by JayJay
The life of a Pakistani woman is not easy. It is not a hidden fact that she is subjected to discrimination and harassment, within and without the so-called sanctuary of her home. However, harassment and bullying becomes more intense and blatant when she steps out of her home for work or education. From catcalls to verbal innuendo to physical harassment, she has to endure it all, mostly at the hands of strangers, on the streets and on public transport. This harassment does not stop, or rather become more palpable in many cases, at her place of work. The act of harassing women, with sexual tones and motives, by fellow employees or supervisors/managers is referred to sexual harassment. Wikipedia defines sexual harassment as:
Harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It includes a range of behavior from mild transgressions and annoyances to serious abuses, which can even involve forced sexual activity. Sexual harassment is considered a form of illegal discrimination in many countries, and is a form of abuse (sexual and psychological) and bullying.
An editorial from The News on October 1 has summed up the issue well, by pointing out to the absence of appropriate legislation to deal with this growing phenomenon. Offering some the broad suggestions, the editorial reads:
As a first step, the government and the private sector should join hands to start a campaign in which sexual harassment in the workplace is defined. This will make working women understand what is acceptable and what is not acceptable behavior in a workplace. The second step in this national exercise would be to ask employers to put into place a proper policy that defines sexual harassment and clearly spells out what action is to be taken against someone found guilty of it. In addition to this, employers need to have a mechanism which enables any employee subjected to such harassment to approach an appropriate forum for filing a complaint. The complaint should be treated confidentially and investigated, and if guilty the offender should be punished according to the employer’s code of ethics for employees. Of course, given that many companies have an environment which is more or less male-dominated and where men are in most decision-making senior roles, it may be a bit much to expect that things will change overnight. However, to do nothing would also be a sign that we as a nation are not willing to evolve and provide justice to those who are victims of this menace.
The menace of sexual harassment at the place of work has been comprehensively and effectively addressed by the West where workplaces are no longer the sole domain of men. Pakistan has a lot to catch up on this matter, and quickly so, as more and more women are entering workforce. It makes economic sense both for employers and the government to have an effective and clear legislation and corporate policies to protect women against harassment. Not only skills and talent of education women can be brought to use more effectively by attracting them in a safe workplace but it has been seen worldwide that presence of women in offices helps boost productivity, besides infusing fresh ideas and way of thinking.
While enacting a piece of legislation and formulating policies is most critical step, a concerted awareness campaign is necessary to influence general attitudes and social behaviors. Without bringing about change to prevalent perception of working women in Pakistan, there is little chance of success in overcoming the problem of sexual harassment. The fact of matter is that most women in Pakistan brave into men-dominated workplaces out of economic necessity, rather than to fulfill career aspirations. The position of women in workplace in Europe, North American and even South East Asia has become entrenched, still it is not odd to come across a public service announcement to press the message on the issue. Such public service announcements are even more necessary in a society like Pakistan where we leg behind even comparable countries in accepting the role of women at work.
Human,
you are just so totally, utterly wrong that I don’t know where to begin. Here we have an example of the problem in the mind of the “typical” Pakistani man.
If you are used to seeing women in lighter clothing it ceases to become a provocation. Actually women in the West dress very normally except for on the beach. You don’t see many women dressed in bikinis just for going about their business. Unless you consider skirts and jeans not normal, or adequate provocation for being groped in public. And yes the burden is on the man to “control” himself and the laws are there to protect the women, which is as it should be.
Can you answer me why the one country where men cannot “control” themselves is Pakistan where almost all women are modestly dressed? There is a project going on in which people are collecting the clothing of women who have been raped or harrassed on the street. This clothing will be displayed in an effort to show that modest dress does not deter an attacker. It is clear that near-nudity has nothing to do with sexual attacks.
This is just a blame the victim mentality.
I have had a couple of Western men say that they were most sexually attracted to women who were wearing full burqas, because they liked the mystery and the thought that such women would be inexperienced and obedient (and therefore suitably impressed by them–yuck). One man even went so far as to say “I don’t know what I would have done to her if we were not in a public place”. So much for “modesty” quelling the male gaze. My friends who wear hijab are much more hit upon than the ones who don’t. Some men just like the thought of seducing passive “good” girls and figure covered ones fit the bill. How sick is that, eh?
Dress has nothing to do with it. Please don’t say that it does. You are saying it’s all the woman’s fault and that is not true, and no right minded person should let you get away with saying that.
Tina
nudity is not modernization…. A man will always look at a beautiful women dressed lightly… its natural.. He will be sexually attracted and if he can’t control himself or if he is emotionally unstable he may even take a step further…
It happens in the west as well; but with the laws to protect a women the man is scared to make his move even if the women “forgets” to dress in public… because the law punishes the man… but the provocation is still there… and these laws allow women to dress even more lightly; she will be tempted to it… is it morally good???
The point I’m trying to make here is what if the provocation is not there? then we won’t need any law to prevent a “manly action”.. because the action will not happen… and the women will not be tempted to dress lightly… I think thats morally good.. a nice, clean, moral and healthy society…
Only educating both sexes from the beginning can solve the sexual harassment problem.. not by introducing stupid laws… we need to teach every member of society the moral and religious values and social ethics…
Harassment of women at workplace and elsewhere is a problem in many societies. In the West, however, they have managed to overcome it to a great extent by educating employees and employers and making appropriate laws against harassment. Also, a woman at workplace is not a novelty in the West. Therefore she does not get ogled.
In Pakistan not only the problem exists, it is widespread. But you are not supposed to talk about it. If you do, as you have done in this post, you are likely to get three kinds of responses, which you already have:
1. Outright denial. (Remember Ahmdinejad at Columbia when he said homosexuality did not exist in Iran? The audience, including Iranians students, roared in laughter.)
2. The problem is more prevalent in the West. Therefore, why worry about Pakistan.
3. It is because we have abandoned religion. If we start taking the “religious medicine” again — preferably two or more table-teaspoonfuls daily — the problem will go away.
I believe, if we have to seek a treatment for this ailment it will have to be Western, which is education and appropriate laws. After all, we seek Western treatment for most of our physiological ailments without any qualms. Don’t we?
For the poster who said he doesn’t understand why laws installed in the West are considered a viable solution…..
um, because they work?
Life was not great for women in the West either 100 years ago. Women wore very heavy, constricting garments that covered the whole body and still were considered fair game and their safety depended on the social status of their families. A lot has changed and I don’t think any woman wants to go back there. But the laws had to be changed in the courtroom and we can trace the emancipation of women through the legal process. It really does work, believe it or not.
I am interested in the viewpoint of those who think sexual harrassment is “normal” in the West or that Western behaviors contribute to the harrassment of women. I can only share my personal experience.
I lived five years in Germany and was never once approached by a man. Men approach women in the dating venues, i.e. clubs and bars. I don’t go to clubs and bars and no man just walks up to women on the street. Not only is it considered crazy to do so, it is illegal.
In the United States and Canada (three years) I have been only very rarely approached by men, and then only in terms of “Hi, would you like to have a coffee with me?” Again, it’s understood that you don’t persist where you are not wanted. However there are a lot of Americans who don’t drink or go to clubs because they are religious, but they still have to find their life partners on their own. So they may speak to a woman at work or who they meet socially. And you can’t blame them for that or call it harrassment.
Pakistan and India are the only two places where I have been groped/bumped/had my breasts touched or grabbed and the danger of same is a constant every time I go out, if I am alone an incident is virtually guaranteed. Once a very elderly man chased off three young men who were following me and trying to touch me. Why is it like this? This is not a problem which can be traced to the West in any configuration. In the West you can’t do that!
I was seriously harrassed in the state of Texas once and the man who was following me and another woman turned out to be Palestinian. You can make of that what you will. But he was arrested and charged with stalking, and that appears to be the only thing that really puts a stop to it.
In Pakistan the environment is fertile for these excesses for some reason. Men beat up anybody who teases their sister and then chase the sisters of others on the street. I don’t know, for all my thinking about it no answer comes to mind. I think the statement of the man who said that no woman he knows wants to return to Pakistan is very sad. Ultimately this is very bad for the country, too. Expats don’t want to return with their skills if they are women or their wives/daughters don’t want to come.