In “A Closer look at sexual harassment laws” published in the Express Tribune blogs on May 29, Fouzia Saeed pointed out that much has been accomplished since the President signed the sexual harassment laws in 2010. The author lauded the speed with which the laws were drafted and passed and pointed out that over 1000 cases have been dealt with so far. Anyway, going through the comments section, I was alarmed to see that instead of recognizing the problem and the work being done to overcome it, some people actually seemed to be trying to justify harassment in the name of Islam!

The very first was a gentleman who began by claiming that Western societies had more crime than Eastern (read Islamic) ones and then moved on to say that he wanted an Islamic state and not a secular one. He was seconded by another gentleman who declared that women had no business outside the house. Another user proclaimed that most women are pathetic and dress “exotically” (whatever that means); therefore, men are automatically attracted to them. And then he went on a rant about women wanting to control men etc.

So in their version of a so-called Islamic society, these gentlemen’s answer to sexual harassment would be to ban women from leaving their homes? That’s like banning people from defending their property against robbers! Would a truly Islamic society turn a blind eye to the harassment of women just because they are unaccompanied by a mehram instead of punishing those responsible? Because now we are talking about a very basic human right: the right to security. Islam recognizes this right and I really can’t really get my head around the idea that Muhammad (PBUH) would have let someone get away with assaulting a woman just because she was uncovered or unaccompanied!

Pakistan is rife with such problems because before there can be any cure, you must admit the existence of the disease. And in our country, some people are so blinded by prejudice and so accustomed to thinking of women as disposable objects that they either deny the existence of the problem outright or worse, attempt to transfer the blame to women! But let’s get this straight, women are NOT objects, they are human beings and deserve to be respected as such.

Finally, to the men who are “automatically attracted” to skimpy clothing, Islam commands you to ‘lower your gaze and guard your modesty’! It is funny really, how in our male-dominated society, only Islamic laws are twisted to maintain male-dominance while all parts of Islam dealing with the rights of women are conveniently ignored. And even if Islam had nothing so ay about it, get a grip on yourself. Are you perpetually drunk? Or under the influence of other drugs?

Summing it up, women getting harassed just because some perverts cannot control their feelings is unacceptable; it must stop and if these animals (for creatures with minds so weak can hardly be called men) cannot control themselves, they must be punished. The argument that women themselves are responsible for all violence or harassment is outdated and has no basis at all in Islam. Simply put, it’s not the women’s fault!

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The Pathetic use of Great Islamic Laws just for petty interests is the epidemic that has spread in our society like was centuries ago in Christianity and Judaism.
I am waiting for that time when instead of debating on If Pardah is necessary for a woman or character, Muslims will be arguing on whether we have fulfilled our duties or not, whether we are true Muslims or not instead of declaring others as sinful.

First of all, the argument that West has more antiwomen crimes can be averted on the ground of their reporting. Almost every case is reported there while in Pakistan almost 95% cases are tried to conceal.
Secondly, our so-called muslim brothers chant the slogan of Islamic-state only when the issues of women is discussed. I never heard anything like when the affairs of corruption, banking interest, nepotism, rigged elections, legislation, fuedalism, violence, sectariansim etc are discussed. Nobody talks to solve these issues through islamic principles.
Thirdly, men having vice in hearts can find the eroticism even in divine books. there is not any fault in dressing or appearance. So problem lies within themselves not in women's dressing and their outing without mehram..

this is our so called islamic society

In a true ISlamic society a woman can go from one end of the country to another end without any mehram along her and she was completely save.This was the real example of Islamic society in the first century of islmic state.there is no question of pardah while providing security to a woman in islamic state because if the woman is not muslim she can not be forced to have pardah but she has eqaul right of protection as a pardah dar woman has.Therefore irrespective of pardah security for woman is generally essentail in all socities and duty of Islamic state specifically.
In quran when Almighty addressd the muslims for pardah he first addressd man to lower down his eyes and then he orderd woman to cover herslf.so pardah is first essential for man then woman.if a man does not bother to look at a female infront of him after having one sight then sexual harrasment can be controlled at the first step.
It is woman own matter wheather she wants to cover her or not because whatever deeds she does in this world she ll be responsible in the next world.No body is going to force her for any act because
Islam says every body is responsible for his or her act and there is no force full conversion in Deen ISlam for any body.

You are absolutely right. On this earth there is not any single women who want to be sexual abuse either she is in well western fashion dresses or in Hijab.

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If a woman is not secure in the grave how come she will be secured in the world ??

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In that case, this is not confined to women only.
Even male corpses are stolen by medical persons or people practicing black magic.

And sexual harassment can hardly be women fault in a society like ours .
How can it be fault of a working woman who is clad in a decent dress and keeps herself to her work only but a couple of her male colleagues while talking among themselves cut cheap jokes, loud enough that they reach the woman' ear...
And its very tricky this way, apparently nothing is being said or done directly to her, yet, such a behavior is a cause of discomfort for the other.
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Dressing, body language provocative nahe bhi tou, some people are just mentally sick, wo wesa he behave kertey hn.

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Women: seems like you are challenging Muhammad PBUH's order of not leaving house without a mehram just for the sake of getting western freedom where harassment is reported, in disguise of "making an Ideal Islamic society"...stop living in a fools paradise...Do you know the meaning of Women? its mean a precious being worth concealing...Have you not seen the "western reported society" with all freedom and strict laws but women are tried like clothes...They are socially a disaster in glossy skyscrappers...Do all want to get tried and reported??? There is no freedom in islam without limits...Accompanying with mehram was even compulsory in his PBUH's time, do u expect a better time ahead??? and "vice in men" is concerned, than common sense is there wont be a response until there is no stimuli...and its a common fact that a Muslim man with worst character would lower his gaze when he sees a girl in Abaya/Burqa bcs this reflects as an effort to conceal which is truly respected in our culture. and accept the fact that Women are weak which created a need to make failed western laws like discussed in Express tribune, you have a better option to choose Islamic solutions... I am not conservative but let my sisters be not fooled by myopic freedom...

Regards