Posted to Sister Zeph’s Journal
By Sister Zeph
On 02 May, 2015
A few days ago, one of our students, on her way back home from school, was subjected to harassment by a group of boys. This was not the first time it had happened, but she had never confided in anyone about it. She was afraid that her father would react harshly if he found out that boys were bothering her. Sadly, in our society, it is often perceived that if a boy harasses a girl, it is somehow her fault, especially if she is considered a good girl; people assume that no one would dare to make improper remarks to her.
Then, about two weeks ago, she and her friends were accosted by these boys in public, and someone witnessed the incident. Word quickly spread that she was involved with these boys romantically and that they had planned to meet up. Some even alleged that she had spent a night with them, and so on.
As a consequence, nobody believes her innocence anymore. She had to abandon her education, and her dream of joining the Pakistan Army is now shattered. She can’t even step out of her home, and her health has deteriorated. Furthermore, her younger sisters are also facing teasing from others.
Her life has been ruined, and she reached out to me yesterday, expressing her desire to rejoin our center. I am inclined to give her a second chance, but it won’t be easy. In our culture, there is little room for second chances for girls, and if I bring her back without careful planning, many parents may withdraw their daughters from our center and label me negatively.
However, we cannot simply stand by and watch her life deteriorate further. Our girls have been learning self-defense techniques online, and I’ve encouraged them to defend themselves if they ever encounter such situations. We cannot endure this any longer; it’s time for us to take a stand. We need to remind men that we are not weak; we are complete human beings. We refuse to be treated as playthings; we have the power to fight for our rights.
In addition, these girls will launch a month-long campaign to spread the truth – that she was not at fault, and it’s the boy who should be held accountable. She deserves a chance to pursue her dreams. We will conduct this campaign vigorously, to ensure that any rumors are dispelled and the truth prevails. Otherwise, we risk forgetting this incident, and it could happen to someone else.
I told these girls to ask questions. As long as they remain silent, nobody will stop their lives from being destroyed. They should challenge those who tell them not to associate with her or call her a bad girl. Ask them for evidence of her alleged night out or her whereabouts. Do they possess any photos or videos? Is there an eyewitness?
Now, more students have joined our self-defense class, even though we have limited space and no formal instructor. We occasionally learn techniques from the internet, and while we may not fully grasp all of them, the girls are at least taking proactive steps to defend themselves. We are content with their determination and progress.