Tag: rape

  • ‘Only Yes means Yes’: Spain passes new law that requires explicit consent for sex

    ‘Only Yes means Yes’: Spain passes new law that requires explicit consent for sex

    Spain’s lower house of parliament passed legislation on Thursday requiring explicit consent for sex rather than consent that might be inferred from silence or by default.
    The legislation was passed on Thursday with 205 lawmakers voting in favour and 141 against.
    The law “Only Yes means Yes”, defines rape as sex without clear consent.

    “Consent is recognised only when a person has freely demonstrated it through actions which, in the context of the circumstances of the case, clearly express the person’s will,” says the law.

    The new law also sets fines for street harassment and for sharing intimate images and videos of a person without their consent.

    It was proposed by the country’s Socialist government after the high-profile “Wolfpack” gang-rape incident in Pamplona in 2016 prompted widespread protests.
    An 18-year-old woman was gang-raped by five men at the bull-running festival in Pamplona, northern Spain.

    In court, it was argued that video footage from the men’s phones, which showed the woman motionless and with her eyes closed during the attack, was proof of her consent.

    The men were convicted guilty of sexual abuse but not of rape because the woman was unable to prove that she had not given consent.

  • Woman gang-raped by real estate agents

    Woman gang-raped by real estate agents

    Three people gang-raped a woman customer who was invited to see a house for rent in Islamabad’s G-12 sector on Sunday.

    According to the police, the accused called the woman and invited her to come see the house she wanted to rent. She brought her child with her.

    The accused took the child from her as she entered the house and locked him in a separate room. Three men then gang-raped the woman.

    The rape survivor went to the police station to file a complaint. After the complaint, the accused started threatening the rape survivor.

    The police have registered a case against all the accused and are investigating the case.

    Read more- Punjab on top in sexual, physical assault and domestic abuse cases

    At least 133 women were kidnapped and as many as 85 were subjected to rape in Pakistan in the month of July alone, a report has revealed.

    The data has been compiled by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) and the Centre for Research, Development and Communication (CRDC). The cases that have been reported in mainstream media are added in the report.

  • ‘Give me back my right to live,’ Indian Muslim woman Bilkis Bano fearful after release of 11 men who gang-raped her

    ‘Give me back my right to live,’ Indian Muslim woman Bilkis Bano fearful after release of 11 men who gang-raped her

    Bilkis Bano, an Indian Muslim woman who was gang-raped in the 2002 Gujarat riots, said that her peace has been taken away after the Gujarat government released her 11 rapists on Monday. Her rapists were released on August 15, i.e. Independence Day of India. They were convicted in 2008.

    https://twitter.com/Huda_asiana/status/1559476323852099584

    She has requested the government to reverse the decision.

    “How can justice for any woman end like this? I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma. The release of these convicts has taken from me my peace and shaken my faith in justice,” said Bilkis in her statement.

    “My sorrow and my wavering faith are not for myself alone but for every woman who is struggling for justice in courts,” she added.

    “No one enquired about my safety and well-being, before taking such a big and unjust decision… Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace. Please ensure that my family and I are kept safe.”

    What happened with Bilkis Bano?

    At the age of 21, Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was brutally gang-raped in 2002 in Gujarat.

    The 2002 Gujarata riots are considered one of the worst anti-Muslim riots in India that saw nearly 2,000 people — mostly Muslims — killed.

    On March 3, 2002, Bilkis and her family members were attacked by about 30 people armed with sickles, swords, and sticks. Among the attackers were the 11 accused men.

    Bilkis, her mother, and three other women were raped and brutally assaulted. Seven members of Bilkis Bano’s family, including her three-year-old daughter, were also murdered.

    Bilkis is now in her 40s.

  • Punjab on top in sexual, physical assault and domestic abuse cases

    Punjab on top in sexual, physical assault and domestic abuse cases

    At least 133 women were kidnapped and as many as 85 were subjected to rape in Pakistan in the month of July alone, a report has revealed.

    The data has been compiled by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) and the Centre for Research, Development and Communication (CRDC). The cases that have been reported in mainstream media are added in the report.

    Punjab

    A total of 77 cases of physical assault were reported in Punjab — 93 women in Punjab were abducted, 47 cases of sexual assault cases were recorded. As far as domestic violence cases are concerned, Punjab reported 58 cases. Three honour killing incidents took place. At least five cases of workplace harassment were reported in the province. In July, 42 children were sexually abused and 30 children were kidnapped. Meanwhile, 10 children were murdered and eight child labour cases were reported. 10 cases of physical violence against children were recorded. The province also reported three cases of child marriage.

    Sindh

    Sindh recorded 34 physical assault cases. A total of 20 cases of abduction took place, 16 women were subjected to rape, 15 cases of domestic violence were reported and in the name of honour killing, four women were killed in Sindh. Moreover, two work harassment incidents were reported in the province. Over July, 21 children were sexually abused,13 children were kidnapped from Sindh, 14 children were physically abused while five children were murdered in the province. Three cases of child marriage were reported.

    Islamabad

    Six incidents of physical assault occurred in the capital and 15 cases of kidnapping were reported. 10 cases of rape were reported. Four cases of domestic abuse were reported. Ten children were sexually abused and eight children were kidnapped. Two incidents of physical abuse against children were reported and two children were murdered.

    Balochistan

    The province had no reported case of physical assault. Two cases of abduction were reported during the month of July. Balochistan reported one rape incident. When it comes to domestic violence, Balochistan registered zero such incidents. Three children were sexually abused in Balochistan and four children were kidnapped. No physical abuse case was reported. Two children were murdered.

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

    16 incidents of physical assault were reported, three cases of abduction occurred, 11 cases of rape were reported and17 cases of domestic violence were reported in KP. 32 children were sexually abused and 27 children were kidnapped. 11 cases of physical violence against children were reported and three children were murdered. One child labour case was reported.

    DATADownload

  • Cleric arrested on charges of raping at least three madrassa students

    Cleric arrested on charges of raping at least three madrassa students

    A cleric who raped children at least three madrassa students was arrested in the Bhutta Wahan area of ​​Rahim Yar Khan, reports Geo Urdu. The rape survivors are aged between 10 to 12 years.

    According to the police, the initial medical report of three children proved that they were being raped.

    The affected children told the media that the cleric had raped six madrassa children so far and threatened to kill them if they told their families about the sexual abuse.

    The families of the children who were raped demanded that strict action should be taken against the cleric and he should be hanged. They said that their children refused to go to the madrassa and revealed that the cleric sexually abused them.

    The madrassa cleric fled from the area. However, a case was registered against him and raids were conducted in order to arrest him.

    In June, the Punjab government said that they would declare an emergency following an increase in rape and sodomy cases in the province.

  • Eight models raped during a music video shoot

    Eight models raped during a music video shoot

    A group of armed men stormed a music video shoot and raped eight models in Johannesburg, South Africa. The horrific incident took place in a small town called Krugersdorp, situated in the West of Johannesburg.

    Out of the 20 suspects, three have been arrested by the police so far.

    The group attacked the models as they were setting up the set for the shoot.

    According to the police, the women were aged between 18 and 35. One of the survivors was raped by 10 men and another by eight.

    “It appears that they (the suspects) are foreign nationals,” said the police, adding that they are illegal miners in South Africa.

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had ordered the police minister to make sure the perpetrators were “apprehended and dealt with”.

  • Man arrested for raping three minor girls and killing two of them

    Man arrested for raping three minor girls and killing two of them

    A suspect who allegedly raped three minor girls was arrested by the police in Peshawar, reported Geo News.

    According to the police, the DNA test of the man matched with the girls and he also confessed to sexually assaulting the three minor girls and killing two of them.

    In his reported confession, he said he raped and killed a 10-year-old girl in the Railway Colony area on July 3 and also killed a girl in the Kalibari area after sexually assaulting her on July 17. He raped another victim on July 10.

    The accused is reportedly aged between 25 and 30 and worked as a craftsman.

    For this case, a special investigation team interviewed a survivor. The team also went through 50 images of suspects and conducted DNA tests of 100 people and investigated 200 residences, reports Express Tribune.

    Child molestation has been on the rise as it jumped up by 93 per cent in 2021 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The Central Police Office (CPO) has stated that 360 cases of child sexual abuse were recorded last year across the province.

  • Will women ever be safe in Pakistan?

    Will women ever be safe in Pakistan?

    The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Gender Gap Report, 2022. Out of the 146 countries ranked on the index, Pakistan is at 145, doing slightly better than Afghanistan. The report gauges how immense the gender gap is in areas including education, economic participation, health, and political empowerment. Pakistan’s second-last position comes as no surprise, at least not for the women in the country.

    Earlier this week, a 21-year-old American woman, who is also a vlogger, was allegedly raped by her tour guide and his two accomplices in Dera Ghazi Khan. The woman revealed she knew the man [one of the culprits] for a long time and is hurt by the fact that he could do something like this. “I am deeply hurt by the fact that a friend I have known for such a long time was trying to portray a positive image of this beautiful country to foreign travellers, who seemed so trustworthy, could commit such a vile and horrific act,” she said. Then there was news of a van driver in Dera Ghazi Khan who raped a woman at Rajanpur wagon. Every day, someone somewhere in Pakistan gets raped, either by someone they know or a complete stranger. The women in Pakistan have said it over and over again about how unsafe they feel in this country, including in their homes, offices, and streets. You name it and you will come to know about a story of a woman being raped or sexually harassed. With all that is going on, when will this stop for the women living in the country? Will sanity ever prevail? Will they ever be safe? Will they ever get equality? Will justice and the right care be provided to them? What are our policymakers doing to make the lives of women in Pakistan better?

    A new committee against rape has been announced by the Law Ministry in an effort to combat the worrying increase in sexual violence cases across the nation. The special committee’s primary responsibility will be to aid sexual assault victims in getting legal representation, in addition to attempting to stop cases of rape against children. But the question remains: will this be enough? Women in Pakistan are yearning for the day when our society will learn to provide the strength where it is required and stand with the survivors of sexual assaults when no one will be frightened to talk about their horrific experiences and when no woman will be blamed for being a victim and survivor. But until that day arrives, we can all try to bridge the gap and make it better for the women in our country. The leaders and decision-makers can really try and make an effort to make Pakistan safe for women. It is time to stand up for the ones suffering. Home needs to be a safe place, workplaces need to be safe, our streets need to be safe, and our trains and other transportation means need to be safe for women.

    It has been a year since Noor Mukadam was brutally murdered by Zahir Jaffer in Islamabad. We hope that Noor finds justice. We hope that women who are killed in the name of so-called ‘honour’ find justice. We hope that men who commit crimes against women are caught and punished. We hope that our justice system does not betray are women constantly. We hope that women are allowed to study, work, marry of their own choice, stay unmarried if they wish to, and are able to live in a society that does not treat them like second-class citizens. Because enough is enough!

  • Van driver in Dera Ghazi Khan rapes woman

    Van driver in Dera Ghazi Khan rapes woman

    A man in Dera Ghazi Khan raped a woman at Rajanpur wagon stand. The woman who had come from Multan to drop off her son and hand him over to her husband in Kotmithan was raped by a van driver who took her to Rajnapur wagon stand.

    The Kotmithan police have registered a rape case against the man.

    What happened?

    The 35-year-old woman in the first information report (FIR) said that she travelled from Multan to hand over her son to her husband, with whom she had some differences, in Kotmithan.

    She wanted to send her son with the van driver alone, but as he began to cry, she had to go with him.

    She further said that they arrived in Kotmithan at 10:30pm. She handed over her son to his father. Her husband and son then left.

    After the woman was alone in Kotmithan, the bus driver said to her that there will be no bus available for Multan till morning. He invited her to spend the night at his sister’s home in Rajanpur. The van driver took her to Rajanpur wagon stand and raped her and fled from the scene.

    The police are investigating the matter.

  • Pizza delivery boy allegedly raped in Islamabad

    Pizza delivery boy allegedly raped in Islamabad

    On Monday, a 20-year-old pizza delivery boy was allegedly raped in Islamabad.

    The boy had gone to the Sharifabad area in the capital to deliver pizza where he was raped by a man. The suspect has been identified as Ahmed Gogi.

    A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered by the police and the ICT Director-General of Police (Operations) Suhail Zafar Chattha has directed the officials to arrest the suspect as soon as possible.

    It is pertinent to mention that this is the second case of sexual violence reported in Islamabad within the last two months. In June, a woman alleged that she was raped by her security guard in her own house.

    Last month, Punjab Home Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the Punjab government would declare an emergency following an increase in rape and sodomy cases in the province.