Zainab Ansari: Women speak out about sex abuse following horrific rape and murder of Pakistani girl

Pakistani women have taken to social media to share their own accounts of sexual abuse in protest of the murder and rape of child that sent shockwaves through the country.

Zainab Ansari, who was believed to be between six and eight years old, was abducted on January 4 as she walked to her Quran lesson. Her body was found days later, dumped on a rubbish heap.

The distressing autopsy results suggested she had been sexually assaulted, raped and possibly tortured before she was strangled.

Her killing sparked furious clashes between police and protesters demanding justice and re-ignited the debate on the prevalence of child sex abuse in a country that often neglects sexual education.

Women have spoken out about their own personal experiences, sharing the hashtag #JusticeForZainab, in an attempt to raise awareness of sexual assault and the lack of crucial education in teaching children about predators.

Actor Nadia Jamil was one of the better-known victims to speak out, saying she was just four-years-old when she was first sexually abused.

“I was four the first time I was abused sexually. I was in college when it blew out of proportion,” she wrote.

Highlighting that, in Pakistan, victims are often shamed for speaking out about abuse, she added: “People tell me not to talk to respect my family’s honour. Is my family’s honour packed in my body? I am a proud, strong, loving survivor. No shame on me or my kids. Only pride 4 being me.”

Model Frieha Altaf also claimed she was abused by her cook when she was six-years-old. “My parents took action but everyone remained silent as if it was my shame,” she wrote.

“At 34 I realised how it had impacted my life. The only shame is keeping SILENT #ChildAbuse #shame #NoMoreChildAbuse #MeToo #JusticeForZainab #HowToStopChildAbuse.”

Campaigners and experts have responded to the murder by calling for Pakistani authorities to educate children better on what is inappropriate and show teachers how to recognise signs of abuse.

The conservative country sees speaking openly about sex, even in an educational manner, as a taboo that should not be done in front of innocent children.

But experts have suggested that, according to cases reported in the media, there has been a 10 per cent increase in child sex abuse in Pakistan in the past year. And the city that Zaiab was from, Kasur, is no exception.

As recently as 2015, a paedophile ring was discovered in Kasur which abused more than 200 children and sold videos of the abuse.