Tag: rape

  • Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    A Senate committee has passed an amended bill for the public hanging of rapists despite strong opposition from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), interior and foreign affairs ministries.

    The bill, proposed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami, aims to amend sections 375, 375A, and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Schedule II of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrCP).

    The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz, discussed the amendments to remove section D and introduce public hangings for rapists. The demand for public hangings gained momentum following the gang-rape incident on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020

    Senator Sherry Rehman of PPP strongly opposed public hangings. She also took to X (former Twitter) to express her disapproval.

    “I strongly opposed public hangings being introduced in a bill in Senate Interior Committee by JI colleague Sen Mushtaq. There is no proven link between deterrence & public executions, let alone death penalty. Quite the contrary. Sorry to see others arguing for a further brutalisation of society. Ziaul Haq introduced public punishments, what did that do? Rape and human rights crimes went up and have been going up ever since. The PPP opposes such laws.”

    The committee also approved the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, which focuses on proper treatment and medical examination reports for rape victims through public and private hospitals. The bill was moved by Senator Mumtaz Zehri.

    They addressed the issue of private jails and passed the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, co-sponsored by Senators Mushtaq Ahmed and Samina Mumtaz Zehri to deter false imprisonment within residences.

    Other bills were discussed during the session, including one temporarily rejected due to its sub judice status, and another was rejected.

    The committee also passed the “Rain Water Harvesting Facility in Urban Areas, Bill 2023,” to efficiently utilize rainwater, supported by CDA representatives.

    Senator Irfan Siddiqui raised concerns about a missing bill for almost 15 months and decided to request a detailed report on the matter from relevant officials.The meeting was attended by various senators, including Saifullah Abro, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, and Sherry Rehman, as well as bill movers Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Palwasha Khan, along with government representatives.

  • Four women accuse comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault

    Four women accuse comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault

    In a shocking expose by the Sunday Times, four women have publicly accused comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse during the years 2006 to 2013, when his career was on its peak. The publication said all the women had chosen to remain anonymous, and felt ready to speak after being approached by reporters.

    A joint investigation carried out by Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatch said that two of the women, Los Angeles residents, alleged being raped and sexually assaulted by the comedian, with the second woman revealing that Brand threatened to take legal action against her if she went public with her allegations.

    Another woman revealed she was 16-years-old when Brand assaulted her, at a time when hewas in his early 30s, referring to her as a “child” during their emotionally abusive and controlling relationship.

    “Russell engaged in the behaviors of a groomer, looking back, but I didn’t even know what that was then, or what that looked like,” the woman said.

    The fourth woman alleged she was assaulted by the comedian.

    A day before the allegations by The Times were to be released, Russell released a video where he slammed the “serious criminal allegations” that were about to be made against him.

    The former husband of singer Katy Perry said in the video released on X, formerly Twitter:

    “Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.

    “These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies, and as I’ve written about extensively in my books I was very, very promiscuous.

    “Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual.”

    In light of the rape accusations, several users have reshared a clip from a 2013 Vogue interview of Katy Perry, who married and then divorced the comedian in 2012. Brand had publicly divorced the singer with a breakup text, which was shown in the singer’s ‘Part Of Me’ documentary.

    “I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day,” the ‘Roar’ singer said. “I let go and I was like: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that.”

    The BBC have meanwhile responded to the allegations, saying that they were “urgently looking into the issues raised” by the allegations. Brand worked as a radio presenter for the channel in 2006 and 2008, and The Times quoted a complaint made to the organisation’s management about the comedian’s “alarming display of aggression and disrespect”.

    Channel 4 released a statement saying that they “asked the production company who produced the programmes for Channel 4 to investigate these allegations and report their findings properly and satisfactorily to us”.

    The organisation added they were conducting an internal investigation and encouraged “anyone who is aware of such behaviour to contact us directly.”

  • Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis wrote letters in favor of star sentenced for 2 rapes

    Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis wrote letters in favor of star sentenced for 2 rapes

    Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were among the 50 people writing letters in favor of actor Danny Masterson, who has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of raping two women in 2003. The husband -wife duo had worked with Masterson for the sitcom “The ’70’s show” which ran from 1998 till 2006.

    In his letter, Ashton Kutcher wrote about Masterson being a ‘role model’:

    “While I’m aware that the judgement has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and the victims have a great desire for justice, I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing. I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice in and of itself. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”

    While Mila Kunis commented on Danny’s drug-free lifestyle, prosecutors said Danny had drugged the two women in his Hollywood Hills home and raped them.

    “One of the most remarkable aspects of Danny’s character is his unwavering commitment to discouraging the use of drugs. His influence on my in this regard has been invaluable. In an industry where the pressures and temptations of substance use can be overwhelming, Danny played a pivotal role in guiding me away from such destructive paths. His dedication to avoiding all substances has inspired not only me but also countless others in our circle. Danny’s steadfastness in promoting a drug-free lifestyle has been a guiding light in my journey through the entertainment world and has helped me prioritize my well-being and focus on make responsible choices.”

    At the sentencing, the two women Danny was convicted of raping in 2003, spoke about the trauma the ordeal had inflicted upon them:

    “When you raped me, you stole from me,” said Jane Doe 1 “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit.”

    “You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent. The world is better off with you in prison.”

    Jane Doe 2 spoke about how Danny “had not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused.” She told the judge, “I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.”

    At the trial held on Thursday morning in Los Angeles, Judge Charlaine Olmedo gave a speech before sentencing Masterson to 30 years in prison:

    “I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you. But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s voice, and choice. One way or another you will have to come to terms with your prior actions, and their consequences.”

  • TW: FIR registered against landlord for raping maid, forcing her to get abortion

    TW: FIR registered against landlord for raping maid, forcing her to get abortion

    Trigger warning: rape, sexual violence

    A case has been registered against feudal lord, Ali Raza Arain by the Model Town police in Burewala, Punjab, for raping his maid for several months, then forcing her to get an abortion when she got pregnant. According to Express Tribune, Arain raped his maid on gunpoint, recording a video of the act. He allegedly continued to rape her for several months, blackmailing her by threatening to upload the video on social media.

    In the First Information Report (FIR), the survivor said she got pregnant after several months of repeated sexual torture. She was then forced to get an abortion. The survivor filed a case with the Model Town police after which an FIR was registered against Arain.

    The news follows a string of cases of househelpers being abused and tortured by their employees. On July 25, Rizwana, a child domestic helper was beaten by Somia Asim, the wife of a civil judge. In her official statement given to the police on August 18, the survivor recounted how she was beaten with sticks, iron rods and other objects.

    READ MORE: ‘Judge’s wife tortured me daily’: Rizwana speaks up

    In Sindh, the case of a 10-year-old domestic maid, Fatima, grabbed headlines when the child was found dead at the home of a spiritual pir. An autopsy conducted after exhumation of the child’s body showed extensive proof of rape and beatings. Pir Asad Ali Shah, the main suspect, remains in police custody.

    READ MORE: TW: Post mortem report shows 10-year-old Fatima was raped vaginally, anally allegedly by Pir

  • ‘Culpa Mia’ actor Gabriel Guevara arrested on sexual assault charges

    ‘Culpa Mia’ actor Gabriel Guevara arrested on sexual assault charges

    Spanish actor Gabriel Guevara has been arrested at the Venice Film Festival on an international arrest warrant accusing him of sexual assault in France, as reported by Hollywood Reporter. The actor was set to receive the best young actor honor award given out by Filming Italy. After his arrest, the organisation released a statement saying they had cancelled the award as a precautionary measure, and were waiting for the outcome of the case.

    The Venice Film Festival posted a statement on their official account to address the arrest:

    “#BiennaleCinema2023#Venezia80#LaBiennaleDiVenezia would like to specify that the presence in #Venice of Spanish actor #GabrielGuevara, that some press websites have recently reported as being under arrest, was not linked to any activity or production of the 80th Venice International Film Festival.”

    Guevara sky rocketed to international fame after the Amazon Prime movie ‘Culpa Mia’ where he played the rebellious step brother, Nick, who clashes with his step sister Noah (played by Nicole Wallace) after she moves to their mansion after their parents re-marry. The two originally start off as enemies, but soon come to realise their feelings for each other can’t be ignored.

  • TW: Four rape cases registered in Lahore on August 28

    TW: Four rape cases registered in Lahore on August 28

    TRIGGER WARNING: DISCUSSION OF RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT.

    In a horrifying case, four women were reportedly raped on August 28 in Lahore, according to Dawn. While First Information Reports (FIR) have been lodged against the suspects, some media reports have stated that the suspects have gotteb pre-arrest bails, while others have not been caught as yet.

    Two of these cases involve the survivor being tricked on the promise of finding a job. A student of class 9, who lives in Old Anarkali, filed an FIR revealing she was gang-raped by two men in a hotel room. The survivor said she met suspect A on social media. He offered her a job abroad and claimed he knew friends who were working in big businesses in other countries. On Aug 28, the suspect offered the survivor to work part-time at a hotel for a couple of months, picking her up from Kalma Chowk, took her to a juice corner, after which she was taken to a hotel belonging to his friend in Gulberg to discuss the job offer. The survivor said she was taken to a room where the suspect and his friend gang-raped her, and made video clips to further blackmail her. The culprits threatened to upload the videos on social media if the survivor filed an FIR.

    Another girl, a resident of Faisal Town, said her friend got her in touch with a man who promised to get her a job. The man picked her up from a restaurant where she was waiting with a friend, along with another man. Both men took the survivor to a house where they gang-raped her, fleeing the scene later. So far, no arrests have been made.

    The third case was from a resident of Amir Town, who said his friend, the suspect, had offered his wife a job to work at a hostel with a handsome salary. On August 28, the FIR states, the wife was out shopping, when the suspect called and asked her to reach a location from where he could take her to the hostel for the job. When the woman reached the given location, the man took her to a house and raped her, and then fled the scene.

    The fourth case was from the Manawan area, where the suspect took a woman to a house to return her Rs 45,000, but instead when the survivor reached the house she was raped and later the suspect escaped.

  • Nadia Afghan, Nadia Jamil slam ‘disgusting’ dialogue from ‘Hadsa’

    Nadia Afghan, Nadia Jamil slam ‘disgusting’ dialogue from ‘Hadsa’

    Trigger warning: mention of rape, violence

    After the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’ was slammed by social media users for allegedly depicting without consent the ordeal of the motorway rape case that happened in 2020, several social media users slammed lead actress Hadiqa Kiani for her ‘tone-deaf’ statement, as well as writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and demanded that PEMRA take down the show.

    Now, a controversial dialogue from the drama has made rounds on social media, where the main character, Taskeen, can be heard saying “Jaisay murday ke jism mein rooh waapis nahi aati..waisay hee khoi hui izzat waapis nahi aati.” The clip was shared by Geo’s official Instagram account, as can be seen below.

    The dialogue was spoken in episode 5, after Taskeen is recovering in the hospital from her wounds after the violence.

    The controversial dialogue has launched more uproar on social media, with users demanding to know how it got approved by Hadiqa, who’s repertoire includes feminist dramas that empowered women.

    Activist Leena Ghani pointed out:

    ‘What excuse is Hadiqa Kiani going to give us now? That she didn’t read the dialogues? Was she forced to say ‘Khoi huwi izzat..’ Izzat victims nahi hotey balkay rapists ki koi izzat nahi hoti. Is this how @harpalgeotv wants to spread awareness by victim blaming and gaslighting survivors of sexual abuse? Why doesn’t anyone in the industry have a backbone and why can’t they ever do the right thing?”

    Actress Nadia Jamil slammed the dialogue as “disgusting”, and said no survivor of rape has her honor robbed.

    “Firstly NO HONOUR OF MINE WAS ROBBED WHEN I WAS RAPED. NO HONOUR OF ANY RAPE SURVIVOR IS ROBBED. THOSE WHO RAPED HAD AND HAVE NO HONOUR. THEY are the ones who should feel and be in shame. Not the victim.”

    The actress called out PEMRA and GEO for encouraging the ugly narrative of shame that would further marginalise survivors of rape, and said it took her years of therapy and coaching to come to a place where she herself- as a survivor of child abuse- could not feel ashamed about her trama.

    “The narrative of SHAME that is dumped on rape survivors is horrible. It’s a burden we carry through our lives. It took me years of therapy, prayer and coaching to come to a place of solid self worth and self respect within myself. Today movements like #notmyshame Shatter the Shame that survivors of abuse and rape have carried. Allowing us to belong to a tribe that recognises, the shame was never ours to carry, or suffer, to begin with. People like @ejtayloruk work hard to build a community where survivors feel empowered and safe. Please do not encourage this ugly narrative of shame for survivors @GeoTvNews @reportpemra you have a responsibility that comes with your power. Many men and women watching this may have been raped and it’s the last thing they need to hear AND it’s a lie.”

    Nadia Afghan also criticised content heads for their “insensitive and callous” approach towards sensitive topics like rape, and their only motive is to make more money out of it, saying that she was “disgusted and heartbroken.”

  • ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Intense backlash rose on Monday when journalist Fereeha Idress revealed how the drama ‘Hadsa’ was similar to the horrific motorway rape crime, stressing that the survivor was traumatised after seeing her ordeal being depicted online without her consent. Now actress Hadiqa Kiani has responded to the backlash with a lengthy statement where she clarified that initially while reading the script, she had found a lot of similarities between the crime and the storyline, but agreed to do the project after several discussions with the writer.

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    The ‘Janaan’ singer then shared how necessary she felt it was to do a project like Hadsa which was about how rape was a reality of the world that we live in.

    “These are the realities of the world we live in. I have sadly been exposed to so many stories like this one but I can say that Hadsa is not based off on any one’s story, but based off on a sickly common part of our reality.”

    While we appreciate the fact that Hadiqa recognised the reason behind the backlash and came forward to give her side of the story in, the reality remains that the team behind ‘Hadsa’ should have done a better job in executing such a sensitive topic. If the actress had felt in the beginning while reading the script that it was quite similar to the 2020 crime, it should have been her duty right away to step away from a project that was profitting off from the misery and trauma of a survivor, or even chosen to consult her to keep them in the loop.

    Also, ‘Hadsa’ team should have consulted with experts about depicting sensitive topics- such as calling rape a “misfortune”‘, or displaying acts of violence and sexual abuse so graphically, so that rape and sexual abuse survivors are not forced to relive their trauma.

    Actress Hadiqa Kiani is starring in a new drama series ‘Hadsa’ which depicts the life of a headstrong woman, who is raped while travelling with her son on an empty highway. Many users since the drama began airing, pointed out how the drama’s storyline was similar to the horrifying motorway rape case of 2021, when a woman travelling on motorway with her two children was assaulted and raped by two men infront of her two children. The drama is written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and directed by Wajahat Rauf, and stars Aly Khan, Romaisa Khan, Khaqan Shahnawaz.

    Journalist Fereeha Idress, who reported the account of the anonymous survivor, has now taken to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the makers behind ‘Hadsa’ for violating the privacy of the lone survivor, who revealed that the makers, nor the star-studded cast and crew, had approached her for consent on making a drama about a horrifying ordeal she had undergone.

    In a lengthy statement, Fereeha said the survivor, Z, had tried to keep her and her family’s identity protected, after undergoing the trauma, but was once more triggered by the depictions in the show.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    The journalist slammed the creators for forcing the survivor to re-live the trauma and not taking into consideration the ordeal she, her loved ones, including the children had gone through. Rather than allowing her to heal and tell the incident on her own choice, they made a drama out of it.-

    “The moment the drama episode goes on air, all comments start talking about motorway incident. Can’t they let me forget about this? They have followed my life. Isn’t this harassment? How they traced things in my life when I was so clear of keeping everything so private? My in laws must be watching it, my brother in law, my mother, my neighbours, oh my God! No one even cared to ask me? I am not dead yet! Do they want me dead? Can’t I just forget about this and move on?”

    In the next tweet, Fereeha wrote that Z, the survivor, was in extreme distress, speaking to the journalist on the phone. The drama had forced her to re-live the ordeal all over again.

    “My question is when everyone knew I never wanted to come in the limelight, why was I thrown into it again and again? So many known people, celebrities, politicians etc wanted to come and meet me or talk to me post incident, but I always declined because I wanted my privacy and didn’t want anything else but the culprits punished. Is it all about making money? Does no one care what I am going through by this triggered trauma? What my kids and husband will be going through? Do they even know how I am spending my life? Everyday is a struggle. I am being thick skinned and staying alive only for my children. They didn’t even care for my children. Do you know my kids have not forgotten..”

    Z requested the journalist to get the drama stopped, so that she would stopped being approached by public figures or being recognised as the ‘motorway wali’.

    “Can you pls get this drama stopped? Can Pak pls help me stop this? It’s like whole world is watching my misery and pain as I am reliving it. Pls tell them to make this once I am dead, I am alive right now or did they think I would have died? And pls not even after my death as I have children, they can make this after we have all died”

    There has been no response from the makers behind the drama, or from the lead star Hadiqa Kiani and the rest of the actors on this accusation.

    This is not the first time Pakistani dramas have been accused of ripping of the trials and ordeals of survivors, without taking consent from the family members or giving them a portion of the profits earned. Previously, it was Bhaagi, starring Saba Qamar, which was accused for depicting the life of the social media star Qandeel Baloch, without the consent of her family members. As Nighat Dad tweeted the father of the murdered star, Azeem Baba, was informed by other villagers that a drama was made on his daughter’s life.

  • ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    After Hadiqa Kiani, the writer behind the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’ has come forward to address allegations that the script is based on the horrific motorway rape case, in which a woman was gang-raped in 2020 in front of her young children. Episode 5 of the drama shows the female lead, Taskeen, and her son driving down a highway at night when their car suddenly stops. Soon after, a group of men arrive who subject the female lead to torture and rape. Journalist Fereeha Idrees called the story a serious violation of privacy, and demanded that PEMRA shut down the show for exploiting a survivor’s trauma for ratings, without her or her family’s approval.

    Now, in a conversation with BBC Urdu, the writer has denied these allegations, pointing out that every woman, regardless of her background, can suffer from rape:

    “The similarity is just a coincidence. Every woman who goes through this incident, whether she is rich or poor, or whether she comes from an educated family or not, will get affected. Our dramas speak about our sufferings and our situations.”

    ‘When you fight this war, you’re also getting your catharsis,” he said.

    Zanjabeel went on to discuss writing on other topics like child sexual abuse and said that sometimes, drama scripts can bear resemblance to real life cases.

    “I have shown a young son who was getting married. We often say that a woman is going out alone, but she would still be helpless even if her husband went with her.”

    Since the allegations by Idrees went viral, on X, formerly Twitter, the hashtag #banhadsa began trending, with social media users criticing the cast and crew behind for violating the privacy of the rape survivor, and called for PEMRA to ban the drama. To which, Zanjabeel had responded:

    “PEMRA had banned my drama ‘Pyaar Ke Sadqaay’ too. But does this mean girls are not abused inside their homes? PEMRA had annoyed even Bee Gul so much over her drama ‘Darr Si Jaati Hai’. If they keep doing this, then should we only make dramas about saas-bahu conflicts? If we can’t make dramas about sensitive topics, then should we only make romance dramas,” he asked.

    Hadiqa Kiani released a statement on her social media account, saying that when she first read the script there were similarities with the motorway rape case, but after discussions with the writer and team, she understood that the drama was entirely different.

    Her statement was slammed by social media users, who demanded that she stop gaslighting survivors of rape and trauma.

  • TW: Post mortem report shows 10-year-old Fatima was raped vaginally, anally allegedly by Pir

    TW: Post mortem report shows 10-year-old Fatima was raped vaginally, anally allegedly by Pir

    Qazi Asif, a Sindh based senior journalist, has on Sunday shared the autopsy report of 10-year-old Fatima who was found dead in suspicious circumstances at the haveli of a pir in Ranipur. Viral footage filmed most likely on CCTV cameras inside one of the bedrooms in the house showed the child collapsing on the ground, after rising up in a distressed state from a makeshift bed on the ground.

    A man, purportedly Pir Asad Shah Jelani, a member of the notable Pirs of Ranipur, can allegedly be seen in the video, rising from bed and trying to wake the girl up.

    The post mortem examination has confirmed her parents’ fears, revealing that the 10-year-old domestic worker was raped both vaginally and anally. The report also pointed out multiple injuries all over her body.

    Children rights activist and veteran actress Nadia Jamil, among other public figures, had condemned the incident and demanded that the authorities hold the abuser accountable.