KARACHI:
While people continue to shout “Hang the rapist”, it is rather unfortunate that the same enthusiasm is not shown for the victim. It is not the hanging of the rapist that concerns me; it is the plight of the victim, their trauma and their feelings that I deeply empathise with. No one seems to be concerned about the mental wellbeing of the victim. No one is talking about them or even mentioning if they are still alive.
Everyone knows about the recent video which showed a student being sexually assaulted by a prominent cleric. But did someone notice that the victim mentioned that he would most likely take his own life? Did we make sure he was ok? No. Not a single media outlet reached out to him to see if he received counseling and other medical assistance. It is the responsibility of media organisations to spread the word and make sure that victims like this boy are getting the help they need. Instead, we seem to be fixated on what PM Imran Khan said in his interview, even after knowing full well that it will not provide justice to the victim. To me, this individual, having the presence of mind to record himself while being molested, is not just extremely brave but a true hero for all those who have been and continue to be sexually assaulted. He went out of his way and sacrificed his dignity and image so that the truth could be brought to light. We own him our help and support. We can never understand the amount of shame, bullying and accusations he will have to deal with in the rest of his life, nor can we understand what he must be going through right now. But the least we can do is care.
I humbly request NGOs and media houses across Pakistan to look into the matter. The boy in question and all other such victims need our help.
Hinaa Noor
New Jersey
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2021.
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