In Pakistan, "honor crimes are treated as instructions in the name of Allah and it is probably the one
country where such atrocities are most pervasive," according to Yasmeen Hassan, author of a report
titled, "The Haven Becomes Hell: A study of Domestic Violence in Pakistan." “The concepts of
women as property and honor are so deeply entrenched in the social, political and economic fabric of
Pakistan that the government, for the most part, ignores the daily occurrences of women being killed,
raped and maimed by their families.” (Hassan, "The Fate of Pakistani Women"; New York Times,
March 25, 1999.)
An honor crime is a crime or violence motivated by a desire to protect the honor of a family or a
community against a person (woman). It is barbaric in character and it has assumed mythic
proportions. So-called honor based violence occurs in communities where the concepts of honor and
shame are fundamentally bound up with the expected behaviors of families and individuals,
particularly those of women. The most extreme form is honor killing, but in other circumstances, the
victim can be subjected to long-term, low-level physical abuse and bullying as a punishment for
bringing dishonor to the family. Such crimes include battery, torture, mutilation, rape, forced
marriage, imprisonment within the home, and even murder. These crimes are intended to protect the
family honor by preventing and punishing women’s violations of community norms for behavior,
particularly sexual behavior. These crimes are often collective and premeditated.
Mukhtaran Bibi (later known as Mukhtar Mai) experienced a horrible crime through no fault of her
own. It is thought that the Mastoi, a higher caste in her community of Meerwala, resented
Mukhtaran's caste buying land they wanted, so they accused her 12-year-old brother of flirting with a
powerful Mastoi girl. The boy denied this accusation outright, but as a consequence, Mukhtaran was
forced to pay for his 'sin’. When community elders asked Mukhtaran to seek forgiveness from the
powerful Mastoi family one evening in 2002, in their small Pakistani town, the illiterate divorcée had
no idea what was to follow. Under the intricate nature of feudal justice, it had fallen upon
Mukhtaran to apologize. So, while the whole village watched, she dropped to her knees. But then
several Mastoi men dragged her away, and repeatedly raped her while other men watched. They had
carried out “justice” in jirga-style, a mechanism for the resolution of tribal disputes to which many
poor Pakistanis turn because access to formal justice remains elusive.
The sad tale of Mukhtaran Bibi shatters the illusions of all those who believe in equality of all beings.
It is one of the greatest misunderstandings of our time. By all accounts Mukhtaran had no idea that
after seeking forgiveness for the crime she never committed, she would be gang raped. She went to
the Mastoi only because she trusted the mediators of both sides. Unfortunately, to quote Mukhtaran
herself, "Men make the decisions, rule, act as judge and I think of the goats tied up in courtyards to
keep them from wandering around the countryside. Mai does not count for more than a goat here,
even if she has not got a cord looped around her neck." (In the name of Honor; Mai, et al, p. 35)
Until the rape, her story was merely part of a pattern in Pakistan, where many women are raped,
beaten and murdered under the pretext of protecting family honor. Her pain, however, was
compounded by elements of the Pakistani establishment, which connived with her tormentors. A
higher court overturned the verdict punishing her attackers, while the federal government appeared
powerless, hoping the Supreme Court would be fair – which it was. But male pride got in the way
when the world wanted to salute her for prevailing against her abusers. General Pervez Musharraf’s
government chose to prevent her from going abroad, fearing she would hurt Pakistan's image.
Worse, he told editors of The Washington Post that women in Pakistan now get raped to obtain visas.
(Chagataikhan.blogspot) A recording of his callous words is available on the Internet.
Now known as Mukhtar Mai, she has spent her victim's compensation on building a school for girls,
so that they can learn something other than "submission, fear, and abject obedience” (The
Independent Review). However, the fundamental question she leaves us with is about honor. As she
asks, "If the honor of my country lies in women, why do men want to rape or kill that honor?" (The
Independent Review)
The question of honor crime and the identity of Woman is closely linked. It is a conception of Man
that once physically, mentally or emotionally insulted, a hapless woman like Mukhtar Mai would not
be able to bear the odds and commit suicide. An easy way to protect a particular community’s honor
is to dishonor people from other communities, and primarily not to allow a female voice to emerge. It
is just like killing two birds with one stone. Use of male attention to suppress the identity of woman,
and her growth, is focused on her physicality because it is believed that her mental and emotional
status are linked with her weak biological character. If physically she is reduced to zero by
dishonoring her, it will automatically result in mental and emotional breakdown. A typical, as well as
stereotypical thought of man, one imbued with male chauvinism, is thinking that Man is sufficient on
this earth, since a world cannot be imagined without Man. For the most part, woman is considered to
be no entity at all.
Although Mukhtar Mai is not weak by nature, from all considerations she is a mentally strong
woman, her rapists considered her to be an easy target. To them, because she was a rural woman and
from a lower caste made her a non-entity. Her only solace after being divorced, illiterate though she
was, was to teach embroidery and Koran to village girls, in order to carve a small mark for herself in
an anonymous village. One frequently hears the term "patriarchy" used among feminist critics,
referring to traditional male-dominated society. Well, Mai's male-dominated society believes in the
"marginalization" of women, meaning forcing them to the outskirts of what is considered socially and
politically insignificant, until the female voice has been traditionally marginalized or discounted
altogether. Tribal justice, a male-dominated judiciary, where man hears the case of woman from a
male perspective and delivers verdict from a male perspective, is a masculine ideology.
While the pre-rape Mukhtaran never even cast an eye upon a stranger after her divorce, her rapists
chose to disgrace her publicly. It is actually an old notion that man dominates woman, because man
is the logo and signifier. Honor crimes are legal and natural, even in character, for men in Meerwala
and other rural parts of Pakistan. Women are treated either as a dog or child-producing machine.
There are no emotions attached to a Mukhtaran Bibi, or any other woman, in various parts of
Pakistan. To quote Mukhtar Mai, “For them, a woman is simply an object of possession, honor or
revenge. They marry or rape them according to the perception of tribal pride. They know that a
woman humiliated in that way has no other recourse except suicide. Rape kills her. It is the ultimate
weapon, it shames the other clan forever” (Mai, et al, p. 11).
Man fails to understand that Woman has a strong connection with man himself, with child, with
nature. Because she herself is an epitome of nature.
If Mukhtaran had thought that under the protection of her father and brother she was immune to the
horrible practice of honor crimes, she was wrong. To quote her, “Men have the monopoly on
vengeance, which passes through violence inflicted upon women” (Mai, et al, p. 19). To further
illustrate what she goes through, and what feeling her rapists have towards her: “I feel guilty for
having been raped, and that is a cruel feeling. The rapists don’t feel guilty at all” (Mai, et al; p. 24).
The question arises why rural women in Pakistan do not have an identity of their own. Firstly, there
is no scope of an education for them. It is thought to be better for them to remain illiterate. Secondly,
even if they manage to get educated to some extent, they are married off prematurely, neutralizing
possibilities of further growth. And then, at their husband’s house, they are treated as slaves. Thirdly,
if perchance something goes wrong for them they do not have access to the law and the judicial
system. Even if they manage to reach to that stage of redress, they are called unfaithful, or
unpatriotic, and considered a bad name to their community.
The next important question raised is how, post-rape, Mukhtar Mai survived against such heavy
odds. Her courageous decision to seek redress for the crime against her, is summed up this way: “I
may be poor and illiterate and perhaps I have never stuck my nose into men’s business, but I have
ears to hear and eyes to see. Plus a voice to speak – and to speak up for myself”(Mai, et al, p. 38).
This is when she realizes that the Mastoi clan do not have a monopoly over honor. She knows that
someone ought to speak for every woman who has been violated at one point of her life, either
sexually or physically. It is better to fight and stick one's neck out, than resort to the cowardly
practice of suicide. The fact that so many people come to find out about Mukhtar Mai is because so
many other women have been wronged the same way. And so, suddenly, she becomes a symbol in
the fight against the evil practice of honor crime.
In her fight for right she is helped by media, and various human rights organizations. To fight she
puts at stake her reputation, honor, and everything that was once her life. But that is not important to
her. She wants justice. And, in her long, drawn-out fight for justice, she is supported whole-heartedly
by her family. She mustered the courage to fight against her rapists, because the need for justice was
stronger than the thought of suicide: “I have discovered a self-knowledge, the knowledge of oneself as
a human being apart from the need to educate girls. I have learned to exist and to respect myself as a
woman." (Mai, et al; p. 110) While her daring move to set up a school in her small village was
commendable, it was because her story made headlines that Mukhtar Mai became an activist, a
survivor, and the symbol of the struggle waged against masculine ideology. She understood that, “I
am a survivor, a simple woman in a world ruled by men. But despising men is not the way to win
respect. The solution is to try to fight them as equals.”(Mai, et al; page 110)
She did not deny herself justice, because she was not at fault. Her example resonated throughout the
country, and it started making an impact. Men needed to realize that a woman cannot be silenced by
violating her sexually. A woman's sanctity lies in her heart and soul; and, she has a voice too, a voice
too strong to be gagged. To quote Mrs. Margaret Huber, Canada’s high commissioner in Pakistan,
“Mukhtar Mai embodies the true spirit of International Women’s Day” (Mai, et al; p. 143). Moreover,
Mukhtar Mai's case lives up to these words because hers was not a simple case of rape, but an act of
terrorism committed to spread terror in women throughout the rural parts of Pakistan. Her story is
sadly typical of countless women and girls in poor countries around the world. The exploitation of
women, particularly in poor countries, is the most serious abuse of human rights in the world today.
Thousands of young girls in poor countries are trafficked for sex; and women in these countries die at
an alarming rate from complications of childbirth, without the most basic of health services.
Concerned persons should make every effort to commit their resources and advocacy to issues of
gender equity. Wealthy nations should be held accountable for their role in the exploitation of the
world’s poor women and girls. Each of us should find a way to make a contribution, however small,
to the health, welfare, education, and dignity of our sisters.
There is a great need to take consistent action against honor crimes, especially in Pakistan where the
practice is deeply entrenched. Immediate attention must be drawn to the shocking and appalling fact
that, over the years, a large number of women have been killed across the country for honor. I
propose that the following steps be taken to put an end to this horrifying practice:
1. As fast as possible, new laws should be introduced against the commission of honor crimes. In fact,
the dastardly practice is a blot on a country’s reputation.
2. There is a need to issue strict instructions to States (provinces) about ways to prevent honor crimes
and how to take proactive steps to prevent such.
3. A National Plan of Action can be followed and strictly implemented, with a special task force set
up to oversee its implementation.
4. Various women's pressure groups, NGO’s, and human right organizations can be enrolled to
ensure that the preventive measures are followed.
5. Issue help-line numbers and special cell phones, so victims of this brutality can approach the
administration for protection.
6. Constitute fast track courts for honor crime cases. This paper has already highlighted that to get
her honor back, Mukhtar Mai had to literally shake every pillar of the judiciary, starting from the
lower judiciary to the Supreme Court.
7. I would like to remind the Government of Pakistan of its obligations and commitment to protect its
citizens from such violence, under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Such crimes against women are, also, against the spirit of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
8. There is an urgent need to educate girls. Girls, like boys, are the future of a country. Education
can bring a change in the mental make-up of women, because education can go a long way in
creating social, economic and political uplift. To quote Mukhtar Mai, regarding the dramatic changes
that education can create: "I hope to make education more readily available to girls, to teach them
that no woman should ever go through what happened to me...I need your support to kill illiteracy
and to help make tomorrow's women stronger. This is my goal in life. Actually, the women of my
area are unaware of their rights....In our school, we teach girls the regular syllabus as well as special
chapters on women's rights, human rights and women empowerment” (Michaelthompson.org).
9. The press can play a huge role in bringing to light the barbaric nature of honor crimes, and
bringing to justice the perpetrators of this evil.
10. Far more than in women, there is a need to bring about a change in attitude in men. The male-
dominated society in Pakistan is highly conservative and orthodox in their beliefs towards women. To
them, women are a stigma on their communities, and at the drop of the hat will maim or kill them.
Men need to understand that “Prejudice is the child of ignorance,” according to essayist William
Hazlitt.
Let us hope that many other women who experience the plight of Mukhtar Mai are able to rise to
their feet, and raise their voice against the injustices and atrocities inflicted upon them. The dogma of
woman's historical, complete subjugation to men must be rated as one of the most fantastic myths
ever created by the human mind. We cannot allow men to define intelligence, usefulness, beauty,
and even what is womanly, to us.
country where such atrocities are most pervasive," according to Yasmeen Hassan, author of a report
titled, "The Haven Becomes Hell: A study of Domestic Violence in Pakistan." “The concepts of
women as property and honor are so deeply entrenched in the social, political and economic fabric of
Pakistan that the government, for the most part, ignores the daily occurrences of women being killed,
raped and maimed by their families.” (Hassan, "The Fate of Pakistani Women"; New York Times,
March 25, 1999.)
An honor crime is a crime or violence motivated by a desire to protect the honor of a family or a
community against a person (woman). It is barbaric in character and it has assumed mythic
proportions. So-called honor based violence occurs in communities where the concepts of honor and
shame are fundamentally bound up with the expected behaviors of families and individuals,
particularly those of women. The most extreme form is honor killing, but in other circumstances, the
victim can be subjected to long-term, low-level physical abuse and bullying as a punishment for
bringing dishonor to the family. Such crimes include battery, torture, mutilation, rape, forced
marriage, imprisonment within the home, and even murder. These crimes are intended to protect the
family honor by preventing and punishing women’s violations of community norms for behavior,
particularly sexual behavior. These crimes are often collective and premeditated.
Mukhtaran Bibi (later known as Mukhtar Mai) experienced a horrible crime through no fault of her
own. It is thought that the Mastoi, a higher caste in her community of Meerwala, resented
Mukhtaran's caste buying land they wanted, so they accused her 12-year-old brother of flirting with a
powerful Mastoi girl. The boy denied this accusation outright, but as a consequence, Mukhtaran was
forced to pay for his 'sin’. When community elders asked Mukhtaran to seek forgiveness from the
powerful Mastoi family one evening in 2002, in their small Pakistani town, the illiterate divorcée had
no idea what was to follow. Under the intricate nature of feudal justice, it had fallen upon
Mukhtaran to apologize. So, while the whole village watched, she dropped to her knees. But then
several Mastoi men dragged her away, and repeatedly raped her while other men watched. They had
carried out “justice” in jirga-style, a mechanism for the resolution of tribal disputes to which many
poor Pakistanis turn because access to formal justice remains elusive.
The sad tale of Mukhtaran Bibi shatters the illusions of all those who believe in equality of all beings.
It is one of the greatest misunderstandings of our time. By all accounts Mukhtaran had no idea that
after seeking forgiveness for the crime she never committed, she would be gang raped. She went to
the Mastoi only because she trusted the mediators of both sides. Unfortunately, to quote Mukhtaran
herself, "Men make the decisions, rule, act as judge and I think of the goats tied up in courtyards to
keep them from wandering around the countryside. Mai does not count for more than a goat here,
even if she has not got a cord looped around her neck." (In the name of Honor; Mai, et al, p. 35)
Until the rape, her story was merely part of a pattern in Pakistan, where many women are raped,
beaten and murdered under the pretext of protecting family honor. Her pain, however, was
compounded by elements of the Pakistani establishment, which connived with her tormentors. A
higher court overturned the verdict punishing her attackers, while the federal government appeared
powerless, hoping the Supreme Court would be fair – which it was. But male pride got in the way
when the world wanted to salute her for prevailing against her abusers. General Pervez Musharraf’s
government chose to prevent her from going abroad, fearing she would hurt Pakistan's image.
Worse, he told editors of The Washington Post that women in Pakistan now get raped to obtain visas.
(Chagataikhan.blogspot) A recording of his callous words is available on the Internet.
Now known as Mukhtar Mai, she has spent her victim's compensation on building a school for girls,
so that they can learn something other than "submission, fear, and abject obedience” (The
Independent Review). However, the fundamental question she leaves us with is about honor. As she
asks, "If the honor of my country lies in women, why do men want to rape or kill that honor?" (The
Independent Review)
The question of honor crime and the identity of Woman is closely linked. It is a conception of Man
that once physically, mentally or emotionally insulted, a hapless woman like Mukhtar Mai would not
be able to bear the odds and commit suicide. An easy way to protect a particular community’s honor
is to dishonor people from other communities, and primarily not to allow a female voice to emerge. It
is just like killing two birds with one stone. Use of male attention to suppress the identity of woman,
and her growth, is focused on her physicality because it is believed that her mental and emotional
status are linked with her weak biological character. If physically she is reduced to zero by
dishonoring her, it will automatically result in mental and emotional breakdown. A typical, as well as
stereotypical thought of man, one imbued with male chauvinism, is thinking that Man is sufficient on
this earth, since a world cannot be imagined without Man. For the most part, woman is considered to
be no entity at all.
Although Mukhtar Mai is not weak by nature, from all considerations she is a mentally strong
woman, her rapists considered her to be an easy target. To them, because she was a rural woman and
from a lower caste made her a non-entity. Her only solace after being divorced, illiterate though she
was, was to teach embroidery and Koran to village girls, in order to carve a small mark for herself in
an anonymous village. One frequently hears the term "patriarchy" used among feminist critics,
referring to traditional male-dominated society. Well, Mai's male-dominated society believes in the
"marginalization" of women, meaning forcing them to the outskirts of what is considered socially and
politically insignificant, until the female voice has been traditionally marginalized or discounted
altogether. Tribal justice, a male-dominated judiciary, where man hears the case of woman from a
male perspective and delivers verdict from a male perspective, is a masculine ideology.
While the pre-rape Mukhtaran never even cast an eye upon a stranger after her divorce, her rapists
chose to disgrace her publicly. It is actually an old notion that man dominates woman, because man
is the logo and signifier. Honor crimes are legal and natural, even in character, for men in Meerwala
and other rural parts of Pakistan. Women are treated either as a dog or child-producing machine.
There are no emotions attached to a Mukhtaran Bibi, or any other woman, in various parts of
Pakistan. To quote Mukhtar Mai, “For them, a woman is simply an object of possession, honor or
revenge. They marry or rape them according to the perception of tribal pride. They know that a
woman humiliated in that way has no other recourse except suicide. Rape kills her. It is the ultimate
weapon, it shames the other clan forever” (Mai, et al, p. 11).
Man fails to understand that Woman has a strong connection with man himself, with child, with
nature. Because she herself is an epitome of nature.
If Mukhtaran had thought that under the protection of her father and brother she was immune to the
horrible practice of honor crimes, she was wrong. To quote her, “Men have the monopoly on
vengeance, which passes through violence inflicted upon women” (Mai, et al, p. 19). To further
illustrate what she goes through, and what feeling her rapists have towards her: “I feel guilty for
having been raped, and that is a cruel feeling. The rapists don’t feel guilty at all” (Mai, et al; p. 24).
The question arises why rural women in Pakistan do not have an identity of their own. Firstly, there
is no scope of an education for them. It is thought to be better for them to remain illiterate. Secondly,
even if they manage to get educated to some extent, they are married off prematurely, neutralizing
possibilities of further growth. And then, at their husband’s house, they are treated as slaves. Thirdly,
if perchance something goes wrong for them they do not have access to the law and the judicial
system. Even if they manage to reach to that stage of redress, they are called unfaithful, or
unpatriotic, and considered a bad name to their community.
The next important question raised is how, post-rape, Mukhtar Mai survived against such heavy
odds. Her courageous decision to seek redress for the crime against her, is summed up this way: “I
may be poor and illiterate and perhaps I have never stuck my nose into men’s business, but I have
ears to hear and eyes to see. Plus a voice to speak – and to speak up for myself”(Mai, et al, p. 38).
This is when she realizes that the Mastoi clan do not have a monopoly over honor. She knows that
someone ought to speak for every woman who has been violated at one point of her life, either
sexually or physically. It is better to fight and stick one's neck out, than resort to the cowardly
practice of suicide. The fact that so many people come to find out about Mukhtar Mai is because so
many other women have been wronged the same way. And so, suddenly, she becomes a symbol in
the fight against the evil practice of honor crime.
In her fight for right she is helped by media, and various human rights organizations. To fight she
puts at stake her reputation, honor, and everything that was once her life. But that is not important to
her. She wants justice. And, in her long, drawn-out fight for justice, she is supported whole-heartedly
by her family. She mustered the courage to fight against her rapists, because the need for justice was
stronger than the thought of suicide: “I have discovered a self-knowledge, the knowledge of oneself as
a human being apart from the need to educate girls. I have learned to exist and to respect myself as a
woman." (Mai, et al; p. 110) While her daring move to set up a school in her small village was
commendable, it was because her story made headlines that Mukhtar Mai became an activist, a
survivor, and the symbol of the struggle waged against masculine ideology. She understood that, “I
am a survivor, a simple woman in a world ruled by men. But despising men is not the way to win
respect. The solution is to try to fight them as equals.”(Mai, et al; page 110)
She did not deny herself justice, because she was not at fault. Her example resonated throughout the
country, and it started making an impact. Men needed to realize that a woman cannot be silenced by
violating her sexually. A woman's sanctity lies in her heart and soul; and, she has a voice too, a voice
too strong to be gagged. To quote Mrs. Margaret Huber, Canada’s high commissioner in Pakistan,
“Mukhtar Mai embodies the true spirit of International Women’s Day” (Mai, et al; p. 143). Moreover,
Mukhtar Mai's case lives up to these words because hers was not a simple case of rape, but an act of
terrorism committed to spread terror in women throughout the rural parts of Pakistan. Her story is
sadly typical of countless women and girls in poor countries around the world. The exploitation of
women, particularly in poor countries, is the most serious abuse of human rights in the world today.
Thousands of young girls in poor countries are trafficked for sex; and women in these countries die at
an alarming rate from complications of childbirth, without the most basic of health services.
Concerned persons should make every effort to commit their resources and advocacy to issues of
gender equity. Wealthy nations should be held accountable for their role in the exploitation of the
world’s poor women and girls. Each of us should find a way to make a contribution, however small,
to the health, welfare, education, and dignity of our sisters.
There is a great need to take consistent action against honor crimes, especially in Pakistan where the
practice is deeply entrenched. Immediate attention must be drawn to the shocking and appalling fact
that, over the years, a large number of women have been killed across the country for honor. I
propose that the following steps be taken to put an end to this horrifying practice:
1. As fast as possible, new laws should be introduced against the commission of honor crimes. In fact,
the dastardly practice is a blot on a country’s reputation.
2. There is a need to issue strict instructions to States (provinces) about ways to prevent honor crimes
and how to take proactive steps to prevent such.
3. A National Plan of Action can be followed and strictly implemented, with a special task force set
up to oversee its implementation.
4. Various women's pressure groups, NGO’s, and human right organizations can be enrolled to
ensure that the preventive measures are followed.
5. Issue help-line numbers and special cell phones, so victims of this brutality can approach the
administration for protection.
6. Constitute fast track courts for honor crime cases. This paper has already highlighted that to get
her honor back, Mukhtar Mai had to literally shake every pillar of the judiciary, starting from the
lower judiciary to the Supreme Court.
7. I would like to remind the Government of Pakistan of its obligations and commitment to protect its
citizens from such violence, under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Such crimes against women are, also, against the spirit of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
8. There is an urgent need to educate girls. Girls, like boys, are the future of a country. Education
can bring a change in the mental make-up of women, because education can go a long way in
creating social, economic and political uplift. To quote Mukhtar Mai, regarding the dramatic changes
that education can create: "I hope to make education more readily available to girls, to teach them
that no woman should ever go through what happened to me...I need your support to kill illiteracy
and to help make tomorrow's women stronger. This is my goal in life. Actually, the women of my
area are unaware of their rights....In our school, we teach girls the regular syllabus as well as special
chapters on women's rights, human rights and women empowerment” (Michaelthompson.org).
9. The press can play a huge role in bringing to light the barbaric nature of honor crimes, and
bringing to justice the perpetrators of this evil.
10. Far more than in women, there is a need to bring about a change in attitude in men. The male-
dominated society in Pakistan is highly conservative and orthodox in their beliefs towards women. To
them, women are a stigma on their communities, and at the drop of the hat will maim or kill them.
Men need to understand that “Prejudice is the child of ignorance,” according to essayist William
Hazlitt.
Let us hope that many other women who experience the plight of Mukhtar Mai are able to rise to
their feet, and raise their voice against the injustices and atrocities inflicted upon them. The dogma of
woman's historical, complete subjugation to men must be rated as one of the most fantastic myths
ever created by the human mind. We cannot allow men to define intelligence, usefulness, beauty,
and even what is womanly, to us.
| Contributor's Notes... |
| Copyright © 2012 |
Quiet Mountain Essays
| Honor Crimes and Identity of Women in Pakistan: In Context of Mukhtar Mai In the Name of Honor (2006) by Mukhtar Mai, et al by Namrata Parmar |
Abstract
Honor crimes against women have become so pervasive in Muslim countries that it would be unnatural to ignore them, or to not raise a finger
against them. Honor crimes are intertwined with an identity of women in the Muslim countries, especially Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and
Saudi Arabia. This paper highlights this abhorrent practice and how it is used to suppress the unique identity of woman. Mukhtaran Bibi,
whom this paper presents as a role model for many, has been a victim of this outrageous crime. Her courageous tale of speaking up against
those who committed an honor crime against her, and putting them behind bars, is an inspiration for helpless women who have been or are
silent sufferers of this brutality. Mukhtar Mai, a name given to Mukhtaran after she was gang raped, had the courage to teach her culprits a
lesson and take a sordid story of perennial poverty, gang rape and judicial brutality to a logical conclusion. This paper speaks to the situation
that led a rural woman to defy traditional anachronistic customs and, in an unprecedented move, take her rapists to court. This paper, also,
outlines suggestions for preventing the commission of honor crimes, and aiding the victims of such in the future.
Honor crimes against women have become so pervasive in Muslim countries that it would be unnatural to ignore them, or to not raise a finger
against them. Honor crimes are intertwined with an identity of women in the Muslim countries, especially Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and
Saudi Arabia. This paper highlights this abhorrent practice and how it is used to suppress the unique identity of woman. Mukhtaran Bibi,
whom this paper presents as a role model for many, has been a victim of this outrageous crime. Her courageous tale of speaking up against
those who committed an honor crime against her, and putting them behind bars, is an inspiration for helpless women who have been or are
silent sufferers of this brutality. Mukhtar Mai, a name given to Mukhtaran after she was gang raped, had the courage to teach her culprits a
lesson and take a sordid story of perennial poverty, gang rape and judicial brutality to a logical conclusion. This paper speaks to the situation
that led a rural woman to defy traditional anachronistic customs and, in an unprecedented move, take her rapists to court. This paper, also,
outlines suggestions for preventing the commission of honor crimes, and aiding the victims of such in the future.
Associated with the Post Graduate department, Namrata Parmar currently works as an Assistant Professor of
English at Regional Institute of English, Government of India, Chandigarh. She has five years of teaching
experience, and specializes in linguistics and contemporary criticism. She is, above all, a believer in human equality.
English at Regional Institute of English, Government of India, Chandigarh. She has five years of teaching
experience, and specializes in linguistics and contemporary criticism. She is, above all, a believer in human equality.
References
Chagataikhan.blogspot
Hassan, Yasmeen, "The Fate of Pakistani Women" New York Times, March 25, 1999.
Mai, Mukhtar, et al, In the name of Honor, Washington Square Press, 2006.
Michaelthompson.org
The Independent Review
Chagataikhan.blogspot
Hassan, Yasmeen, "The Fate of Pakistani Women" New York Times, March 25, 1999.
Mai, Mukhtar, et al, In the name of Honor, Washington Square Press, 2006.
Michaelthompson.org
The Independent Review