Aurat March has issued a statement condemning the 'slander' against participants of the march on social media. Extremist quarters had begun a hateful campaign against the march, inciting violence against the participants on the grounds that disrespectful banners and placards were used at the march.
A blanket with testimonies of women survivors of sexual abuse and torture was held up at the march, which appeared to have generated controversy online.
The Aurat March, in its statement, noted that one particular testimony shared by a woman survivor who wrote about being violated by her Qari (Quran teacher) is being used to present the march as anti-Islam.
https://twitter.com/AuratMarch/status/1369666866206146563?s=20
"Our intention was to shed light on the serious matter of child sexual abuse in Pakistan and the impunity granted to abusers. In 2019, a total of 2,846 reported cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the media alone; we can only imagine what the reality must be," the statement read.
"It is sad to see that the detractors will go as far as to undermine the abuse and rape of children in order to weaken the movement for women's and children's rights," Aurat March further said.
A blanket with testimonies of women survivors of sexual abuse and torture was held up at the march, which appeared to have generated controversy online.
The Aurat March, in its statement, noted that one particular testimony shared by a woman survivor who wrote about being violated by her Qari (Quran teacher) is being used to present the march as anti-Islam.
https://twitter.com/AuratMarch/status/1369666866206146563?s=20
"Our intention was to shed light on the serious matter of child sexual abuse in Pakistan and the impunity granted to abusers. In 2019, a total of 2,846 reported cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the media alone; we can only imagine what the reality must be," the statement read.
"It is sad to see that the detractors will go as far as to undermine the abuse and rape of children in order to weaken the movement for women's and children's rights," Aurat March further said.