Pakistan has been thrown off balance by the horrific gang-rape case on Lahore motorway. More so, taking the situation of the country into consideration, many people stepped forward to share their stories to cast light on the epidemic of sexual harassment. Pakistani famous model and actress Anoushey Ashraf also revealed she has been harassed in a market.
Recently, the unstoppable series of rape cases have sparked a conversation on women’s safety and many people have come forward to share their instances of facing sexual harassment in public spaces.
Taking to her social media, VJ Anoushey Ashraf also shared her own experience of being harassed in a space as open as a market.
“Rapists rape people, not outfits,” continued Ashraf, highlighting how critical it is to stop victim-blaming or shaming. “Save the behayai rant for another day, please. Stop deviating and victim-blaming!” she further added.
The model shared that regardless of being fully covered, a man harassed her. Well, if you are a woman living in Pakistan then you know the struggle of dealing with the men on the street harassing, eve-teasing, and catcalling yet easily getting away with it. Sadly, this is an everyday thing.
In addition to this, Ashraf also demands the authorities to ensure justice to the victims of sexual harassment
Her tweet encourages other victims to share their stories and experiences
Ashraf starts an initiative to give voice to the sexual harassment victims
While showing her support for those who shared their personal experiences of harassment, the model also took to her Instagram account to start an initiative.
Through Believe Women, the VJ plans on spreading awareness and shedding light on the grave reality the women in our society have to deal with. The model plans on sharing stories of the victims of sexual harassment while keeping their identities confidential.
Not only for the women of Pakistan, but from all around the world are open to message her their experiences.
The horrendous motorway incident has shaken the country to the core. So much so that it lead to numerous country-wide protests over the weekend calling for swift action against the perpetrators with many rallying for capital punishment to send a strong message.
Following the investigation into the rape case, many people also called for the removal of CCPO Lahore Police who resorted to victim-shaming on national TV. Ashraf’s revelation seems directed to the victim-blaming mentality.
The horrific gang rape of a mother along the highway was not an isolated incident but comes against a backdrop of regular threats and harassment of women. Nonetheless, we think sharing experiences as such takes a lot of courage. Hats off to Ashraf for taking this brilliant initiative!
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