Sexual Abuse in Pakistani Madrassas
Islamic Madrassas exist throughout the world for the purpose of teaching Islamic theology and Qur'an memorization. For many Muslim parents, these Islamic schools are thought to be the safest place for their children. A place of refuge where they can learn their faith. Unfortunately, for many children in Pakistan, they are becoming a place of dread and fear. Over the years, there have been numerous reports of children being sexually abused by Islamic clerics in Madrassas throughout the country of Pakistan. In Pakistani culture, religious clerics possess a significant amount of power and prestige in their country. In many cases, when allegations of religious abuse occur, the clerics simply pay off the victims family and they are then "forgiven." Cases of sexual abuse rarely make it to the courtroom.
Over the past 10 years, there have been 359 recorded complaints of sexual abuse in the Pakistani Madrassas. Unfortunately, human rights activists unanimously agree that this number is only the tip of the iceberg. Experts agree that the number of incidents of sexual abuse are in the thousands, and that members of the victims family are strongly pressured to accept "forgiveness payments" due to the high status level held by the Islamic clerics. The victims include both boys and girls. During the last week of December, 2019, horrifying emerged that a 10-year-old boy in the Northern Pakistani city of Mansehra, was raped one hundred times by his Islamic teacher and three other accomplices. Unfortunately, in the country of Pakistan, the rape victim is often blamed. It is typically believed that women are always the ones who are raped, and when this happens, the questions that are usually asked are: "What was she wearing?" "What was she doing out late at night?" "Where were her parents?" The overall view in this society is "She must have done something to invite the rape." However, some are now beginning to understand that women and girls are not the only victims of rape, and that what's happening to the rape victims is not their fault. Nevertheless, until Pakistani society and law enforcement starts understanding that it's the fault of the perpetrator, and not the victim, atrocities like this are only going to continue.
Sources
"Associated Press: Sexual Abuse Rampant at Pakistan's Islamic School." CBS News. Nov. 21, 2017. Accessed from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-islamic-madrassa-schools-sexual-abuse-rape-ap-investigation/.
Naveed, Saveera. "100-Year-Old Raped 100 Times-Left with Tears of Blood." Girls.PK. Dec. 28, 2019. Accessed from https://girls.pk/10-year-old-raped-100-times/.
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| Child Rape Victim and his alleged Rapist. |
Over the past 10 years, there have been 359 recorded complaints of sexual abuse in the Pakistani Madrassas. Unfortunately, human rights activists unanimously agree that this number is only the tip of the iceberg. Experts agree that the number of incidents of sexual abuse are in the thousands, and that members of the victims family are strongly pressured to accept "forgiveness payments" due to the high status level held by the Islamic clerics. The victims include both boys and girls. During the last week of December, 2019, horrifying emerged that a 10-year-old boy in the Northern Pakistani city of Mansehra, was raped one hundred times by his Islamic teacher and three other accomplices. Unfortunately, in the country of Pakistan, the rape victim is often blamed. It is typically believed that women are always the ones who are raped, and when this happens, the questions that are usually asked are: "What was she wearing?" "What was she doing out late at night?" "Where were her parents?" The overall view in this society is "She must have done something to invite the rape." However, some are now beginning to understand that women and girls are not the only victims of rape, and that what's happening to the rape victims is not their fault. Nevertheless, until Pakistani society and law enforcement starts understanding that it's the fault of the perpetrator, and not the victim, atrocities like this are only going to continue.
Sources
"Associated Press: Sexual Abuse Rampant at Pakistan's Islamic School." CBS News. Nov. 21, 2017. Accessed from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-islamic-madrassa-schools-sexual-abuse-rape-ap-investigation/.
Naveed, Saveera. "100-Year-Old Raped 100 Times-Left with Tears of Blood." Girls.PK. Dec. 28, 2019. Accessed from https://girls.pk/10-year-old-raped-100-times/.
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