Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has come under fire for allegedly linking rape to women’s clothing. Imran Khan, a former cricketer, said that women’s dress was the cause of rape and therefore they should cover their bodies. He was talking at a weekend live programme.
Imran Khan claimed that the decline in moral values would have repercussions on society, adding that instances of rape are on the rise in society. He said, “Women must cover their bodies to reduce temptation in the perpetrators. Not everyone has the ability to avoid or reject temptation.” However, his comments have led to proactive protests on social media and hundreds of people have come out against his “sexist statements”.
Women’s rights activists say that Imran Khan’s words are “wrong”, “dangerous”, and “insensitive”. They point out that his remarks could “encourage rape” especially in a conservative country such as Pakistan, where rapes are not even investigated and rape victims are often blamed for the atrocity committed upon them.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s comments could only be seen as a motivator for moralists who have been proposing similar views in the country. It hasn’t been long since the police chief blamed a young woman — who was gang-raped while driving alone — for going out without a man at her side. The comment had invited widespread criticism as well.
