Questions about sexual violence should be asked to perpetrators, not victims: Ayesha Omar

Pakistani actress Ayesha Omar has spoken out about the way women and children who experience sexual violence are treated questioning the tendency in society to blame victims for what happened to them.

Pakistani actress Ayesha Omar has spoken out about the way women and children who experience sexual violence are treated questioning the tendency in society to blame victims for what happened to them.

Ayesha Omar argued that attention should be focused on the actions and accountability of perpetrators rather than on the clothing, routines or personal choices of victims.

The actress shared a post on her Instagram Story highlighting the need to hold alleged perpetrators accountable instead of questioning women who experience sexual violence or placing responsibility on them for the attacks.

The post pointed out that cases of sexual violence have involved women, children, men and even deceased individuals. Despite this questions are often directed toward women about what they were wearing, when they left their homes and why they went outside.

The central question raised in the post was why society does not focus on understanding why men commit sexual violence instead of blaming victims for the abuse they experience.

Through the message Ayesha Omar drew attention to social attitudes toward victims and the importance of determining responsibility for sexual violence.

She shared the post at a time when several cases of sexual violence have been widely discussed in the media once again raising questions about the protection of victims access to justice and accountability for alleged perpetrators.

The actress’s remarks have brought renewed attention to the broader debate surrounding victim-blaming, consent, accountability and society’s response to sexual violence.