Culture and Control
In Pakistan, culture and patriarchy shape everyday life by complicating women’s roles in both public and private spaces. Women must navigate layers of restrictions, family structures, cultural norms, and violent behavior in public. These pressures undermine their autonomy and limit their ability to act safely. This is not a reflection of their personal choices but of a culture that normalizes the desire to control and monitor women’s lives.
Framed as Property, Not People
Many cultures, including ours, frame women as something to “protect.” Male trustees: fathers, brothers, and husbands- take on this role, while women are denied agency over their own safety. Society dictates how late a woman can stay out, whether she may travel alone, and even what she should wear. When violence or harassment occurs, blame often shifts to her decisions instead of society’s failure to hold violators accountable.
This leads to a pressing question: why does Pakistan place the burden of safety on women rather than on society as a whole? Streets remain unsafe, workplaces lack accountability, and the legal system continues to fail survivors. Instead of confronting perpetrators, culture pushes women into “safe” zones, limiting both mobility and dreams.
Yet, women across Pakistan are resisting. They demand safer public transport, organize marches for justice, and call for equal rights in every sphere. Their voices challenge the notion that safety should remain conditional. True change will come only when men and institutions—not women—carry the responsibility to make society safe.
