Pakistan Prime Minister Blames Rise In Rape Cases On The Way Women Dress

Pakistan's Prime Minister has come under fire for comments he made about the rise of rape cases in the country.

Imran Khan was discussing his concern about the number of women becoming victims to predators, however very quickly blamed them for the way they dress.

"The incidents of rape of women ... [have] actually very rapidly increased in society," he said. "This entire concept of purdah is to avoid temptation, not everyone has the willpower to avoid it.

Purdah is the practice in certain Muslim and Hindu societies of using veils and screens to hide women's bodies from men or strangers. It is also the physical segregation of the sexes in public life to ensure men and women don't mix.

The Prime Minister double downed and claimed the rise in rape showed the 'consequences in any society where vulgarity is on the rise'.

Khan has been criticised by campaigners who have slammed him for victim blaming rather than attack the men who perpetrate these awful crimes.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has released a statement condemning Khan's comments.

"Not only does this betray a baffling ignorance of where, why and how rape occurs, but it also lays the blame on rape survivors, who, as the government must know, can range from young children to victims of honour crimes," it said.

That was followed by a statement that has been signed by hundreds of people and called the leader's comments 'factually incorrect, insensitive and dangerous'.

The public statement added: "Fault rests solely with the rapist and the system that enables the rapist, including a culture fostered by statements such as those made by [Khan]."

The Prime Minister's problematic statements have even been called out by his ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith.

Writing on Twitter, Imran Khan's former partner of nine years wrote: "I'm hoping this is a misquote/ mistranslation. The Imran I knew used to say, 'Put a veil on the man's eyes not on the woman'."

She also quoted from her religious text, adding: "'Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts'. Quran 24:31 The onus is on men."

This isn't the first time Khan has been called out for his problematic stance on women.

Last year, he didn't challenge a Muslim cleric's assertion that the coronavirus pandemic was started because women were sinning.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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