Sir: I recently decided that I was going to do more in life in order to stand up for the rights of women everywhere, especially in Pakistan. Currently one of the most pressing needs of women is affordable reproductive health care. Supporting Planned Parenthood, and other such organizations, allows many low income women to receive essential services like cancer screenings, birth control information, prenatal care, and much more. There is no denying the fact that women can be strong, smart, hardworking, creative, nurturing and compassionate, and have a great deal to offer society. However, they can’t do this unless we offer them equal rights, respect and support, as men in our society. So people need to stop shaming victims of rape and assault, and instead focus their blame on the perpetrators themselves, who really deserve it. Far too often, lenient sentences amount to little more than a slap on the wrist for these deplorable human beings, while society keeps perpetuating the age old ‘boys will be boys’ mentality, which many times allows men to get away scot free for their abusive behavior against women. Women should always feel safe no matter where they are. They should be allowed to feel secure at their place of work, at home, in the community and in all their daily experiences. They should be protected from evils like sexual harassment and assault, domestic violence and other such heinous crimes. If we as a society can ensure that they are sheltered from this behavior, and are provided the support that they need, then there is no stopping to what they can achieve. S BALOCH Makran Published in Daily Times, July 20th 2018.