In the light of recent horrific events, many strong women in Pakistan have come forward with their stories of sexual abuse, in order to create awareness and have people drop the stigma attached to speaking about such events.
Nadia Jamil was one of the few who spoke out about the abuse she faced as a child, and in an interview with Fifi Haroon of BBC Urdu, the actress delved into the matter deeper.
“Firstly, my izzat (honour) is mine. A man’s or anyone else’s honour is not packed in my body…someone hurts me and I have to be ashamed of it? No.†The actress said when speaking of the misconception that a woman’s honour is correlated with her body and the shame that comes with being a victim of abuse.
“I think it’s very important to teach children to not sit in someone’s lap, and about the body’s private parts,†Nadia commented when speaking about what can be done by parents to create awareness amongst young children.
The actress pointed out that if at a young age children don’t see their abusers being severely punished, the same children will grow up and learn to tolerate unacceptable things in their adult relationships. “This is why it’s very important for you to teach your children that if something has happened it is not your fault, and you’re such a good child for coming and telling me about it,” the actress stated.
You can listen to the full interview here.
