7/31/2019 Snatching a Knife, He Sliced off her Nose, the Symbol of Family Honour in Pakistan

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SnatchingaKnife,HeSlicedoffherNose,theSymbolofFamilyHonourinPakistan

Jun2,2012

THATHAPIRA,PAKISTAN:Aftersixyearsofabuse,AllahRakhiwaswalkingoutofhermarriagewhenherhusbandstruckagain.Snatchingaknife,heslicedoffhernose."You'renolongerbeautiful!"heshouted.

Hethenslashedatherfoot-brutalpunishmentforleavingthehousewithouthispermission.

"Awomanisonlyawomaninsidethehome,outsideshe'sawhore!"heyelledatRakhiasshelaybleedingonthedustystreetjustoutsideherhome.

Thatwas32yearsago.

Allthattime,Rakhihidherdisfiguredfaceunderaveil.TheninMarch,asurgeontookuphercase.Hecutfleshfromherribsandfashioneditintoanewnose,transformingherlife.

WhilethedetailsofeverycaseofviolenceagainstPakistaniwomandiffer,manyarebasedonaconceptof"familyhonour."Womencanbetargetedforsuspicionofanaffair,wishingtodivorceordressinginappropriately.Hundredswomenare

murderedeachyearbecauseofmeresuspicions.

ThenoseisconsideredthesymboloffamilyhonourinPakistan-explainingwhyawoman'snoseisoftenthetargetofspousalabuse.Apopularpleafromparentstochildrenis"Pleasetakecareofournose,"whichmeans,"don'tdoanythingthattarnishesthereputationofthefamily."

Rootedintribalideasthatawoman'schastityisthepropertyoftheman,honourkillingsarepracticedinmuchoftheArabworldandSouthAsia.TheyhavealsobeencarriedoutbyimmigrantsfromthoseregionstotheWest.

Pakistanicourtshaveahistoryoflettingoffoffendersorgivingthemonlylightpunishment,assumingthecasesgettotrialatall.

Rakhi'shusband,forexample,servedjust10monthsinjailbeforebeingreleasedinexchangeforacommitmenttopayhermedicalbills.Heneverdid.

Accuratestatisticsontheextentofhonorcrimesarehardtocomeby,becausemanycasesgounreportedoraresettledoutofcourtunderpressurefromthefamiliesofthevictimandtheattacker.

TheHumanRightsCommissionofPakistansaidthatin2011,atleast943womenweremurdered,ninehadtheirnosescutoff,98weretortured,47setonfireand38attackedwithacid.

Effortstointroducestrongerlawstoincreasepunishmentsforviolenceagainst

womenhavebeenblockedbyanIslamistpoliticalpartywhichpubliclysupportstheTalibaninneighboringAfghanistan.Theparty,JamiatUlemaIslam,isamemberoftherulingcoalition.

Thelowerhousesofparliamentpassedthebill,buttheJUIispreventingitspassagethroughtheupperhouse.

"Wewillneverletithappen,"saidJUIsenatorMaulanaGhafoorHaideri,whosaidthebillwasanattemptto"Westernize"Pakistan."Itwillruinourfamilyinstitutions,"hesaid.

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ShadBegum,PakistanirightactivistswhoreceivedtheU.S.InternationalWomanofCourageawardfromfirstladyMichelleObamathisyear,saidfirmerlawsandbetterenforcementaretheonlysolutiontoviolenceagainstwoman.

"Ourleadersneedtotakeafirmstand,"shesaid."Ifamanmakesawomanavictim,ormakesan'exampleoutofher'ashebelieves,ourcourtsshouldalsomakeanexampleoutofhim."

Rakhiwasattackedwhenshewas19,afterbeingmarriedat13.Despitebeingillegal,childmarriagesremaincommoninpartsofPakistan.

Followingtheattack,sheworkedtosupportherselfandherdaughter,paintingflowersonpotsinafactoryandbuyingandsellingclothesinmarketsacrossthecountry,allthetimehiddenbehindaveil.

"Idiedeverymoment,"Rakhisaidinherthree-roommudandbrickhouseinavillagehiddenamongthewheatfieldsofPakistan'sPunjabprovince.

Rakhi'shusbanddivorcedhersoonafterhewasreleasedfromprison,shesaid.

Inabizarretwist,the51-year-oldwomannowlivesagainunderthesameroofashim-somethingsheclaimsasa"victory,"butalsoperhapspointstoherpovertyandlackofalternatives.

Rakhi'ssonpersuadedhertoreturnhome,anxiousforhertohaveamorecomfortablelife.

Onarecentvisit,thehusbandscootedoutofthehouseasRakhiwelcomedareporter,andhedidnotmadehimselfavailableforcomment.

Shesaidsheneverstoppedhopingforanewnose,butdoctorswereunwillingtooperatebecauseshesuffersfromhepatitisC,aliverconditionthatcancomplicatesurgery.

Itwasherdaughterwhogaveherthechance.Shewasworkinginthecapital,Islamabad,ataninstitutethatprovidestrainingforwomanrecoveringfromhaving

acidthrownontheirfaces.SheintroducedRakhitotheAcidSurvivorsFoundation,whichputherintouchwithasurgeon.

Dr.HamidHasantookhercaseforfree.Askedwhyhewouldtakethechance,heanswered,"Herpleas.Hertears."

Atafollowupappointmentlastmonth,Hasantouchedthescarswherethestitchesoncewereonhernoseandforehead.

Rakhiwincedslightly,andsmiledasthesurgeontookhishandsaway.

Hasansaidherpositiveattitudewasimportantfortheotheroperationsshemustundergointhecomingmonths.

"ThankGodIdidnotcommitsuicide,"Rakhisaid."Lifeisablessing!"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/32-years-after-attack-Pakistani-woman-gets-nose/articleshow/13736025.cms

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