Tiktoker Kanwal Aftab has faced severe criticism online after advising her 2.8 million followers that women should “support” abusive husbands.
During an Instagram question and answer session, a fan asked Aftab how a woman could cope with an abusive husband when she couldn’t find a good job. In response, Aftab suggested, “Try to support him. Motivate him. Divorce is not an option.”
This harmful advice sparked backlash on social media, with Kanwal Ahmed, Founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, calling out the Tiktoker. Ahmed shared a screenshot of Aftab’s response and questioned whether it meant women should cheer on their abusive husbands or remind them to continue the abuse.
Ahmed also highlighted another response from Aftab, where she suggested that women should support their husbands to improve their situation. Ahmed tweeted, “Women don’t get married to ‘fix’ abusive men or to support and validate their violent behavior.”
Social media users condemned the display of misogyny and criticized Aftab for making irresponsible statements on a public platform. Many questioned why the burden of fixing the marriage always falls on women and emphasized that it is never a woman’s responsibility to endure domestic violence.
A user wrote, “Extremely irresponsible and callous. This is her privilege not to have experienced the trauma so many helpless women go through, speaking. The apathy here is just sad.”
Another user wrote, “I wish more celebrities, tiktokers, and influencers would have the sense to say “we don’t have enough information or expertise to give you advice regarding this” rather than giving half-baked advice on topics they clearly don’t understand. What if that woman ends up being killed?”
A user called out both Kanwal and Nadir Ali for passing offending remarks, “These have gained overnight fame by making third-tier & unfruitful content & I’m amazed as to how people are expecting a learned response from them. The other video doing rounds is of P4Pakao prankster Nadir who is questioning guests’ faith. Says ‘Allah Hidayat dega’ on her face.”
The incident sheds light on the concerning issue of celebrities turning a blind eye to abusive relationships and encouraging women to endure rather than leave. It highlights the importance of raising awareness about domestic violence and promoting a culture of support and empowerment for survivors.
