While talking about the abuse and sexual harassment, let’s have a clear picture of what Sexual Harassment means!
Sexual abuse or Sexual Harassment is a term used to describe the wrong and unethical behavior of one person towards any other person, regardless of observing what relationship both share, what is their gender and what age are they at!
Sexual harassment and false assumptions
Most of the people have the false attributes regarding this topic and the assumptions they have regarding sexual harassment are,
- This could not happen to a man!
- A child is safe in the hands of known men
- Females are not abusive
- Life of a man is simpler than women
- Sexual harassment only occurs on professional platforms
- Sexual assault is raping and killing the victim
A Taboo
Let’s just start from the very beginning when most of the people thought that awareness regarding sexual harassment is important but on a very confidential level. These people who used to have such concepts were our own elders. Sexual knowledge and awareness were considered a taboo and this whole concept was a way of abducting your own system and society. Now we understand that these evil acts as sexual harassment, abuse, and talk are not at all a myth or taboo instead talking about this topic is a taboo and bringing them on the front page in front of the whole world is considered as a prohibited thing by the whole world itself.
https://twitter.com/haaadisays/status/951392664775208960
Let’s talk about the most famous drama Udaari that went on-air in 2017. This Drama was the first time Pakistani media took an initiative to show the actual picture of our society and relationships. It portrayed the story of a girl who was raped by her stepfather. This was an initiative taken by the Pakistani NGOs and Kashf foundation especially. But our own government sector who has the control over the content sent a notice to the producers and forced to stop it. If anyone thinks that the reason for this notice was to stop showing “a social taboo” in front of the world, No! this notice was to stop sharing awareness with the world in a more clearer perspective.
When #Udaari was creating awareness abt child abuse PEMRA sent it a notice because members of our society complained that it was "immoral content". Why should children carry the burden of our morality which leaves them vulnerable & forces survivors into silence? #JusticeForZainab pic.twitter.com/BiA9u0jg4X
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) January 11, 2018
UDAARI – an underappreciated GEM of Pakistan. From its exceedingly talented ensemble to its strong, empowering characters to its impeccable portrayal of realistic issues (which were handled with perfect sensitivity), this masterpiece leaves a powerful impact on one. 💯 #Udaari pic.twitter.com/k03G7ynPyj
— 𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘢 ♡ (@xAngelWingz) August 22, 2018
This kind of behavior from a responsible sector of government was such a disturbing gesture for all the public that they continued to watch the drama till the end. The story of Zaibo was very close to Hina Altaf who actually faced this situation in real life. This was the reason this character was brought to life as bravely as possible by this young actor. She even confessed this in an interview
I liked a @YouTube video https://t.co/nIWpzK2A6m Hina Altaf In Tears While Talking About Depression | Udaari | Speak Your Heart With
— Moomal Asif (@MoomalAsif) October 10, 2018
Specifically, not only South Asian Culture But Western Culture Is Also Facing Same Issues
Now here I will discuss a point most of the people secretly know but deny. The western culture has many worst issues than the South Asian region. Viewing and reading their stories we will understand that the mental disorder is the cause of becoming what people are and sometimes the molestation starts from home! In the stories of many western writers including Maya Angelou and Sue J. Daniels. we see that there are many psychological traumas which are being suffered by the brave children, either women or men. Sometimes this sexual molestation is caused due to racism and the brutal nature of some molesters.
A Tribute to Maya Angelou https://t.co/y055dGPTNH pic.twitter.com/FNuadxrxWc
— Cynthia Brandel (@CynthiaBrandel) October 17, 2018
Some of the South Asian writers such as Serena Haque and Hanif Qureshi have also defined the sexual abuse and harassment for the brown people by the whites. These writers have also told how brown women survived from their own society and the cultural norms which were equal to sexual harassment.
Why Telling And Explaining To The World Is Important?
Most of the people think that explaining and telling the world about any social issue means we are going to promote it for all the wrong reasons. For those who think like this, there could be no big example than #metoo where all the ladies are now free to express their worst experiences in front of the world. This campaign not only affected the life of common female but it also had a very positive impact on the life of famous of popular personalities who were afraid that if they ever expressed how they are being molested by their own colleagues while working, no other person would believe.
So this single trend went viral and so many cases were open against those personalities which no one can imagine having so much negativity in them. Especially in India, there have been so many cases which are getting reported every day. From actors to honorable personalities all are involved in this!
I used to idolise Kailash Kher. I met him for the first time at Dubai airport in 2015. We clicked some pictures, exchanged numbers & started texting. One day, he called me & asked me to meet. He said he likes my name & wants to make love to me: Singer Varsha Singh Dhanoa. #MeToo pic.twitter.com/fL5KfDTj27
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
Urging all journalists – men and women and all supporters of the #MeToo to gather in support of @priyaramani when the court begins the hearing of the #Akbar criminal defamation case. Stand up and be counted. @NWM_India #IWPC @MasalaBai – we are here in solidarity. Let's do this
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) October 17, 2018
How sick is that! So @nanditadas takes upon herself to find young victims for her father Jatin Das and now writes wrong preachy articles about how she is supporting #metoo? https://t.co/YfuPIFMEWt
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) October 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/sandymridul/status/1052251824533594112
So, if the social media and media are combining their separate efforts in spreading the awareness then what is the issue with our public? There are many concepts which we need to change in our society and “Don’t tell anyone” is one of them! Today Zainab’s Murderer got sentenced to death and this is the actual victory of media in spreading awareness and encouraging victims and survivors to yell against this nonhuman act as loud as they can!
Read Also,
Indian Singer Kailash Kher Also Faces Accusation of Sexual Harassment
Zainab Murder Case and Debate on Capital Punishment in Pakistan
