In an interview with anchor Hamid Mir, President Arif Alvi insensitively used a rape analogy while talking about the inquiry report pertaining to independent power producers (IPPs) which revealed irregularities in power sector causing massive loss to the national kitty. "After reading the report, I was convinced that the country has not only been raped, but gang-raped", he said.
https://twitter.com/HamidMirPAK/status/1252931845643292672?s=20
The president's act of using an analogy about a crime as harrowing as gang rape is sickening as it is tantamount to trivialising sexual violence. Further, rape analogies are triggering for the survivors of sexual abuse in that they may force them to relive their traumatic lived experience. Considering that sexual violence is rampant in Pakistan, the president's statement is highly insensitive to say the least.
One would expect the president of the country, who also happens to be a doctor, to be responsible enough to know the implications of publicly making such inconsiderate statements about a heinous crime. Coming from the head of the state, this problematic statement serves as a sad reminder of lack of gender sensitisation in Pakistan. When the president is unable to realise how belittling the trauma of the sexual abuse survivors is problematic, I shudder to imagine how the ill-trained police personnel, most of whom are also misogynist to the core, treat the victims while handling rape cases. When the survivors dare to report sexual abuse, they are made to relive the trauma by Pakistan's flawed prosecution and justice system.
The president made these remarks while talking about corruption and irregularities in a power project, which means that he considers 'gang rape' to be same as robbing or stealing money. The problem with comparing rape to other crimes such as robbing is that it dehumanises the victim and implies that the survivors of rape are 'robbed' of their physical possessions after the crime and that their bodies are mere commodities. This perception perpetuates rape culture which includes victim-shaming.
The president must apologise to the victims of sexual violence. Using rape analogies is never okay, and the president ought to know better.
https://twitter.com/HamidMirPAK/status/1252931845643292672?s=20
The president's act of using an analogy about a crime as harrowing as gang rape is sickening as it is tantamount to trivialising sexual violence. Further, rape analogies are triggering for the survivors of sexual abuse in that they may force them to relive their traumatic lived experience. Considering that sexual violence is rampant in Pakistan, the president's statement is highly insensitive to say the least.
One would expect the president of the country, who also happens to be a doctor, to be responsible enough to know the implications of publicly making such inconsiderate statements about a heinous crime. Coming from the head of the state, this problematic statement serves as a sad reminder of lack of gender sensitisation in Pakistan. When the president is unable to realise how belittling the trauma of the sexual abuse survivors is problematic, I shudder to imagine how the ill-trained police personnel, most of whom are also misogynist to the core, treat the victims while handling rape cases. When the survivors dare to report sexual abuse, they are made to relive the trauma by Pakistan's flawed prosecution and justice system.
The president made these remarks while talking about corruption and irregularities in a power project, which means that he considers 'gang rape' to be same as robbing or stealing money. The problem with comparing rape to other crimes such as robbing is that it dehumanises the victim and implies that the survivors of rape are 'robbed' of their physical possessions after the crime and that their bodies are mere commodities. This perception perpetuates rape culture which includes victim-shaming.
The president must apologise to the victims of sexual violence. Using rape analogies is never okay, and the president ought to know better.