Fatima says women 'afraid' to speak of abuse due to financial dependence on husbands
Fatima says women 'afraid' to speak of abuse due to financial dependence and worry about who'd take care of them or children if opt for divorce
July 23, 2019
LAHORE: Fatima Sohail, the wife of Pakistani actor Mohsin Abbas Haider, whom she accused of cheating and domestic abuse, said Monday she was "getting so many messages from women saying that they’re going through similar situations".
Sohail spoke to the media following a visit to the local police station. She talked about how the case had changed for her because it was not just herself that she was fighting for but other women as well.
"The women told me ‘we did not — we still don't — have the kind of courage that you have but we're living with abusive husbands who beat us very often’," she said.
"I sort of went into shock because I [spoke up and] was going to fight for my child's rights but this is so prevalent … this is something else. I’m now fighting for my women as well. Take a stand, come out, and speak up!
"God is the one who takes care of us all. These women are often financially weak, they think ‘who will take care of me, who will take care of my children?’," she noted.
Fatima Sohail further underlined that "these women are afraid" of being utterly financially dependent on their husbands and "it’s worrisome".
She urged the women who were facing domestic abuse and violence to take a step forward. "Please come out and speak up. Women have said to me they want to soak up but I’m not sure if they would actually be able to or not. They just have the same fear — being financially weak.”
Later, outside the police station, she said she was going to stay determined about her application. "Whatever they asked, I'm telling them," she noted.
However, she said: "The FIR [first information report] is still not being registered. I don't know what the reason behind this is or if there is any kind of pressure from somewhere but the FIR was not registered."
In response to a reporter's question about how she should have a medical test done in order to file the FIR on the basis of a subsequent report, Sohail said: "I have told you over and over again that the pictures I shared on social media were from 2018 and in the four years of my marriage, I was abused often.
"I never had the intention to come out in the public" about this. "I couldn't open my mouth because he slapped me so hard," she said.
Read more:
