The recent wave of violence against women in Pakistan is not a coincidence. It is a trend, it is something clear, something that is repeated and rooted in social arrangement that still fails women at all levels. These are not unrelated tragedies since they are connected to the murder of women in the name of honour and other cases of harassment leading to young students committing suicide. They are the consequences of an order that allows silence, safeguards the violators and tends to abandon the victims.
The alleged honour killing of a woman like Khalida Chander is an indication of a reality that Pakistan has failed to come out of, despite legal changes. Honour killings are perhaps one of the most uncomfortable acts of gender-based violence in which the dominance over women is exercised through violence as they are dictated on whether to marry, move around or be independent. Stronger laws have been enacted over the years, but their enforcement is still lopsided and in most instances, society is still protecting the perpetrators.
Equally alarming are those events that happen in areas that are considered safe. The mentioned instance of a bride being assaulted in a beauty parlour, a setting that is linked with the daily life, shows that violence against women does not only occur in isolated places. It drags them into the world of publicity, usually in an unforeseen and unpredictable fashion. These actions support an ever-present feeling of vulnerability that most women have to deal with in their everyday lives.
Most disturbing perhaps are situations that are less apparent but equally disastrous in terms of violence. The alleged death of a third-year MBBS student after allegedly years of harassment has elicited outrage but also brought up uncomfortable questions. What makes a young woman go so far as committing suicide seems to be the only way out? Harassment, particularly in the educational institutions, hardly starts with extreme behavior. It can begin innocently, with remarks, coercion, threat and grow in an atmosphere where grievances are ignored or belittled. This is the point of institutional failure and social failure.
Far too frequently families encourage silence instead of resistance. The threat of reputation is more than the necessity to be safeguarded. Victims are advised to survive, adapt or evade escalation, and the perpetrators act on the culture of impunity. The emotional and psychological support is also lost in such a system making it as harmful as the harassment itself. Lack of support by families to the victims increases their isolation and the impact can be irreparable.
Men should be included in this discussion as well, not as theoretical constructs but as agents of a system that tends to condone unhealthy conduct. Male complicity is an important factor whether it is direct, passive silence or rejection of the experiences of women. It takes more than condemnation to challenge this; it takes addressing the attitudes of everyday people that undermine harassment, doubt victims, or rationalize misconduct as being normal in culture.
The problem is not confined to Pakistan only. Research by the global community has shown that online networks that endorse abusive behavior such as disturbing content that legitimizes coercion and violence have been exposed recently to show how misogynistic discourses are being amplified through online spaces. These are not developments that are not tied to local realities. They support the development of negative attitudes and establish an echo-chamber where violence is justified instead of being denounced.
Nevertheless, there is a difference between awareness and amplification. The fact that such networks exist is not an issue that should be sensationalized but rather discussed seriously in terms of regulation, accountability, and digital ethics. It should be kept in terms of what impact these stories have on behavior in the real world and how they lead to a culture of consent and dignity erosion.
In Pakistan, the solution to gender-based violence should go beyond reactive outrage. There are laws in place, such as those dealing with honour killings and harassment at work, yet the laws are not strictly followed. The institutions are often not able or willing to hold accountable. Unless there is systemic change, every new instance could become another headline and then mass amnesia.
Cultural introspection is also required. Violence against women exists continuously not only due to ineffective enforcement, but also due to deeply ingrained attitudes towards control, honour, and gender roles. Reforming without reforming minds leaves a loophole in which justice finds it difficult to prevail.
Awareness and education should thus be at the center stage. The debate on the issue of consent, respect, and equality cannot be confined to policy documents but it should be incorporated in the daily talk, in our homes, schools, and communities. Concurrently, the institutions should develop secure and reputable systems of reporting the abuse, having victims listened to, secured, and aided.
Media, too, have responsibility. Although it is important to report such incidences, the way that it is covered is important. Sensationalism will tend to make complex matters into temporary furor, whereas responsible journalism can help build the pressure to achieve change.
The question is not, whether Pakistan is aware of the problem it is quite evident. The actual issue is whether the society is ready to face the unpleasant facts that nourish it. Violence against women is not an isolated incident. It is empowered by silence, is supported by old standards and is perpetuated through the inaction of the masses.
The cycle will persist until the day when that silence is broken not only by the victims but by the families, institutions, and the rest of the society.
Author:
Samra Khaksar is a student of Strategic Studies at the National Defence University, Islamabad, with a research focus on international security and geopolitical affairs. She is affiliated with the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) and has contributed to policy research at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). Her writings examine contemporary global and domestic challenges, and she has been published in Modern Diplomacy.
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