Daily Times

The famineof freedom from fears is spotted in varying degrees on the map of the current world where violence causes more than 1.6 million deaths globally every year. World Health Organization estimated that the 20th century was one of the most violent periods in human history. An estimated 191 million people lost their lives directly or indirectly as a result of conflict, and well over half of them were civilians. According to Global terrorism index, year 2013, saw a 61% increase in the number of people (sex disaggregation not available to the author) killed in terrorist attacks.

While politically-motivated manipulationand terrorism attacks are noted instantly specially by the media and narratives are built about them and around them; the abuses faced by ordinary women and girls within families and at workplaces frequently become a victim of misogyny, morality and masculinity.

In my 25-plus years of working with diverse communities, bureaucracy and media in Pakistan, I repeatedly received this judgement(even from apparently modern men and women) that sexual and gender based violence especially rape,incest and workplace harassment exist only in the reports of anti-Pakistan NGOS funded by anti-Pakistan/Islam donors.Through working with the victims and survivors of sexual and gender based violence, I developed the belief that it is critical to relate to the realities of violence against women, girls and disadvantaged people and communities before being opinionated. The systems of power and control breed and nurture all types of abuses . The validatedfour modes in which violence may be inflicted include physical; sexual; and psychological attack; and deprivation. The financial abuse is also notinfrequent, and the potential victims are defenseless and dependent persons including women, transgender and disabled.

In connection with the Gender Based Violence, the psychological violence is most prevalent and most problematic to establish. the verbal/emotional component mostly includes; name-calling, cursing gaslighting, demeaning comments, ridicule, threats, yelling, lies and manipulation

In connection with the Gender Based Violence, the psychological violence is most prevalent and most problematic to establish. the verbal/emotional component mostly includes;name-calling, cursinggaslighting, demeaning comments, ridicule, threats, yelling, lies and manipulation. The isolation/domination includes; monitoring time,physically or emotionally isolating the victim from friends and family, jealousy, and being suspicious of victim’s activities. Using social media to smear, manipulate, and/or threaten the victim, using children to traumatize the victim, smear campaign within the family and using law enforcement to victimize fall under indirect abuse.

One wonders if any Pakistani sector, industry, tribe or family where these systems enabling all causes and consequences of abuses against the weak are absent or dysfunctional? In spite of indelible proofs of the practice of many forms of sexual and GBV in our country it remains a fact that too few are reported and the rate of prosecution of the reported one is almost negligible.

Silence is the most frequent and most appreciated response to any form of violence especially against women and girls. The priceless power of silence in a number of situations in our individual and collective lives cannot be overlooked or undermined.However, silence on violence against voiceless and weaker in the society is nothing but an indirect violence itself.

Not being heard or even punished for protesting is often used as an excuse to observe (criminal) silence. What is even more tragic than violence and pathetic than silence is the selective activism and advocacy of the influential individuals in the civil society for different sufferers of violence. A victim or even a survivor has very little likelihood of creating a clout; hence it remains the social ,moral and technical responsibility of feminist and humanist activists to come forward.

Real life is weaved with pragmatism and logic and not with resistance poetry, prose and music. Therefore, the distresses continue, and their discontinuation and subsequent eradication is only possible by admitting that violence happens; it is not a myth and it is endemic.

Current day Pakistan is having many progressive voices and laws for advancing and enabling women to live a life free from abuses. Anti-Child marriage campaigns and legislation, day care center at Balochistan assembly, investment on youth by the government and UN agencies, Government’s Ehsas program with a focus on disabled are some awe-inspiring prototypes validating that empathy and social justice are the only reasons for any anti-violence legislation or policy to be effective in letter and spirit.

The writer is a feminist