It’s the year 2018 and Hollywood is up in arms with campaigns that safeguard women from sexual harassment at workplaces; but when it comes to women that are closer to home, it looks like we haven’t moved an inch from the barbaric monstrosity of the Stone Ages.
Our hearts collectively dropped to the pits of our stomachs, as we came across yet another gruesome act of sexual assault against a woman, this time from Pakistan. A Twitter user who goes by the name Fam Shereen took to the platform to share a heinous account of rape that took place.
ON HER MARRIAGE NIGHT.
That women DIED on her reception day. She DIED FOR FUCKS SAKE.
And we can’t educate our children about sex?
Our society deserves to die. #DesiBedouin— Fam (@FamSheerin) January 13, 2018
After what felt like a brick to my face, the questions, ripe with fury, started pouring in: How did the family not hear her? Where were they when she was in pain and hurting so much? Why didn’t they come to her rescue? And that’s when the next series of tweets shattered whatever little faith I had in human beings, on this planet.
I don’t know why but she didn’t speak one word. I guess she was scared of her husband. That girl was only 19, a child, it is easy to intimidate kids and get away with it.
The family only knew that intercourse had given her tears & brought her to hosp in hemorrhagic shock— Fam (@FamSheerin) January 13, 2018
Of course, what followed next was the search for details on how the attacker was handed over to the authorities, and what severe punishment awaited the man who thought he could get away with a crime as horrific as this. But, there was no justice in sight.
Its unlikely. He was her chacha’s son. Her father already had half the mind to forgive him and that too when her death was so fresh. So imagine how easily he must have left the matter later.
— Fam (@FamSheerin) January 13, 2018
No matter how many times I read the tweet to myself, the sheer magnitude of the crime refused to sink in. How mentally disturbed must you be, to take the life of a woman by sexually assaulting her, that too when you have vowed to be her partner, love and care for her, in the bonds of holy matrimony?
More importantly, women are told repeatedly to seek assurance in the safe haven of their family and loved ones; and this is what you do, turn your back on the man who viciously attacked your daughter and harmed her on her wedding night?
The time has never been more right to speak up against the atrocities committed against women in our society and focus on raising young men to respect women, just as much as raising young women to fight injustice with all their might.
Feature Image: Shutterstock
