Stalking case of Gharidah Farooqi

Gharidah Farooqi, a female journalist, interviews a male politician for News One in Islamabad, Pakistan.** Farooqi does her research, plans her questions, and performs her job as a journalist professionally, but that doesn’t stop the internet from ridiculing her.

Every move, gesture, and expression is analyzed by online viewers, who leave hateful comments. The clothing she wears and the questions she asks during interviews fuel an avalanche of mostly anonymous online harassment that has ridiculed her and her work for years.

“If [men] are attacked, they’re just targeted for their political views. When a woman is attacked, she’s attacked about her body parts,” says Farooqi, referring to the blatant sexism she faces in her line of work.

Farooqi’s case is one of many for female journalists worldwide and exemplifies a global epidemic of harassment that makes it difficult for women to do their jobs. The voices of thousands of female journalists have been silenced and mocked, making it a struggle for many to keep their jobs or be taken seriously in the industry.

Farooqi says she has been harassed, stalked, and threatened with rape and murder. Fake images of her have appeared on pornographic websites and social media. Some depict her holding a penis in place of her microphone, while others edit images to show her naked or engaging in sexual acts.

In October, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was asked about Farooqi while speaking to a delegation from Pakistan’s National Press Club and the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists.

Khan responded, “Wherever Gharidah Farooqi saw men, she would try to insert herself, like waving a red flag at a bull.” He then asked, “Now, how is that our fault?”

-By Serenity

15.08.2024