Myth of a safe profession for women

At a Rahim Yar Khan hospital, a sweeper attempted to harass a lady doctor

Gone are the days when the adage ‘matches are made in heaven’ was to be taken in terms of a spouse chosen for us in heavens, for we are growing up in a society where even career choices are long set before the arrival of a baby in this world. MBBS is for girls and girls are for MBBS — made for each other. This sacred duo is unbreakable and the mindset preordaining and narrowing down the career choices for girls is unshakable. Because why not? Practising medicine seems promising, it is a relatively safer and dignified profession for women in particular to opt for and the prospects of finding a good match increase many folds (supposedly) as well. An all-rounder package!



But when we talk about the safety of women in this profession, are we really sure about it or is it just that we like to live in a fool’s paradise? The recent glaring incident at a Rahim Yar Khan hospital where a sweeper attempted to harass a lady doctor has already shattered all the fake notions of safety endearing to us as a society. The abhorrent incident, however, is not the first one of its kind. Somewhat similar episodes of horror also occurred at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences where an unidentified man entered the hospital premises and tried to suffocate an on-duty female doctor.

But the plight of female medical practitioners does not end here because they face disheartening work environment at the hands of their seniors as well. It was only last year when a senior surgeon accused of molesting a young doctor was subsequently fired from his job. Anyone who has ever visited any public hospital or who has had a devastating experience of staying there for a night or two with his ailing loved one must be familiar with the grim security conditions, where not only female doctors and nurses, but patients, visitors and their relatives feel vulnerable too — nobody feels safe because no attention to the lack of adequate security has ever been paid by the authorities concerned. It is nowhere on the cards as well!

The problems faced by female medical practitioners are abominable but treatable at the same time. Sincere conviction is needed to improve the security of hospitals in order to curb the growing incidents of outside assailants attacking or harassing doctors. And to tackle the problems from within, laws are already functional to provide timely legal redress to the victims who are abused at workplaces by their colleagues or seniors.

The Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act of 2016 also deals with psychological violence. Upon a complaint to the civil court by the aggrieved that a violence has been committed or is likely to be committed the court may pass a protection order in favour of the aggrieved person. Under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act of 2010, an Inquiry Committee is mandatory to be constituted by every organisation within 30 days of the enactment of the Act to inquire into the complaints under the said Act. Penalties for the accused, if found guilty, range from minor to major ones and in case of trauma ‘psycho-social counselling or medical treatment and additional medical leave’ will be provided by the organisation to the complainant. An inquiry committee that constituted of senior medical professionals finding a cardiologist guilty of molestation is a friendly reminder that no matter how hard predators try to lurk beneath the garb of anonymity or professionalism they will eventually be found, caught, and brought to justice.



It seems that JRR Tolkein in the Lord of the Rings also had the picture of working women in his mind when he wrote, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.” Trying to encapsulate ourselves within a bubble where only a few professions qualify as the safest ones for women has not benefited us in the least. But thanks to the media and a few brave voices around us that this bubble impairing our sight has finally burst.

Doctors, lawyers, journalists, artists, teachers or even students; women belonging to all walks of life face harassment in one form or another by their fellow professionals, unknown perverts and once known acquaintances. Each profession for women being as worthy as another, is also, as vulnerable as any other. The problem therefore lies not within any profession but with people alone, and such people exist everywhere: in our homes around us, at our workplaces, and even in every reasonable profession imaginable to us. It remains a hard swallowed pill that our society at large is still not open to accepting incidents of harassment. Name-calling, stereotyping and shaming the victim is more of an impulsive reaction that comes naturally to us which is why most women prefer silence over why-create-a-scene, thereby empowering their predators even more. But it cannot be denied that gradually our society is evolving and a few sane voices amidst roaring violent mobs are making it possible for women to come forward and reclaim their place as professionals and as humans, above all. The process of filing complaints, an often misogynist investigative procedure and discouraging comments from others are off putting but there are people — men as much as women — ready to assist and guide the victims as well. All one needs is willingness to help one’s own self first. And know that as a woman, you are not alone in your struggles.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2018.

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