A crime is a crime and a victim is a victim. Agreed. By this logic, the law enforcement authorities in Gujranwala are bound by Pakistan’s penal code to charge the two girls who confessed to setting their father on fire. But even a cursory look at their statements might give some context to this tragedy. The horrifying reality that a man, despite the presence of his wives, felt emboldened to subject his older daughter to sexual abuse for an entire year – only to turn his predatory desires toward her younger sister subsequently – highlights a disturbing culture of impunity that allows such heinous acts to persist unchecked. These girls are not alone. The World Health Organization claims that approximately 33 percent of women in Pakistan have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. These figures are not just numbers; they represent the lives of mothers, sisters, and daughters whose existence has been shattered by violence, often at the hands of those who should have protected them. It is crucial to understand the role played by suffocating familial dynamics that first reprimand the victim by blaming them for either “negligence” or “sexual provocation” and then expect them to take a vow of silence. How this silence burdens her every single breath, suffocating her, mocking her entire being is none of their concerns. On extremely rare occasions, the pressure cooker cannot be contained anymore, forcing our society to confront a reality it is neither ready nor willing to face. The rampant stigmatisation attached to gender-based violence explains why only four per cent of sexual abuse in Pakistan seek legal help, with many fearing societal rejection or further victimisation. While the legal framework exists, its implementation is fraught with challenges: the dismal 0.2 percent conviction, a glaring indictment. Some may still wish to remind the state how it needs to fight a battle to create a society where all individuals, particularly the most vulnerable among us, can feel secure, both within and outside their homes. Unfortunately, the rest of us know better that things will get much, more worse before those who can actually address this deeply entrenched vileness in our society bother waking up. *