By Aleeya Rizvi
The recent video resurfacing of PPP politician Nabil Gabol where he makes insensitive and inane comments about rape is causing a stir on Twitter. It is completely unacceptable for anyone, especially a public figure, and politician, to use rape as an analogy to navigate political discourse.
Gabol’s comments not only trivialize the severity of rape but also perpetuate harmful attitudes toward sexual violence.
Gabol’s assertion that one can “enjoy” rape if they are helpless is deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable. It perpetuates the myth that rape is a form of sexual pleasure, rather than the violent and traumatic act that it truly is. Furthermore, Gabol’s belief that victims of rape should not endure it and should stand their ground is misguided and ignores the very real threats and fear that victims often face.
“The use of rape as a punchline or a casual reference is abhorrent and has no place in political civilised discourse,” added Nighat Dad. “It is a blatant display of disrespect towards the survivors of sexual violence and undermines efforts to combat this heinous crime.”
Bakhtawar took to twitter and wrote, “His (repulsive) rhetoric belongs to his individual only and is in no way a representation of our party. In case it wasn’t already abundantly obvious — we absolutely and unequivocally stand for the rights and protection of women.”
Fatima labeled his words as “utter filth” and said, “Nabil Gabol exposes the absolute criminal mindset of Sindh’s government. He has done nothing for Lyari, for the people he supposedly represents, and laughs while talking of such violence. Horrendous.”
His Response
The fact that politician Nabil Gabol sees nothing wrong with his offensive and insensitive remarks about rape is deeply troubling. In light of the backlash on social media, he took to Twitter to defend his comments and even referenced a French novel to support his views.
It is unacceptable for anyone, especially a public figure, and politician, to use a work of fiction to justify trivializing and making light of a serious issue like sexual violence.
PPP Issues Show Cause Notice
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has taken action against Nabil Gabol’s inappropriate remarks by issuing a show-cause notice, demanding an explanation for his statements. The notice has been issued by PPP Sindh President Nisar Khoro, and Gabol has been given a deadline of three days to provide clarification. If he fails to do so, the PPP has warned of taking organizational disciplinary action against him.
The official party handle tweeted about the notice, stating that the use of inappropriate words on private TV is not acceptable, and such behavior is not the policy of PPP. The party has made it clear that it will not tolerate any form of unparliamentary language or behavior that undermines the dignity of individuals, especially when it concerns such a severe issue as sexual violence.
Rape Statistics In Pakistan
A survey conducted in 2022 by Pakistani channel SAMAA TV’s Investigation Unit (SIU) based on data collected from the Punjab province’s home department and Ministry of Human Rights revealed the alarming rate of sexual violence against women in the country. The survey disclosed that approximately 12 women are raped across the country daily, or one woman every two hours.
From 2017 to 2021, 21,900 women were reported to have been raped, although the actual numbers could be much higher due to societal stigma and fear of retribution. The report further noted that in 2022, 1,301 cases of sexual violence against women were heard in 44 courts in Pakistan, with only 4 percent of the cases going to trial. This dismal conviction rate of 0.2 percent highlights the prevalent issue of societal violence that prevents women from reporting such incidents to the authorities.
Virginie Despantes A French writer in her book “King Kong Théorie,” presents a view on rape as a tool for the domination and control of women, inherent to masculinity. Despentes argues that rape is not simply a deviant act committed by individual men but rather a larger pattern of beliefs and values that are deeply ingrained in society and the construction of masculinity itself.
According to Despentes, rape is not an isolated phenomenon but rather a symptom of a larger system of oppression and control of women. She argues that rape is a tool used by men to assert their power and dominance over women and that it is rooted in a fundamental belief in the superiority of masculinity over femininity.
Despentes also suggests that men have a potential for rape that is inherent to their gender, due to the ways in which masculinity is constructed and reinforced in society. This potential for rape is not limited to a few individual men but is rather a part of the larger cultural fabric of society.
By framing rape in this way, Despentes challenges us to think beyond individual acts of violence and consider the larger societal structures that enable and perpetuate rape. She urges us to examine the ways in which gender roles are constructed and enforced and to question the underlying assumptions and beliefs that contribute to the normalization of rape.
It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see that there are people out there who can be so casual and carefree about something as monstrous as rape. This abominable act shatters lives and causes unbearable pain, not just physically but also emotionally and psychologically. How can anyone be so callous and insensitive to the suffering of others?
It’s important to ask ourselves, where do we draw the line? When does our sense of morality and decency kick in? How can anyone justify violating another human being’s body and dignity in such a brutal way? It’s unfathomable to us that there are individuals who could even consider committing such a horrific act, let alone be nonchalant or flippant about it.
We need to start taking rape seriously and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. We also need to work on changing cultural attitudes and societal norms that contribute to rape culture. We must support survivors in their healing process and create a society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
It’s time for us to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough. We can no longer tolerate a culture where rape is normalized, minimized, or excused. We must stand up and speak out against this evil, and work towards a world where everyone is safe and free from the fear of sexual violence.
Source: Fuchsia
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance
