The horrific, viral video of a man barging inside a house to unleash violence upon a couple is an astounding reminder that rape is a saga of power, not lust. Had the abominable gangster, Usman Mirza, been merely tempted by promiscuous clothes–a highly problematic premonition–he would not have blackmailed them for money. He would not have recorded his heinous act and proudly showcased it to the world. Call it the influence of the masses but the uproar on social media forced the Islamabad police to rattle out of its complacency. Mirza and his accomplices were promptly arrested. In a new dismal development, a tweet by the capital’s deputy commissioner claimed the graphic footage was at least a few months old. Earlier, the accused had easily obtained a free pass even after landing behind bars. Here we go down the rabbit hole again. To our extreme misfortune, our victim-blaming community and hierarchical untouchability of the “few” have made Pakistan a perfect cocktail for rampant sexual abuse. More agonising is the fact that ours is a country where at least 11 women suffer from sacrilegious attacks. Every day. Read that again. A society, where patriarchy takes great pride in suppressing the gentle sex as divinely-ordained protector, fails 11 every day. Going by the unbelievably low number of complaints, there might be many, many more cases. Still, we seem to have collectively settled on a plan to pretend all is well. Au fond, our is Riyasat-e-Madina that flows with milk and honey. Talking about Islamabad alone, just two weeks earlier, a student was gang-raped at International Islamic University. Mind everyone, this happened at a stone’s throw from our ruling elite’s base camp. Of course, the state was said to have taken “strong” notice because could not simply stand watching. However, it is far too easy to reduce a sickening crime to an act provoked by the victim. Doing something meaningful to change the nauseating narrative that perpetuates violence against easy prey; not so much. The real tragedy lies in the fact that we are forced to return to this same, saddening tale of what-ifs and whys over and over again. No, it is not acceptable to target someone whose red lipstick awakens some bestial instinct within you. You cannot rape to pursue your agenda: no matter how filthy it may be. Your sex organ is not the trigger of a handgun you can point at anyone you like. DO NOT RAPE. It cannot get any simpler. We keep explaining how the government and judiciary are getting more sensitised every day. The harsher laws, the bidding adieu to the insulting “two-finger test” are testament to their resolve to change tides. The courts’ notoriety for letting gender biases get in the way of justice is, thankfully, dying out. Only recently, the Supreme Court historically reminded everyone that “it is the accused who is on trial and not the victim.” Sadly, on the very next track dashes our refusal to pay farewell to gross rape myths. People sitting in the most pristine of quarters are holding ground on the “men will be men” mantra. Calling on the authorities to pull up their socks and try extending the right to safety to Pakistani women is a futile exercise. That only consistency in convicting those charged with sexual violence can help become our biggest weapon in this unnerving fight is no secret. Still, it takes hashtags and public uproar for the authorities to rise in action. The unbelievable power of social media aside, netizens are not responsible for pinpointing crime. And if Twitteratis are doing the job so well, let’s just seal all police quarters! #JusticeforZainab was supposed to be our leading light. Since we had then learned that the government can deliver if it has the right resolve. Now, Pakistan was supposed to finally act for its children, its women, its men. Nevertheless, the historic determination to move beyond words lost its way in shameful comparisons with “unwrapped candy,’ and the seemingly neverending “what-was-she-wearing” discourse. *