On Monday, Jezebel (via @mehreenkasana) published a gallery entitled, “The Creepy Men of Pakistan’s Sexual Harassment Calendar.” The post, based on a calendar launched by the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA) portrays various caricatures of perverted men who harass and intimidate women on a regular basis. The characters, noted Jezebel, “cross cultural boundaries.” Agreed.
According to the AASHA website, the organization:
…started developing these cartoons in 2007 as a strategy to deal with the issue of sexual harassment; to shift the focus from the victim to the behavior of the harasser. We have identified 36 characters so far, which have come out on desk calendars of 2008, 2009 and 2010. These cartoons have been very popular, so, for the 2011 calendar, we have decided to have you vote for your 12 favorite cartoons out of these 36.
Pretty innovative (and democratic) if you ask me. So here are some of the winners in the 2011 calendar. Drumroll please…
Ustad Lucha. Wagon drivers. Public transport conductors. Men who think stick shifts are eternal double entendres. “Changing gears,” just FYI, is not code for touching women in sleazy and inappropriate ways.
Ghuran Chatto. Very common character. Let’s just say they don’t quite look at your eyes. Even if you wear twenty layers of clothes you still walk away feeling completely violated. Gross.
Namurad mobaloil. Oh my gosh. LADIES. I recently re-learned this lesson the very hard way. Never. Pick. Up. A. Number. You. Don’t. Know. Just don’t do it. Because in all likelihood it is a Namurad-bloody-pervy-Mobaloil, wanting “frandship” with you. If your voice sounds remotely feminine (or maybe not even that), they will incessantly call you, thinking their persistence will somehow wear you down instead of causing you to want to claw your eyes out. If you decide to confront said pervs, take some well-seasoned advice from the fabulous Kasana, “How to Get Rid of Prank Callers.” Piss off pervs.
According to the Express Tribune, AASHA founding member Dr. Fauzia Saeed said at the launch of the 2011 calendar,
The current government has shown commitment and support by passing legislation against sexual harassment, making it a punishable offense for the first time in the history of Pakistan. This is a milestone in our social history which will not only legitimize access of women to public and work spaces but will be a turning point in changing people’s mindset about the relationship between men and women.
So first, good on AASHA for the intent behind this initiative – to not only place the emphasis on the perpetrator of harassment, but to also vilify said characters through a digestible and simple format; i.e., cartoons. However, while the government did pass the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill last February, such top-down legislation is only the first step in truly implementing bottom-up change. Just last week, Express reported that only three hospitals in Pakistan have even adopted “the code of conduct prepared by the National Implementation Watch Committee (NIWC) to prevent sexual harassment at workplace,” a step-by-step document on how to comply with the Harassment Bill.
But again, adopting a code of conduct is still different from implementing it. Harassment, to this day, (and not just in Pakistan), is often not seen as a serious offense. In fact, it’s practically bloody acceptable. Legislation that attempts to institute the contrary will only be effective if sexual harassers and perpetrators of gender-based violence are held accountable for their actions. We need to stop blaming the victims. We need to emphasize that this behavior is not okay. This can begin with serious and strategic sexual harassment trainings of employees (and police officers), where there are real repercussions (as opposed to empty threats) for those who fail to comply with the adopted code of conduct. Incentives need to be created to pressure organizations and companies to adopt said rules, and ensure their implementation. Ultimately, there needs to be a perception change. And while this will not happen overnight, a cohesive strategy must be developed in order to push this in the right direction.
My favorite:
Liberal Lofer
Some men take liberties with women under the grab
of being Liberal. They judge women who refuse
their advantages as conservative. Their age range
from 18-95 years
haha!
This is a huge problem and a royal pain in the ass. This is a great way to raise awareness! Countless time I’ve been leered at in busy places by various men just because I’m a woman who happens to be there. After a while, you kind of get desensitized to it, which is not the best response.
I agree that it’s a great calendar, but it also reaffirms what so many of us already know, I wonder how much it actually impacts the harassers. I want those pervy bastards to feel ashamed for acting the way they do. We should post a calendar on the doors of all their houses. Or force them to walk around with “PERV” stamped on their forehead. Or the culturally nuanced equivalent.
Signed,
Angry Kalsoom.
Me likes Angry Kalsoom!
I have quite a few words in mind but I don’t think they’re appropriate for the blog
The most annoying thing though is their sense of entitlement and lack of shame. If you say anything or give them a dirty look, they take it as a signal to continue or become more aggressive, so women are forced not to even acknowledge the harassment and walk away. The stamp, however, would be kind of awesome. Just whip it out of the purse and STAMP! STAMP! STAMP!
X-(
I just started watching Mad Men for the first time today and it takes place at an ad agency in the 1960s in NYC – very pertinent to this post, and how many American women attempting to work faced sexual harassment on a regular basis. Really telling.
If a stamp doesn’t work, maybe we can just brand the lot of them.
-Angry Kalsoom.
PS: I feel the need to iterate further on what I meant by incentivizing orgs to adopt this code of conduct. Ultimately (which I also talked about in my Working Girls post), sexual harassment and violence, particularly in a work setting, intimidate women from working. which essentially means we are gravely undercutting our economic potential and force by allowing said activities to continue to take place. Just a thought (since these topics make me think for hours).
We are now in 21st century, but we are suffering from different types of harassment in the work place. Your tips are really helpful_________
Speaking of disgusting and horrifying:
“Woman Gang Raped and Paraded in Streets”
http://tribune.com.pk/story/105320/sordid-stories-woman-gang-raped-and-paraded-in-streets/
A 17-year-old girl was abducted, raped and paraded naked around the streets of her village for refusing the advances of a local landlord.
According to local residents, Saleema* was alone in her home when Ijaz Ahmed and his friends, Bilal, Shehbaz, Muazzam and Tahir broke into her house and raped her. Saleema’s brother Rasheed told the police that Ijaz had been stalking his sister for several months and she had refused him. “He began to threaten her and me,” he said. Rasheed and Saleema’s parents died a few years ago and they were both living with their grandfather and an old uncle.
“I had refused him several times. He threatened to kill my brother and me,” Saleema told the police. On Saturday night, five men broke into Saleema’s house and raped her while her brother was at work. “They beat up my grandfather and uncle and they could barely walk,” she said. Locals said that the men later dragged Saleema outside in the dera and paraded her in the streets of the village. “The men kept making loud claims about her being their ‘property’ and no one said a word because they were armed,” said a villager.
I am seriously effing disgusted right now.
That is disgusting.
This reminds me of a drama serial on PTV way back in the 1990s called “Marvi” about a girl named Marvi who rejects advances by her rich college roommate’s brother. The brother then kidnaps her. I was really young and can’t remember if the story implied he raped her or simply kidnapped her in order to force her to marry him but it was a really good serial and raised awareness about the type of power rich men execute. And also about how they feel entitled to have any woman they want. Here are some clips on YouTube:
Love it. This is an issue that deserves commentary and discussion, particularly on the need for “bottom-up” change as you pointed out.
Once, my friends and I complained to a police officer about the leering men at Jinnah’s mazar and all we got in return was a quote from a Punjabi song about how “this” was a part of our culture.
My friends also taught me to ogle back at the Khabees on Wheels, but I’m holding out for a more effective strategy.
The leering is not going to stop until these men have appealing and convenient sexual outlets, like in Amsterdam. Uptight, conservative societies that deny most men sexual outlets are going to feature the leering and harassment. Just compare, say, Morocco to say Thailand.
This highlights a perhaps unappealing facet of male psychology, but it’s the truth.
Nadia,
Your experience reminds me of the debate in the Pakistani Parliament when an MP claimed honor killings and violence was “part of our culture.” Specifically Israrullah Zehri, an MP from Balochistan, stated, “These are centuries-old traditions and I will continue to defend them.” (This is in regard to the 5 women who were buried alive in Balochistan 2 years ago). So sad, no? Totally agree that there needs to be a serious perception change of what is culturally acceptable in our society.
Javed,
Have you seen this piece? http://tribune.com.pk/story/89783/segregation-breeds-sexual-harassment/
Essentially students from different universities debating about the Sexual Harassment Bill agreed that gender segregation breeds further sexual harassment. Somewhat related to what you were discussing, and an interesting point.
Kalsoom,
You have a very constructive thinking about the matter and you are quite right in your arguments which I admire in general. Factually, in a society like ours, there is a thin line between “advances” to build clean relations like friendship or just a cool relation which may happen to convert in to a life long relation resulting in marriage and the harassment. You will agree that sometime it is the reverse act only initiated by a woman which never is reported but the response to that by a man is surely labeled as sexual harassment. That also does not seem fair.
Javed,
You have pointed out an important issue which Kalsoom has supported too. This is true that when men according to their natural construction do not find legitimate or ready to use outlets for their psychological satisfaction, they tend to go in a way for their least satisfaction.
Another point which is note worthy is about the tolerance level prevailing in our social setup. We are a people who are full up to the brim. We are not able to tolerate anything how little it may be. For example, while walking if an elbow is pressed with some one there could be clash, if some one steps over the foot of the other person, a clash is imminent. In traffic, clashed or skirmishes are a routine in petty matters. We remained no more able to pass anything with just a smile or a light comment. Extremism after all have some consequences. Our society as a whole has become intolerant to a deep level.
I hope when it reverses back to normal a lot of problems like sexual harassment shall be solved to a maximum extent. This does not mean that we stop work but it also suggests that our work must be multiferous. We shall have to work for a better, tolerant and modern society. Hope you all shall agree. If any comments please express, shall be happy to listen.
Just wanted to share that “Bottom-up” change has already begun!!! the more of us work on it, the faster it will happen! Mehergarh, an active member of AASHA conducts trainings particularly for human resource people, lawyers, journalists, police officials, anyone who can play an active role in implementing anti sexual harassment legislation. If any of you are interested in playing an active role in changing the state of affairs, please sign up for the next training. Send an email to maliha@mehergarh.org
These 2 to 3 day trainings give you conceptual clarity of the issue, dispel the myths around it, explain the laws and what role you can play in effective implementation of these laws.
What I have learnt in my 56 years is that it does not matter how much we complain; if we are bothered enough by a situation, we need to take charge and do something about it. Here is an opportunity to make a difference. Something positive is happening in Pakistan to change the state of affairs for us, the women, let’s be a part of it!
Maliha
Kalsoom,
I hadn’t seen that — thanks for the link.
It’s often said that sexual harassment isn’t about sex, it’s about power. The problem with that statement is that sex is about (albeit not exclusively, of course!) power. In short, these harassers are (a few pathological cases excepted) the (sexual) losers of our society. That is, for example, why there is a class dimension to the harassers. Wealthy men in Pak (to put the point bluntly) know they are only a mobile-call away from arranging for an attractive young “model” to arrive at their hotel-room. Even if they seldom act on this knowledge, that knowledge itself, psychologically, means that they will tend not to devote energy to, for example, leering at women in the market. For lower-class men, it’s a different story, I’m afraid. Of course, this fact doesn’t excuse the behavior–explanation is not justification!
I have a message for Tariq Tufail also.
A very good article Tariq. You did an excellent job. People like you need to be involved in the implementing process. Journalists can play a very crucial role in educating people about these laws and how to actually use them, in a very creative way. You can also let the others know what all is happening, as far as implementation and peoples mindset being changed.
Dr. Fouzia Saeed, who worked very closely with the government to get these laws passed, also prepared a National Implementation Framework, on how these laws need to be implemented at different levels, not just top down. National Implementation Watch Committee is a part of it as are Legal Aid Centers to support individuals who want to use these laws and many levels in between. If you are interested, you can check it out on AASHA’s website: http://www.aasha.org.pk It is towards the bottom of the center panel of the home page. There is a lot of relevant downloadable information on AASHA’s website for organizations and individuals.
By the way, Express could also have said that 3 hospitals have already adopted the Code of Conduct, so, it is happening. If more of us work on it, it will happen even faster! We need to be posive, we need to get in action mode!
If you want to write more on this topic, you are more than welcome to contact me at maliha@mehergarh.org
Maliha
Thanks so much Maliha! I agree that it’s important to take a more optimistic approach, though this is obviously a very large task to undertake. I was aware of this bottom-up change occurring, but it’s so great to here how cohesive this strategy is. Thanks for commenting!
You are welcome Kalsoom! I know it is a huge task, but if we all, who really care enough to take action get together and attack this issue, in a non violent way, of course
, I have no doubt that we can not only tackle it, but defeat it too!
Maliha
Yaar. Mujhe hansi aa rehi hai. Tum itni cute na bano.
Bye.
All this is good, but I am not sure how long it would take to change the mindset of the average Pakistani bus driver or ‘fraandshipper’. These actions would largely affect the more english speaking variety… we would first have to teach the bus driver what the two words ‘sexual harassment’ mean what their translation would be in Urdu.
I think this is a clear picture of men working and hanging around but not every body is like this but yes education can make a difference.
so why are the offender stereotypes only from the lower strata of the society? is it really their actions thats the problem or the fact that they are unattractive and ineligible?
im not justifying their actions. groping is a serious offense. but staring is a different issue. people stare and check out the opposite gender all the time.. why is it only wrong if its a truck driver or a doodhwala doing it? you cannot say its the action thats wrong, in principle. this makes it a more complicated issue.
is staring and leering more acceptable if the guy thats doing it is goodlooking and is driving a nice car? hence the “khabees on wheels” stereotype
im afraid thats a very narrow view of sexual harassment.
the basic issue is sexual frustration of young Pakistani males.
sexual opportunities are hard to come by. its very difficult for a young male to attract women for a casual relationship and sex, unless he is really good looking, charming and of a high status. its just that way in our society. educated urban society isnt different either, only a handful of men get sexual opportunities with women in their proximity.
we need legalized and well regulated prostitution thats safe for all ; the customer ad the sex worker. this way the average guy who isnt able to attract women, has a sexual outlet as well.
Javed points out ‘sexual losers of society’. tell me something. why are these sexual losers always male? why arent there young ordinary females who are sexually frustrated? because women can get sex easily if they want it. they can be just mediocre and still get all the sex they want. men have to very attractive and charming to do that.
Dr Fouzia Saeed and Maliha Husain cannot raise awareness about sexual harassment. Their organization, Pakistan’s Alliance Against Sexual Harrassment [AASHA], lists SmithKline Beecham, Pakistan, as a “progressive employer” in the context of its policies dealing with employees’ sexual harassment. The same company fired me for filing and standing by my complaint of sexual harassment against my supervisor. When I saw the company’s name in the list, I informed AASHA about it but the organization did not respond with an explanation or with the removal of the company’s name from its list. Perhaps the NGO’s name should be Alliance “For” Sexual Harassment as it is on the side of Big Business, not the victims. –Asma Siddiqi