Ayesha Omar weighs in on labelling domestic violence 'silent pandemic' in Pakistan

Star underscored the importance of sharing survival stories

In a powerful statement advocating for women's empowerment and solidarity, renowned Pakistani actor Ayesha Omar took to her Instagram Story to shed light on the grave issue of domestic violence in Pakistan. Omar shared a local news post addressing the alarming rise of domestic abuse in the country, labelling it as a "silent pandemic." 

Utilizing hashtags such as 'Violence Against Women' and 'Domestic Abuse,' Omar underscored the importance of sharing survival stories, emphasising their role in instilling strength and courage in women, and encouraging them to either break away from abusive situations or seek the necessary help and support. "And that's why we speak about our survival stories," wrote the star on her Instagram Story. "To give strength and courage to other women to walk away or seek help."

The report

This was in reference to a recent study report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that highlighted the concerning surge of domestic violence in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a substantial increase in threats and physical assaults among spouses. The report, focusing on the Gendered Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Central and West Asia, cited a survey conducted in Punjab and Sindh, indicating a rise of 40% in threats of physical violence and 46% in cases of physical assault by spouses.

Additionally, the report revealed distressing statistics where a significant portion of surveyed women were aware of individuals within their communities facing physical harm from their husbands (14%), experiencing physical assaults (19%), and incidents where children were subjected to parental abuse (27%).

The study aimed to shed light on the pandemic's extensive impact, emphasising initiatives and outcomes from policy and public investments, particularly ADB projects across nine countries in Central and West Asia. It stressed the lack of gender-disaggregated data in COVID-19 cases and deaths across the region.

The report attributed the surge in violence against women and girls in Pakistan to economic hardships and restrictions imposed during the pandemic, urging for a shift in the narrative. It stressed the need for inclusive policies in agriculture-focused employment sectors for women, particularly in countries like Pakistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan.

Previously

has remained consistently outspoken on critical issues concerning harassment, violence against women, and the advocacy for women's rights. Previously, Omar had revealed that she was in an abusive relationship for eight years and was almost married to that person as well. "I don't want to talk about the relationship in detail because it took me so long to leave the person, as I always thought he would eventually change and become better or that I could fix him," shared the actor.

"Even after eight years of going back and forth, the relationship was full of physical abuse and so much verbal abuse, so I left," continued the actor. "He was so fond of swearing and even told me he cursed at me to show me affection. I mean, I use profanity too while sitting amongst friends, but not for publically demeaning someone."

Omar also disclosed that she is still in contact with this partner, who is allegedly not Sikander Rizvi. "I have a cordial relationship with him and consider him family as well. I hope he has resolved his issues, as I understand that every supposedly ‘crazy’ behaviour has mental and childhood trauma behind it. Unfortunately, some people just release that trauma in an abusive or physical manner, rather than dealing with it," she said on the Fwhy Podcast. 

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