Talking loud on women’s insecurity
By Nusrat Nasarullah
With the way power failures have made life in Karachi still more frustrating and challenging, one would have wanted to begin with that, but a story in May 7 issue of Metropolitan, which highlights the shameful and rather painful details of how “women feel insecure at workplace,” made me change my mind. Power failures will continue, and we may return to these another week.
But so will the insecurity of women at workplace? Is that the kind of bleak vision and context that is offered in Pakistani society as more and more women come out of their homes to work, and more and more girls go to schools and colleges? Now having introduced these two weighty questions, let me focus on the story mentioned above, which also carried a photograph of a woman in hijab.
This woman, Rubina Shaheen, comes through as a tough person, an individual with a strong determination to fight and win, ostensibly because she seems to believe that she is right. And let us also bear in mind that she has been a sportswoman of proven distinction, as her record shows.
Suffice it to say that I am somewhat struck by the fact that no women’s organization has yet taken up the issue, and neither her own sufferings, nor her family’s embarrassment has invoked any public interest.
One would like to assume there has been a silent condemnation, and indignation, that while women have once again been made to realize that how unsafe, insecure and uneasy it can be, once they step out of their homes, the men have in some cases, at least, also realized that how disgracefully most of them have begun behaving. As one working woman, when asked, replied in a kind of helpless anger: “How careful can a woman be in a context where often the insecurity can begin even in the very neighbourhood, where we live. Now women work in most cases for genuine economic reasons.”
The story said, “Rubina Shaheen’s black veil hides her black-belt prowess in javelin throw. But neither saved the 28-year-old policewoman from the unwanted advances of her male colleagues.” Stop and contemplate at the emphasis on “unwanted advances of her male colleagues.” Those concerned, explain, with a certain bitterness, that this is on the increase, with men often considering it their right, their privilege, their power to treat women at the workplace in the most objectionable (often concealed) manner possible.
But one woman, who has been working for almost three decades, says that the insecurity of women, young and old, is evident in all aspects of Pakistani society, not just the workplace. That vulnerability of women is found growing steadily, regrets a male colleague of mine, who says that over the years he has realized that men have become daring, and unashamed about the way they treat women. Even the way they constantly stare or seek eye-contact, is so disgusting, and the worst part is that evidently there is little that can be done about it. He cites numerous examples from our lives to prove his point. At all public places, women suffer.
They look for public transport and they experience at least the humiliation of men staring at them. If women drive themselves they are exposed to the mischief and misbehaviour of male drivers, who can conveniently either make their life difficult on the roads, or even chase them up to a point they feel safe to do so. Ask women drivers and they will tell you shocking stories on this count.
But honestly speaking, talk to women who step out of the house, and there are all sorts of stories that they have to tell, reflecting the inconsiderate manner in which men behave, especially with the younger ones. Even women in Hijab and varying degrees of purdah, have to face these intimidating, staring men, observed one such woman who wears a hijab, carefully and happily. Which made one ask whether it was worse for those women who don’t wear one? The answer to this generally has been in the affirmative.
Young women, who look trendy and daring in their apparel, are often regarded by the male folks as more comfortable options, making one wonder where all the ethics they are taught at different stages goes. What has happened to all that morality? says one keen observer of the way men stare at women in the bazaars of the city.
This problem of insecurity is not confined to Karachi alone, or to the urban areas. It is there all over the country, and only recently there was a letter to the editor of an English daily of Peshawar, where a reader had lamented at what was described as “eve teasing” in the NWFP capital. He had mentioned places and examples of how deplorable the “menace and nuisance” was, and he had attributed the phenomena to ever growing urbanization.
Of course there are people and opinion groups in this society, who believe and militantly so, that the more society changes and education spreads, and women come out to join the work force, there will be more of this insecurity problem. Surely we do not intend to advocate that women stay out of the workforce, in a context where they are very much needed to contribute their time, talent and hard work to the betterment of society.
Now this is one particular way of looking at it. There are women who speak out angrily and insist that the best answer is to deal firmly with men, who misbehave with men. Indeed it is difficult to do this comprehensively, but it is possible. There should be laws on this subject to protect women from lecherous and vicious men, or even from those who indulge in extending ‘unwanted advances’ towards women.
There are other men who do this with a persistence, with a carefully concealed strategy, a kind of scheming game in which they make the women realize that eventually they will lose. What is exploited is the sheer vulnerability of women. Keep in mind that women more than ever before now work along with men for economic reasons. Those who don’t work for economic reasons are in a minority, and theirs may be a different context.
It is pertinent to mention the status of working women in Islamabad, depicted in an article that appeared in Dawn last year, which after detailing the manner of how women are targeted, victimized and humiliated, even in that posh Federal Capital, asked this question very candidly: “whatever kind of man he is, can there be any statute law to protect the above woman from his kind of behaviour? Being teased in such a manner is a common phenomenon for women who venture out of the four walls of their homes, to go to the bank, the shop around the corner, and worse of all, to a police station to launch a complaint?”
The more one reads of instances like that of Rubina Shaheen, the more it makes one believe that the general attitude towards women in our society be considered a serious social problem, which needs to be addressed before it gets worse. But the larger question is whether the answer to this lies in law or in morality, or both.
Having said all this, one would like to return to the news story that I began with. It says that the known, reported cases are the ones that are tip of the iceberg. Silence prevails due to culture, religion and family honour. It is a tiny majority that speaks out despite the best of assurances given by organizations that are working to provide protection and guidance to women who wish to speak out.
There is indeed much that needs to be done to make men realize that women are not doormats and that holding hands with them with dignity and grace may bring them the power and honour they seek in vain, otherwise. For Rubina Shaheen, a bouquet, to add to the list of medals and trophies, that she already has. She has dared to be different by speaking out, and has shown the toughness that the hour calls for, even though the journey is a long and lonely one.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/9/2004
” 
” 
” 
” 
