I was sexually assaulted in seventh grade in an all-boys school: Adeel Hashmi

Actor divulged the harrowing ordeal from his childhood days in a candid interview

In a candid and poignant revelation on Masarrat Misbah's show, acclaimed Pakistani actor Adeel Hashmi shared a deeply personal account of being a victim of sexual assault as a child. The actor, known for his versatile performances, disclosed the painful incidents where he was targeted by a group of older students.

“The feigned smile on my face right now comes after weathering many storms of life,” Adeel candidly remarked. The actor acknowledged that despite many incidents bolstering his experience, they leave behind lasting wounds.

In a vulnerable moment on the show, he revealed that the traumatic incidents took place during his time as a 7th-grade student. The actor highlighted the emotional toll it took on him, being younger and physically weaker than those who subjected him to the torment. 

“It is the 1980s. I am in grade 7 or 8,” Adeel began. “Because I was in a public school, my class had many students who had been failing for a couple of years. So they are a lot older than me because they have been in the same class for years and I am just being promoted from grade 6.” 

Recounting the distressing experiences of being bullied and physically assaulted by these older kids, he furthered on, “I am also not tall or big. Even behaviorally, I am very skittish, somewhere between a cat and a mouse. These 8 or 10 students would bully me.”

Adeel disclosed one harrowing encounter from those years, saying, “I can tell you one incident from that time, I’ll likely not tell you all of it and I might even tear up halfway through it. I was sexually assaulted in seventh grade…They would sexually assault me at that time when this wasn’t a [commonly known] concept. And it’s an all-boys school. No teacher, no elder, my brother, my parents could do anything.”

Seeking guidance, he turned to his elder brother at the time, unsure of how to handle the situation. Unfortunately, his brother, unaware of the gravity of the bullying and assault, advised him to deal with it on his own. This left Adeel feeling isolated and without a support system.

He recalled, “I would stutter and I knew if I told my teachers, these kids would bully me more. Only one time I said to my brother that these hostel kids tease me and whether I should tell our father. And he said no, you can resolve that on your own.”

Despite the difficult circumstances, the celeb chose not to disclose the incidents to his father or mother. He expressed concerns about how his father would react and the difficulty of articulating such painful experiences to his mother. The revelation on the show marks the first time Adeel has openly discussed these aspects of his past with the public.

During the interview, he shared that his mother would learn about the traumatic bullying experiences through the broadcast of the show, breaking a long-held silence on the matter. The actor emphasised the lasting impact of child sexual abuse on an individual's life and the importance of fostering an environment where survivors feel safe to speak out.

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