Pakistan: Detestable Online Attacks Against Marvi Sirmed On The Rise Amidst Discussions Of A Woman’s Rape In Lahore
Location: Pakistan, Islamabad
Date: September 14, 2020
On September 10, brutal rape of a young woman sparked protests and discussions about women’s safety in Pakistan. Meanwhile, trolls and online criminals took to their keyboards to spew hatred, sexist slurs and rape “jokes” against journalist Marvi Sirmed for the umpteenth time.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) has documented several rape threats, verbal attacks and smear campaigns against the outspoken journalist since 2016. These attacks took place in real life as well over the years with two break-ins at Marvi’s home in Pakistan.
During a recent online smear campaign, Marvi was attacked over her comments on enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Her tweet was taken out of context and she was attacked online, blamed with blasphemy by religious extremists.
Marvi, in a tweet on September 13, criticized some politicians’ tendency to involve religion into politics which again resulted in unacceptable attacks against her. She was called a “barking bitch” among many other slurs and was met with sexist verbal harassment with rape “jokes” so vile that calling them poor in taste is not sufficient.
مذہب اور سیاست کا بھونڈا اختلاط کرنے کا یہی نتیجہ ہونا تھا- سیاستدانوں میں ایک دوڑ لگی ہے یہ ثابت کرنے کیلئے کہ کون زیادہ مذہبی ہے۔ آپ اسی قسم صحافیوں کو یہ کہتے بھی سنیں گے کہ آرمی چیف کس قدر مذہبی آدمی ہیں۔ مذہب کو یوں اپنے سیاسی مفادات کیلئے استعمال کرنا کیا اسکی توہین نہیں؟ https://t.co/lEiXHeustU
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) September 13, 2020
Hay haq hamaara, Azadi
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) September 13, 2020
Hum chheen ke leiN ge, Azadi
Aurat kya maangay, Azadi
Zara zor se bolo, Azadi #MeraJismMeriMarzi #AuratMarch #میرا_جسم_میری_مرضی
Highlights From The #MotorwayRape Protest, Lahore https://t.co/cztUZ9rjzn via @YouTube
Hay haq hamaara, Azadi
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) September 13, 2020
Hum chheen ke leiN ge, Azadi
Aurat kya maangay, Azadi
Zara zor se bolo, Azadi #MeraJismMeriMarzi #AuratMarch #میرا_جسم_میری_مرضی
Highlights From The #MotorwayRape Protest, Lahore https://t.co/cztUZ9rjzn via @YouTube
She was also subjected to misogynistic fat shaming insults, with lewd images used, referencing to the recent motorway rape incident. These attacks not only hurt Marvi reputation, but are also hurtful to women across the country, who are flabbergasted and rightfully angered by the rape culture which was exposed once again with the new notorious incident.
CFWIJ finds such online attacks that embody and encourage the rape and violence culture in Pakistan against women. The campaign #AttacksWontSilenceUs, which CFWIJ joined last month is one of many ways Pakistani women journalists have stood up against online violence designed to silence women’s voices in the country, especially those who speak truth to power.
We once again urge the authorities to swiftly investigate the people behind these attacks, prosecute them and take further action to ensure that this is never repeated again. We also call upon religious community leaders to educate themselves and their followers on online etiquette and decent manners to act in public, including social media.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.