Recently, a harrowing and extremely WTF piece of news came to our attention where a teenager had been arrested for sexually assaulting a chicken.
Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting chicken https://t.co/1Vqx0bnRel pic.twitter.com/g6imoXpsKw
— The Express Tribune (@etribune) November 14, 2017
A 14-year-old boy was arrested in Hafizabad, Punjab for this horrifying act. The chicken’s owner filed a complaint stating that the boy had taken the chicken home where he sexually assaulted it. The boy also allegedly killed the chicken after assaulting it. Two locals were named as eyewitnesses as well. This incident has left people all over Pakistan shocked and horrified, leading to a wide array of reactions.
Obviously, some people were beyond surprised.
Just when you think nothing else can surprise you!!
Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting chicken https://t.co/fsyH0QkCqk— Colin Gillett (@colin_gillett) November 14, 2017
Others just couldn’t fully fathom what was happening in the country.
What the hell is happening in Pakistan???
— Umer (@EyUmer) November 14, 2017
Some just wondered if bas yehi baaki reh gaya tha.
Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting chicken https://t.co/Ky1T3WEEo8 is dis what
gonna happen in Pakistan now?— Sheharyar Malik (@sheharyar_pti) November 14, 2017
Others were beyond disappointed and infuriated at how even animals weren’t being spared this form of cruelty.
Even chickens are not spared in Punjab, Pakistan.
Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting chicken https://t.co/algz2kllGv pic.twitter.com/66FTGiwHHD
— Faiz Baluch (@Faiz_Baluch) November 14, 2017
However, some people didn’t want to see such pieces of news, calling the reporting of the same “disgusting” and “mannerless.”
I want ask to @etribune that is this really a news which public wants know?? Or which the care about? Or necessary for thier awareness??
Disgusting & mannerless reporting— Abdul Hadi Kaim Khani (@abdulhadikk) November 14, 2017
But others combated this train of thought immediately with logic and reasoning.
From today on wards we will not care about beastiality. No need to raise awareness about how men are at fault for raping anything to come across.
Be disgusting & manner-less like Abdul Hadi!— Ali Akber (@aliakberhabib) November 14, 2017
It was rightly pointed out that awareness about such incidents is imperative to ensure that such horrifying happenings do not happen again.
We can’t pretend that these things don’t happen and keep shoving them under the carpet. We can only fix the flaws in our country once we accept their existence in the first place.
https://twitter.com/les_griffiths60/status/930355560402255875
Moreover, some people actually highlighted an important aspect of sexual abuse in our society.
As a society, we are quick to blame victims when they are sexually assaulted. It is thus that these questions that were posed served as a reminder that one’s garb has nothing to do with sexual assault.
https://twitter.com/zeealam/status/930430998088577024
These people really drove the very same point home…
Had the chicken worn 'appropriate' clothes and not left the house without a male family member, this wouldn't have happened.
— Ali Akber (@aliakberhabib) November 14, 2017
…calling out all those who blame victims of assault.
Was the chicken dressed inappropriately! #ChickenToo Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting chicken https://t.co/IXScEstuMr #SickMinds #AnimalRights
— Samar MinAllah Khan (@SamarMinallahKh) November 14, 2017
Unfortunately, some people took this grave matter quite lightly.
https://twitter.com/mujji91/status/930365762920951808
And a few jokes were made in poor taste.
Question: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Answer: Teenager arrested in Punjab for sexually assaulting that chicken https://t.co/2eCdUgNPer
— Fishel BenKhald (@Jew_Pakistani) November 14, 2017
It seemed pretty insensitive, given the true seriousness of the matter.
Q. What came first, the chicken or the egg A. The chicken rapist https://t.co/qQ6Zjvy4Rg
— Amber Rahim Shamsi (@AmberRShamsi) November 14, 2017
And some people even dragged Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy into the matter, ridiculing two unfortunate incidents in one go.
@sharmeenochinoy you need to raise your voice for this innocent chicken.
— 804 (@ssiddiquionline) November 14, 2017
If anything, the jokes reflected a certain level of desensitization towards serious matters.
https://twitter.com/zeshangujjar77/status/930458758832099328
Some people even called out all those who made jokes about the matter.
https://twitter.com/ZarkaJamal/status/930386470677958656
Regardless, a vast majority focused on how sickening the issue truly is. And they called upon the government to take notice of the same.
The shamefulness of the deed was evident and so was the horror many Pakistanis felt.
The height of sexual frustration! Shameful indeed but what is going on in our closed society? Why is our youth so much sex-centered as well as sex-starved?
— Shahbaz Ashraf (@sh_baz) November 14, 2017
This shocking incident in Punjab has undoubtedly left many people shaken. While we may joke about such things or write them off a while later, we must try to understand the root cause. Is there pent-up sexual frustration that leads to such incidents? Perhaps, it’s due to a lack of sex education – not only in Punjab – but throughout Pakistan. We can’t let such incidents slide. The time for twiddling our thumbs and watching has passed us by light years.
What do you have to say about this? Share your thoughts in the comments.