Power play dynamics forces Pakistani girls to go silent on harassment

Young girls in elite educational institutions in Pakistan are afraid to seek justice against harassment owing to the power dynamics like threats of grades being affected, expulsion from school, or further harassment.

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) is federal legislation that is meant to prevent cybercrime. According to section 20 of the Act, "offences against the dignity of a natural person" are criminalized, as reported by a Pakistan-based media outlet.

Rights activists are of the opinion that the PECA law is being misused as a weapon against freedom of expression. A part of section 20, along with a recent amendment, titled PECA Amendment Ordinance was annulled by the Islamabad High Court, terming it unconstitutional.

As a result, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) disposed of more than 7000 complaints. This law has established an official method to sanction the harassers who are equipped with knowledge of the law and influential contacts, reported a Pakistan-based media organization.

Moreover, the punishment constitutes three years in jail and a fine worth a million rupees, reported Digital Rights Monitor.

Defamation laws are also rife with flaws. The victim must prove that their accusation is correct in order to defeat the defamation claim. But, since harassment is never planned or expected, victims are rarely able to present indisputable evidence. Lack of evidence can easily mark them as liars.

Manhoor, an alumnus of a Lahore-based high school, has helped other women in her batch share their testimonies of harassment on campus and suffered backlash as a result.

"I remember [locking] my public account which had the testimonies, and changing my username to prevent a civil defamation case," she cited, as reported by a Pakistan-based media organization.

( With inputs from ANI )