KARACHI – The insensitive handling of the coverage of a recent gang-rape case in Karachi has been condemned by several quarters concerned, including War Against Rape (WAR) and the Hurmat network, an alliance of organisations working for advancing, promoting and strengthening the ethical dimensions of work with survivor of violence.
“Unfortunately, despite the increase in reporting of such cases, which shows that the media and the state are beginning to recognise and acknowledge the gravity of the situation, the manner in which such cases are reported and handled still highlights the sadly patriarchal and misogynistic mindset of these groups,” members of the Hurmat network said.
“It highlights the need for the code of ethics for media reporting, particularly with regards to gender-based violence.” Instead of presenting news objectively, many media organisations that reported the case persistently referred to the survivor’s ‘character’, thus blatantly trying to imply that the women driving ‘so late’ at night from a location which they would ‘not divulge’ despite repeated questioning, were to blame or were at least in part involved in the crime that was perpetuated against them, they said.
“This represents the age-old view that rape cannot happen without the consent of the woman and all women invite rape by their actions or behaviour,” the members maintained. “The fact that their car was visibly damaged because of the forcible stopping by the other party and that one of the women needed 17 stitches, should allay any doubts that force was not involved.”
However, this did not stop the media or government representative from hinting that the ‘facts’ of the case were still hidden, they said. Senior police officers even went on to comment on where and how the women lived, members of the Hurmat network said, adding that how this had any bearing on the case was unclear.
“All it did was to insinuate that the women’s character was in question. We believe that how she lives and what she does have no importance or connection with the incident. Highlighting such details not only invades the private life of the women survivor but also undermines the criminality of the incident that took place; where, instead of the focus being on the accused or the crime, it is turned towards the survivor,” they said.
