practical can stop this abuse.
Example: West.
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Nov 06, 2009 11:20am
The article is an insight towards the legislation fraught with errors. it has pitfalls. They need to be addressed, well as far as the implementation and execution is concerned, i have never noticed and this time as well, any pressure over implementing the bill. Ofcourse before implementation what is needed is the paper work but then after this what? the obvious execution of the law. we just draft the law well but we dont execute them properly. A very stark and absolute stand is required by the civil society for overcoming this harassment. Its a high time that we start taking action.The nation always asking for a betterment is also responsible for its shattered condition.
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Nov 05, 2009 02:21pm
In Barrack Obama's Audacity of hope there is a quote...
Values like good manners, competence cannot be governed by legislature or rules, but legislature can provide the opportunity for values to work their magic.
The parlimant has done its job, followed by you(Journalists). It is upto the ordianry people now to see value in respecting their woman folk.
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Nov 05, 2009 02:33pm
I agree with you Aroosa. People who harass will never get to know of this law and even if they do it wont stop them.
As laws in Pakistan are made but never enforced. Its one thing to pass a law and quite anther to enforce it!
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Nov 05, 2009 02:40pm
hmmm nicely written, i like this article, but i think it will take a long time for men to understand value of female in pakistan, education plays very big role in all this, most pakistani hardly to matric(10 grade). we not only need to raise awareness but also it should be individual responsibility, and our parents jobs to teach their kids to never take advantage of any walking treasure.. so yeah Education is the key to respect..
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Nov 05, 2009 02:53pm
Great article! I agree with the writer. The public needs to be educated about harrassment. Laws and rules generally don't mean much to the masses anyways and I am certainly not hopeful for a law that is intended to suppress harrassment against women. This is an issue that touches everyone's home. There is woman in almost every household. Our community needs awareness and education on this issue. To achieve this end, NGO's should recruit social workers to arrange for educational workshops on harrassment and also getting town councillors involved for mass awareness purposes.
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Nov 05, 2009 03:28pm
There is a punishment for sexual harassment on our streets? Really, I never even knew about that. And if you ask the offenders, they would most likely shrug their shoulders and say: "Don't know don't care." I have never seen or heard of anyone being punished for harassing women in public, something which is a matter of course in our society. In fact, the social mindset is likely to blame women for being out in public in the first place. I am reminded of an 80s novel by Christina Lamb, entitled "Hot Water Man" where the female narrator goes into an inn wearing a skirt, feels the men's eyes boring into her legs, and runs out and buys a burqa for herself. Come on! What are our law makers thinking? We desperately need to change the mindset of our people. They should do something effective about that.
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Nov 05, 2009 03:46pm
Great article!
We South Asians never leave any stone unturned to boast about our 'Superior' culture and 'Tehzeeb' when compared to the west, but ironically it all gets thrown out of the buses window the moment we spot an easy target on the bus.
As an Indian living in Seattle, I come across a lot of my country men who have no respect for females and a general sense of courtesy as it is extended to them by others. The other day on the bus, this gentlemen literally elbowed a female to grab a seat as if he was in a DTC bus in Delhi. If you do this in India, the only person considered an illiterate, but if you do this in a foreign country you make all your country men look like an illiterate.
Same is the case in pubs over here, south asians high on alcohol and feel all females are easy target and a lot of times end up in really messy situations.
I believe that it is imperative that as parents we should imbibe our kids with what is acceptable and what is not. Only when we teach them the tenets of living in a 'civilized' society will these rules make sense.
Without these, its just lip service to please the female voters with a false sense of 'We Care'!
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Nov 05, 2009 04:18pm
You need to start from somewhere. I understand Aroosa's frustration but Rome was not built in one day. It was the same attitude in the Western societies and the women had to fight for their right. The women in the West did not give up, when they were pushed they pushed back and finally the men cave in and met their demands (and still meeting their demands). This is a war and you cannot win a war by giving up. You need to fight the war at every corner of the society, whether it is in your own home, school, college, bazar, malls and yes even on the bus and you will see the attitudes will begin to change. You need to take the police to task and support the like minded politicians. Trust me unless you fight back, there will be no awareness in the society. The men in our society needs to understand the rights of women and children. It will require some sacrifices but eventually you will prevail. In the end remember you are weak when you stand alone and you are strong when you are together. All education start from home, correct/educate your house and you will correct/educate all.
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Nov 05, 2009 04:51pm
How pretty are the comments on this so-called amenment! I do agree with the writer that without effective implementation, it is vain to argue such bills. I also assume that the penalties in the bill are not so "harrassing" for the harrassers to build an implied defense mechanism for our women either working or studying or going outside for any domestic need.
the bill yet needs to be revised to meet the ends of justice. A committee should also be formed, before the bill is regularized through Senate, from amongst the working women group and female students to consent and present suggestions.
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Nov 05, 2009 05:07pm
A convincing write-up to deal with the sexual harassment. Workplace sexual harassment has gained somewhat more attention worldwide, but the harassment outside of workplace remains a major problem in many developing countries. Women riding in buses, for example, can do what my sister once did riding in a bus in Lahore. She grabbed the harasser by the neck and jammed his teeth back into his throat and handed him over to the passengers. No law is needed for women being harassed to shout and scream to bring attention to the filthy men. There are more good people on a bus than a few sexually frustrated men.
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Nov 06, 2009 09:32am
A muslim man & woman has to follow the islamic dress code. And if a muslim women is traveling to a far off distance she has to be accompanied by brother, father or husband. In the islamic teachings give the real solution to every situation. Allah love his creation more than we care each other.
A muslim women seen bare headed, sleeveless dresses, open necks & bare legs are no more muslims. Muslim men must practice extra consciousness in such environment.
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Nov 05, 2009 05:21pm
Being in India I always thought that in the islamic state of Pakistan women were a protected lot.
Pakistan boasts so much about sharia, Islam and Allah's punishment.
When it comes to women, the Pakistani is not scared or does not respect Allah?
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Nov 05, 2009 05:46pm
Additionally, I would like to add is that the Western society models did not come from the sky nor the Western people came straight down from the sky. The people are people just like you and they worked hard to build their model of society. It all made possible by the sacrifices of noble men and women who tirelessly worked for the best interest of the mankind and their fellow countrymen. The men in Pakistani society needs to understand that it is easy to take away one's modesty and very hard to protect it. The society should remember that the one who takes away the modesty is considered a villain and the one who protect it is considered a hero. In the West they grilled this concept from the start into the little minds of their kids. Education does not mean reading books, it means to teach kids from what is right to what is wrong and it all start from home. The women in the West also used cover from head to toe just like women in Muslim society do now and were harassed constantly even if they only take off their neck scarf. Men will drool like crazy if they see a woman's ankle but slowly by slowly their society evolved. The women fought hard for their right, through organized campaign's and and then won their freedom. The men finally backed off. It was all made possible by the laws and their forced implementation by women groups i.e., groups that included men and women.....just like you and me.
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Nov 05, 2009 06:16pm
A legislative body by definition can formulate a law; it can not enforce it as well. It is also a bit unfair to say that police is never 'questioned' about the role they play in protecting the women. While Pakistani police is not entirely irreproachable, it is not the evil some people make it out to be either. And in the wake of the recent surge of terrorist activity in Pakistan, the poorly paid policemen have born the burnt of violence, sacrificing their lives in order to save us from those who are fundamentally opposed to our way of life and those who, at the first opportunity, would curtail, as they did in Swat, the existing rights that all of us, but especially women, enjoy in this country.
This bill is definitely a step in the right direction and an improvement over the one that preceded it. I am also encouraged by the fact that it was unanimously approved. Is this a cure-all that will completely eliminate harassment of the vulnerable in Pakistani society? Most likely not. No bill ever can.
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Nov 05, 2009 06:20pm
thats really thought provoking..!! even I have seen these things by myself. Its really hectic for girls to survive in this situation(i dont have words to describe it).
As i live abroad, I really feel such differences between my country pakistan and here.
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Nov 06, 2009 07:31am
I really feel my blood boiling when i see a man staring a woman on roads or anywhere public. But, most of the time, the woman being stared is in a 'look at me' dress code. I read almost all the comments above and came across a few which stated that 'Islamic Country'. I feel sorry for the writers for not mentioning that the woman should also know how a muslim woman should dress up. Raising your eyes often gets so painful when you see a lady in all revealing cloths clinging to a man on the beck of a motor bike and all the people staring at her. This is how a islamic country should be? Both man and woman are not realizing where they are going. Most have to suffer just for the deeds of a few. I have a few suggestions that may bring in a positive change in our society for woman. Police women stations should be introduced with only female staff. They should have the right to take actions on anyone on a woman's complain. 2nd, the Traffic section should have woman staff and strict scrutiny be put in place for violations on road.
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Nov 05, 2009 07:13pm
Your women protection bill (2006), was a perfect bluff which only made fun of your country's laws, by making the police unable to put hand on anybody involved in illegal intimacy.
Similarly many other sections of your penal code, e.g the Family laws, are neither according to your religion (which they supposedly should be), nor according to any international norms acceptable to the western world.
What laws are they?
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Nov 05, 2009 07:38pm
Aroosa, excellent article.
You wrote:
"The bill does not define how offenders who engage in sexual harassment on the street and in public places will be trialed for this crime (since the police are hardly around when we need them the most)."
What government should do as in most countries of the world "Citizens should have power of arrest" when a crime is being committed.
It is also important to have female police officers with guns so men can get the message that females have the same power as men, when armed.
Unfortunately, it will take Pakistan hundreds of years before it will change its "Bedouin" mentality that existed before the advent of Islam and it is still there for the last 1400 years.
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Nov 05, 2009 08:07pm
you are right and i had an experience of a bus. For the women and school and college going girls its highly unsafe for them. These men were never came under any account.
well undoubtedly government have to do something worth while for the mass but Aroosa our government is cripple and senseless. They cant provide security of life for a commen man. how they can protect the women rights and implement any bill or law for them?
we have to take stand individually, because we are the nation we have to do something good for the betterment of society. Those parlimentarians can only play with words and nothing else.
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Nov 05, 2009 09:23pm
I agree with you on all points. This is a huge problem for women who needs to go out for their education or work. They have to tolerate it on daily basis. I wish men were more mature , sensitive and responsible. Perceptions needs to be changed instead of mere laws. Women should be respected and encouraged to speak against all these things. Most of the times women bear it silently because of stigma and honor and the culprits go unpunished. Change must come in the thinking of people. Laws needs implementation.
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Nov 05, 2009 09:25pm
There are limits to what the law can do. Hopefully it will create awareness.
While the culture of the subcontinent has a lot to offer.
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Nov 05, 2009 10:47pm
Mere legislation is not suffient to eradicate crimes from society, it is the implementation of law in its true spirit which can deter the criminals. Sufficient provisions in PPC and other laws are already available under which an offender can be booked and punished. In Pakistan, there are daily cases where women have been killed for marrying a man of their choice but hardly any one had been punished for such offences. THE Legistion under review will not reduce the offences for which it has been enacted as nothing has been done to imrove measures towards enforcement side.
Recording of F I R , practically is a cumbersome, humiliating and discouraging task for the victims, consequently most of such crimes remain unreported. We read daily in news papers where complainents had to approach high courts seeking help for lodging of F I R. The courts, in suitable cases order the concerned police to record the F I R but
seldom had taken action for refusal to record the report.
Some thing more, is required to be done to make sure that offenders how influential they may be, they should not go without punishment.
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Nov 06, 2009 12:13am
The government has taken right decision against the sexual harassment of women in Pakistan. The law should be implemented forcefully so that such situations in future may be avoided. But I think that despite hard laws it is also required that the people of Pakistan should come forward and take step against this malice. There should be an awareness among the people so that the culprits could be punished. Still there are many women who are being sexually exploited and they do not have a voice as it may go against their family names and they just keep on bearing that exploitation. What we need is to change the mind set of the people and only law can never change the mindset.
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Nov 06, 2009 02:38am
Women should be strong, get education, have awareness to see the others, participate in daily day to day activities, both, men and women are equal husbands, brother it is our duty to teach our ladies to face the world indepently. Women will be safe if they start taking action against such men. Get education at any cost. You will feel good and confident, nobody will harm you. You have to safe yourself first.
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Nov 06, 2009 03:27am
No more tears please!
No one can solve the problems of women but they themselves. Whenever someone teases you 'Ek zor se slap maro'. This way other women and 'men' (if that's what they call themselves) around you will come to help and also prevent future incidents. I agree with the writers law that can only do so much but stricter the better it is.
Peace!
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Nov 06, 2009 03:38am
Asmaan say gira aur khajhur may atka. This piece of legislation is more harrasing because a grieved women will have to visit the Police Station (Thana Culture), where she will be questioned in different styles and moods and a lot of suspision will be shown by our Most Respected persons in this service and later a more humilating Question and Answer would be waiting for her in the Court of Law which has another interesting dimentions of its own. I think we need a lot to know that what is Moral Theology both at home, work places, worship places. Let all this take a start from our PA and NA Assemblies, our government institutions and Health Care Institutions.
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Nov 06, 2009 04:46am
A very close to reality piece of writing I must admit. Any woman or girl travelling in public buses and going out in the market place or at work has one way or the other been the subject of sexual harasment and abuse and has experienced all the terrible incidences the writer has mentioned;I have, so I can very well understand. It is indeed painful and tragic that these inhuman perpetrators and inconsiderate men do not respect and regard other women. Dont they have mothers and sisters at home? What pleasure do they get in teasing and touching other women? Dont they feel ashamed in tarnishing the dignity and honour of a woman? When will these criminals get severely punished for their malpractices? When will a woman feel free and fearless of going out without facing any discrimination? We pose ourselves to be champions of the protection of womens' rights but the reality is, that not even a single woman is safe here. Her feelings and emotions are crushed every moment she is harassed. When will we get justice? When?. . .
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Nov 06, 2009 05:06am
I have traveled in public transport all my life and didn't have my own car till recently. You've written exactly what we all went through. Many years ago I had attended a seminar by LHRLA where they were telling that even singing a vulgar song with the intention of eve-teasing is punishable by law. But I knew that these laws just existed on paper. No one implemented them in real life. One advice I would however like to give out, the authorities may be deaf, dumb and blind but that shouldn't stop you. If you come across any sexual harassment, make a HUGE fuss right there and then. You'd be surprised to find the results of speaking up and raising a voice!
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Nov 06, 2009 05:10am
Women are being humiliated every where, as they have to face intimidation in the bazaars, in the streets, in buses, in schools, hospitals, bus shelters as well as workplace. Whether the current
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Nov 06, 2009 06:18am
But our society makes every thing too complex. Everyone knows that how difficult it is for a woman to come out even for shopping. Why it happens even it
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Nov 06, 2009 05:31am
I think Aroosa you make a very valid point. Ok, I admit I haven't read the bill but it did give me some satisfaction to know that such a bill had been passed.
If what you said about the bill being true, about the phrase 'vague insult', then I feel the intent of the legislators must be called into question. There are no brain less parliamentarians; on 2nd thought they are but there are enough lawyers I think, that can anticipate such glaring loop holes in the law. Definitions are always the most essential to any law, definition of key terms must be defined in a very explicit manner.
However, some facts that I would want to bring into question. What kind of insults are we talking here? I do believe in quality but I also believe that it goes both ways. Too much emphasis in our society now, specially in the learned society, is to be polite to a woman even if she's wrong. Now, I have seen alot of women openly bad-mouthing men in public, in positions of power.
The point that you wished to address was 100% valid but with that, I do not believe insulting a woman is such a big issue that you start talking about imprisonment and fines. But yes, if that insult in the law is defined as sexual harassment, I would most definitely support the cause.
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Nov 06, 2009 05:36am
I also want women to have security in our country where our families could go out without feeling intimidated. But I think women themselves must also contribute to it. No justice is complete without addressing each section of it.
There should be no FINES/IMPRISONMENT for insults alone. I mean yeah, everything has to be seen from a context right? What we do need is training of our city police to be extremely efficient to handle these matters and where women would not think twice about complaining about a certain person to the police on duty.
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Nov 06, 2009 05:37am
Unfortunately our society is fraught with such unpleasant situations which discourage the women to actively participate in job market and hence to improve the state of her family and country. It is a matter of great misfortune that a large proportion of our talented women prefer to sit at home to avoid these unavoidable circumstances at different workplaces which hit their integrity and peace of mind. On the part of women, they have lack of courage and fortitude to tackle such issues and also there is dearth of understanding about these policies, so majority of such laws go unaffected. There is an immense need to campaign and educate women about these issues so they muster up the courage to speak up and fight against such ordeals.
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Nov 06, 2009 06:45am
I saw a banner somewhere on which it was inscribed "ghoorna bhi dehshat gardee hai".
In Saudi Arabia if a police personnel observe that your eyes are chasing a lady, he will say to you with pointing fingures at his eyes "they will bear witness against you". Some sort of discouragement also needs to be done here too.
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Nov 06, 2009 10:23am
One of the biggest problems we face are people like Javaid Malik and Obaid who have commented above. They are very quick to blame the victim instead of the person who is harassing them. There is no justification for harassment, regardless of what someone is wearing or how they are behaving.
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Nov 06, 2009 11:06am
I totally agree to Salman hassan's views. Civilized people always give respect to female gender. Uncultured and uncivilized do not spare women even if they are clade in burqas from head to toes.
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Nov 06, 2009 11:45am
@ Javaid/obaid,
Wearing burqa or some modern dress does not effect's individual character and thinking.
that should be strong. These are just the different ways adapted by man for controling women.
What was written 1400 years ago might be correct at that time as there was no one to ask king and man about their wrong doings and that was the reason to cover the face of a woman. but now things have changed so as Islam. I am not advocating revealing western dresses because that is their culture but even muslim women should be allowed to wear descent cloths without burqa.
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Nov 06, 2009 12:42pm
Javaid/Obaid
What if someone dont have brother,father who can accompany what should they do?
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Nov 06, 2009 01:23pm
That's right. Now blame it on bollywood. Can't you think without linking to India? Even without bollywood your people have access to net, hollywood.
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Nov 06, 2009 01:53pm
Can I ask Mr. Javaid Malik to provide any credible reference of Islam
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Nov 06, 2009 01:57pm
I am in London. I want to come to my country but because of these problems I stopped myself. Allah help Pakistan and Pakistani's. I love my country and I want to be proud on it but I cant because now every one thinks very negative about pakistani's and pakistan.
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Nov 06, 2009 01:57pm
If you want to work in an office among men and play with the big boys then you will have to deal with harassment. You don't want to cover yourself with pardah and you don't like harassment either. You have to make a choice. Offcourse in a crowded bus there will be physical contact. If your so averse to it stop going to work!
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Nov 06, 2009 02:50pm
Can the women please stop acting like victims and stand up for themselves. You must claim your rights to get them, you must truly become independent and fearless to gain equality rather than crying and pushing men to give you your rights, you must take them if men are not willing to give them.
You are not helpless, one cry from a woman and several "BHAI'S" assemble to the rescue. If a woman raises her voice people are bound to listen.
But to truly be empowered women must shun their unequality and powerlessness and grab the bull by the horns.
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Nov 06, 2009 03:06pm
Islam is certainly the answer - and I mean PROPER interpretation of the religion (NOT the mullahs, the politicians, the male-dominated society's version!!).
Essentially:
- train the males (young and old)
we tend to forget that its the CHANGE IN THE MINDSET of MEN in our society that is very very important.
- train the Police Force
This is really important.
- the politicians HAVE to speak, support and actually IMPLEMENT these laws
(it would be amazing if any son of the politicians involved in these activities is punished in public)
EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE!:
- the public
- the masses
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Nov 06, 2009 03:34pm
I agree with most of the comments here, men should be more mature. I also think Pakistan should ban Shalwar Kameez for men as well, because their hands stay in their shalwar most of the time, that's also a part of sexual harassment as well.
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Nov 06, 2009 03:53pm
to Javaid and Obaid, who think women should "cover up" to avoid being molested.
You will be surprised to know that even in countries with "dress codes", e.g: Iran and Saudi Arabia women are subjected to harassment, despite their modest dress.
its time you quit blaming the victims instead of the perpetrators.
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Nov 06, 2009 04:25pm
In Egypt sexual harassment is a major problem. There was a recent study that showed that women were sexually harassed even if they wore hijab. The problem is not with women wearing hijab or not. The problem is with the Islamic society in Pakistan and Egypt where women are treated as a man's property and not a an equal human being. The problem is with the mentality of men.
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Nov 06, 2009 05:07pm
This continued harassment is unacceptable social behavior. Though laws can play a role in protecting the rights of people in the society to some extent but upbringing and education about the socially acceptable norms with increased presence of women organizations, representation in assemblies and raising voice on different forums through a consistent campaign would be quite helpful
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Nov 06, 2009 06:06pm
The women should stop being timid and except that men will be men, and women will be women. They should be bold and rebuke men boldly publicly with out the fear of being noticed and ridiculed. This way they will put the men harrassing to public shame and make the guilty person put to public shame. Public social pressure against anti social behaviour is strong weapon to cope with it.
They should publicly protest if being physically put to unease by body contacts.
It will arouse sympathy, compassion and protective instincts in the men around the harrassed party to discourage it.
Society will also have to accept more social mingling of the sexes to over come emotional frustration of social separation of men and women.
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Nov 06, 2009 06:24pm
Sexual harassment is a problem that must be dealt seriously by enforcing Islamic laws for both the men and women. While most of the times its the men or boys who commit this sin, women or girls too need to be careful in protecting their honour. The worst part is when someone suggests a religious solution to any problem, he is discouraged by our so called modernized and westernized people specially girls who think of Islam or islamic teachings impractical and an obsolete way of life. what a shame!!!
but still men ought to respect women in a true sense and if someone doesn't know how to must be punished severely.
Implementation of a law is what that counts, not the making or presenting it!
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Nov 06, 2009 08:52pm
Three things can prevent immoral conducts including sexual harrasment.
1-Rule of Law
2-Rule of Law
3-Rule of Law
Dont leave it on the judgment of people to lower gaze or dress modest. If people can use morality there would be no need of religions or laws. People should be allowed relative freedom in the way they dress behave in the society. But anyone trying to harass someone should be dealt with stronger punishment. Islamic or western.
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Nov 06, 2009 09:04pm
First, we have to understand why men engage in such activites? It is not because there are no laws stopping it. It is because in our society men and women are brought up in a manner that leads to such activities. It is neither sex's fault, it is the fault of the collective society.
The two sex's need to learn to co-exist from a very young age. As boys and girls grow up, they need to understand and learn how to interact with the opposite sex. Boys/young men need to learn how to court women and pursue women in a respectful manner. This learning comes with experience. Our society condemns boy-girl and men-women interaction. In such a society, no law (regardless of who sponsors it and how it is implemented) can prevent boys/men and even girls/women from experiencing frustrations.
Take the mystery out of courting, and it becomes a normal activity and men and women start behaving in a civilized fashion.
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Nov 06, 2009 09:51pm
well done Aroosa.
your feature article should serve as an eye opener for legislatures who donot see the issue from all aspects. The problems indicated by you are a sad reality existing in our society. But we should not be pessimistic. Societies donot become civilized overnight. These bills or laws are indicating that we are tracing evolutionary stages on the way to civilization. Your voice is a valuable contribution in this regard.
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Nov 06, 2009 12:30pm
Pakistan is a Muslin country and Islam condemns all forms of sexual harassment. Quran not only forbids Muslim from such acts, it went further to prescribe proper conduct for Muslim, men and women, to completely avert the occurrence of such actions. Modesty is the basis of gender interaction in Islam. Muslims, men and women, are required by Quran to observe Haya. Islam does not forbid women from talking to men, nor men to women, rather it lays down clear guideline for observing modesty in such interactions. Muslim, men and women, are forbidden from flirting and using methods of enticing sexual desire (often called sex appeal).
Islam forbid Muslim, men and women, from gazing (a common form of harassment practiced in South Asia):
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Nov 06, 2009 10:32pm
I have been to South Asia and seen the womens really do not feel comfortable in wearing western style cloths.
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Nov 07, 2009 04:36am
Javaid and Obaid,
In response to your "muslim dress code" comment, I was born and raised in pakistan before I moved out of Pakistan when I was 20 (and I am thankful to God who gave me opportunity to come out of that place where our women are insulted and humiliated everyday). I started wearing burka (with my face covered) when I was only 12 years old, and was still harassed, pinched, touched inappropriately by men. And let me tell you this, I am in west, not wearing any burka, and have NOT been harassed even ONCE in past 10 years I have been living here. It has nothing to do with dress code, a dirty mind will be a dirty mind. The real problem is that majority of pakistani men dont have any morality.
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Nov 07, 2009 05:32am
my sympathies are with all the women out there.
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Nov 07, 2009 07:10am
As a Pakistani male, it is really embarassing. I agree with the writter, Awareness is required not only at the general public level but also at the school level. We dont realize how shameful act it is.
For those who do these things: Imagine when you are married and your wife tells you, that these things happened to her (How would you feel) ??
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Nov 07, 2009 08:12am
An open enviorment is the only way out. I'm aged 39, now a father of 2 children. When I was in school though it was a co educational school but interaction was limited with girls usually for studies or school works/ workshops etc. I graduated in 1989 & amongst our peer boys even in college talking to girls was considered something special. However things have changed considerably in last 15 years. My son is now 15 and in class 9. His close group consists of 2 girls & 4 boys. They are talking on phone endlessly. One day a girl even called up my wife complaining that how my son was making fun of her & not being friendly with her. My wife was at a loss to know how to react. She narrated the incident to me & we pondered how times have changed, this was unthinkable in our times. Nowadays it is not special for a girl & a boy to interact. I think things have changed because society, media, parents have accepted this change as good for them, girls & society in India.
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Nov 07, 2009 08:19am
Javaid, Obaid,
Your attack on the male population of Pakistan calling them of dirty mind is in poor taste.
Society will have to accept social mingling of the sexes to over come emotional deprevation out come of segregation of sexes.
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Nov 07, 2009 08:52am
Well, its usual in Pakistan for women is a prey to all this. Gone are the days when women used to lower their gaze and walk. All I will say is that the coin has two sides.
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Nov 07, 2009 09:16am
This is actually sad. The very fact that such immoral acts happen in our supposedly religious and moral society. Maybe this is what you get when you impose laws without imparting them. The intellectual development of a person is so very Important, but unfortunately none in our society focuses on that. Religious conscience cannot be provoked with hypocritical conveyance of moral laws.
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Nov 10, 2009 10:19am
The only solution to this is that "There is No solution" when it comes to a Pakistani male mindset belonging to lower segment.
I have traveled in buses in college times when in Pakistan, feel pity of women who suffer this torture daily.
Why cant we have busses only for women, sponsored by 1st Women bank or similar organizations?
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Nov 09, 2009 01:19pm
Totally agree with you. I have also travelled in buses and felt the same problems that you have mentioned & it is so IRRITATING that your mood is out for the whole day. You can't possibly think of dragging them to police because its all in a crowded place & mostly there's no clue where those hands come from. It is a hopeless case and so sooner or later women switch to private mode of transport. I just avoid public transport & other crowded places.
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Nov 07, 2009 03:26pm
I totally agree with Nitin. The entire South Asians are very bad when it comes to civic sense in every aspect. We are somewhat better than Arabs however far worse than the West or East.
In India the situation is better in Maharashtra, Gujrat & South however North is horrible. Far worse than anything on this earth when it comes to teasing.
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Nov 09, 2009 11:21am
The thing is this that we make law, we set the punishment but unfortunately we don't implement to every one, there is huge difference between levels of pakistani's.
so till we keep these levels we will definitely face these kind of problems. The problem is that culprit knows there are laws but there is no implementation why would he/she restrain of it?
well but hope for the best.
Long live Pakistan. Amin
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Nov 07, 2009 07:39pm
Full marks for this true picture. The fact is that a huge number of Pakistani males are nothing but animals. They need to be educated and if need be beaten into the 21st century with the rule of law whether it be the law of the land or Islamic law. At least the author of this article has a voice. What about the poor boys that are regularly abused by a huge section of the male adults from across society. Bring back the Islamic Laws which shows the true way of protecting our sisters from these moral less men.
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Nov 07, 2009 09:04pm
Women (including Muslim women) living in Western countries are more safe than women living in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, India, African countries etc.
The reason is men in western countries do not have curiocity about women because there is no segregation between men and women.
Men in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, India, African countries etc. are very curious about women because of segregation. It is human nature. The curiocity or temptation leads to undesiarable behavior.
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Nov 08, 2009 02:14pm
The root cause of the problem has to be identified before you can implement a solution. Here, its very clear that the root cause is divided into two portions. One, is the upbringing by parents and society. Two, is the nonexistence of fear of retribution.
Most men realize they can get away with it and as a result never consider the consequences. Add that to a lack of education and a sexually depraved mindset and you have our current problem.
What astonishes me is the way no other male speaks up about it. Rather, it seems to transcend age barriers. Its a pitiful condition.
You have to educate the people, you have to make laws that make sense. But you can not change the way they think, the best you can do is to prevent them from carrying out such thoughts by way of immediate punishments. For that, we need a collective conscience which as of yet, does not exist.
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Nov 08, 2009 05:12pm
People in sub-continent are sex starved people and the men and their behavior are just a product of backward thinking when it comes to women. They do not seem to think their their own mothers and sisters can become a prey to such stupid behavior. In India the worst cities by far are New Delhi and the whole of the North as a whole. Women are treated much better in Bombay and the Southern parts of India for sure. Education has a lot to do with it.
If a woman gets harrassed why does Islamic law need the testmony of 3-4 people etc to support the accusers version. That in itself is wrong.
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Nov 10, 2009 01:27pm
Good discussion. It is the first step to have young thinking people speak up.
Next step is to make a paradigm shift.
For me: I have never seen this kind of behaviour in Singapore. Why? Half the population here is male too.
Women in shorts and singlets travel freely day and night in busses and rail and are NOT clawed at by men in Singapore?
Has it to do with scarcity value?
Can enlightened modern education in English (like in Singapore) take away sexually biased strictures on women that cause this scarcity in the first place.
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Nov 10, 2009 02:44pm
Education should reduce a lot of harrassment. I remember, when I used to be in Pakistan, there were police in plain clothes outside women's colleges in Lahore. The city governments can do the same in buses and book these people in front of others to send a message. Hopefully, this will reduce harrassement a little.
By the way west is not that much better from the East in harrassement of women.
Thanks
Syed
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Nov 10, 2009 10:27pm
Aroosa,
Well said. I conceded on your view and it is important to get the government attention to work on it. Even though a law against sexual harassment has been signed by president, but the law enforcement services are pathetic and they do not work on it. Despite, the women law could implement on the street. I would say that first of all, they make a new legislation to prevent the child harassment as well. Because in the buses teenage or children between ages of 8 to 20 they have been facing sexual harassment by the men age 18 to 60. It describes the mentality of those passenger who want to enjoy the bus ride as well to play with teenagers and women also. It should prevent by any law; otherwise, the Women will still facing these sexual harassment in the buses or any other places across the country because what lesson we are given to the teenage that faced sexual harassment. Do they not take a revenge for what they have faced? I believe government should take an action for all type of sexual harassment. Thanks.
Hammad M. Qureshi
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Nov 11, 2009 05:45am
It is a male dominated society and men specially of this part of the world are yet to grow up to regard women as a human being who are made up of body and soul just like men but men don't believe that women have soul, they have feelings, they can think, they have likes and dislikes, they have self esteem and self respect. Even our intelectuals think, speak and write in terms of physical bodies with reference to women.
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Nov 11, 2009 07:38am
What else would you expect in masculine based society.
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Nov 11, 2009 02:57pm
Part of the problem is the environment in which young girls and boys grow up. In many parts of the country a girl and boy talking with each other is still considered "weird" and gossip-worthy. This results in lack of understanding of the opposite sex. Add to that the fact that women are objectified in our entertainment media. This creates a very wrong image about women and makes some men feel it is ok to harass them.
What's needed is for parents to educate their kids on treating women with respect and perhaps an acceptable form of social interaction where men and women can at least have a conversation without fear of backlash.
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Nov 12, 2009 10:13am
bravo Aroosa!!!
No bill and no amendments can stop the men of our society from harassing the women. Our country has male dominant society and this fact cannot be changed.
If a woman tries to take some action in her defense there would be no one to support her because in our country it is hard for a woman to take a stand for herself. We can just wait for a miracle to take place.
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Nov 15, 2009 07:58pm
In many Islamic countries including Pakistan, women are considered second class. Men consider they are keepers and guardians and possibly owners of women. The same situation exactly was before the advent of Islam and continued despite Islamic teachings that men and women are equal.
The Jewish people treat women the same way as Muslims threat women. So the cause of current plight of women is the continuation of ignorance that existed before Islam and Muslims continued to practice the customs and practices before Islam. They ignored true teachings of Islam.
The western countries have implemented what Islam teaches with regards to equality of men and women. This is what Islamic countries should do to give equal rights to women.
There should be allocated number of positions for women in civil and military services including Police Force.
If there were female uniformed police officers with guns patrolling the street and market places, the evils will not dare even to point a finger at women.
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Nov 15, 2009 08:11pm
Its not rocket science to understand why the problem of harassment of women in public buses is common. The laws to prevent such crimes are there and the punishment severe enough to befit the nature of this crime. Unfortunately, as with so many departments in Pakistan, the problem is the mere implementation of these laws. People in the West are not angels, and while there may be other aspects of the system that may be helpful, for the most part, the organized and efficient policing plays the major role in preventing such harassment. Of course, this problem cannot be finished entirely, for there will always be bad fish in the water.
But waiting for the policing to get better may be a bad idea, so as one of the folks below suggested, other measures may also be helpful in the short term at least. A women's only bus system may be a good idea, though it may require a lengthy struggle with the transport mafia.
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Nov 19, 2009 02:41am
In the culture and religion where a man can divorce a women by just saying talaak three times, what is the social status of women?
In the society where women doesn't wrap them self up in a burkha before going out and show their face to any men the desires run wild. The only way these desires get satisfied is when a boy finds a girl alone in the crowded bus or dark allies. Does any body know that some of the molvis have also be seen in some crowded buses taking advantage of the situation.
It will not change unless the people take things in there hands, as we know that law is just made to give peace of mind but is action taken against such harassment's ?
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Dec 24, 2009 10:50pm
Often times its only sexual harassment if the guy is undateable.
But that doesn't mean genuine cases of sexual harassment don't occur.
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Dec 26, 2009 10:51pm
@ Sameer
In the Western countries women compete with men in all skills and professions. They are doctors, lawyers, professors, scientists, police officers, soldiers, politicians, chief executive officers of corporations, fire fighters, business owners, judges, engineers, motor mechanics, welders and in all trades. Women are in every profession and trade. No one considers women as inferior to men.
However in less developed countries including India, Pakistan women do not have the freedom to choose their profession or trade. They are expected make babies, cook and take care of home and children. The mentality is if a man commits 100 sexual misconduct, no one points finger at him but if a women makes the mistake of just smiling at a man. This is gross injustice.
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Jan 20, 2010 08:05pm
Aroosa, good news for you
ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Wednesday paased a landmark amendment in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) aimed at protecting women against sexual harassment at the workplace.
The bill was moved by the Leader of the House, Senator Nayyar Bokhari, in accordance with the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Law.
Under the new law, the violator is liable to pay Rs500,000 as fine and would be subject to three years of imprisonment as well.
The house, however, rejected the amendment passed by JUI (Jamiat Ulema Islam) in the bill asking women to follow an Islamic dress code.
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