People with an internet connection and social media were in shock when they saw #MeToo
LAHORE: Most people with an internet connection and a social media handle were in shock when they saw their newsfeed being filled with #MeToo statuses. A campaign started by an American actor asking woman to use the hashtag to inform people about the magnitude of sexual harassment. People were, however, quick to criticise women for not speaking against their tormentors and resorting to ‘complaining’ online.
However, news reports on the alleged assault of a former hockey player, Syeda Sadia, are proof why women don’t speak out against their harassers in Pakistan: 1) no one believes them and 2) assaulters who are in positions of power go out of their way to silence everyone else, making it appear as if the survivor is lying.
The team’s head coach, Saeed Khan, has denied allegations against him even though witness Iqra Javed has given a statement in Sadia’s favour. It is, however, not surprising that Iqra too has been dropped from the team for speaking out. What’s worse, Tanzeela Aamer, secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Foundation’s women’s wing, who according to Sadia and Iqra was present at the venue and had intervened to stop the assault, has denied the allegations. She claims that she was not present at the venue. And, in fact, the Federation too seems unwilling to take any action.
Small wonder, then, if survivors in future restrain themselves from lodging complaints against members of the administration. It’s a shame that Sadia and Iqra have been left alone to fight the case. What really is then the point of the Lahore High Court recently setting up a special bench to hear cases of violence against women?
Zarmeena Waqas
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2017.
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