Saving Face and the Rape Epidemic

One of the most interesting topics of conversation that I thought were raised during our discussion of Saving Face was the link between the epidemic of acid attacks in Pakistan and the epidemic of rape in the United States. For us, viewing this film as Americans, we were all shocked by the atrocities that are being commited against women in Pakistan; however, we are experiencing equally horrifying acts of violence against women (and men, for that matter) in our own country. That being said, I think many of us are desensitized to the epidemic of rape in the U.S. because we are too exposed to it. There is seldom a night on the local news that you do not hear about someone getting raped or sexually assaulted. We have become to accustomed to rape occuring in our communities that it hardly even seems like a big deal anymore.

This makes me question the way that acid attacks were being perceived in Pakistan. If, for us Americans, rapes and sexual assaults are often overlooked, then are acid attacks on women being overlooked in Pakistan? It's clear from the documentary that, until recently, there was no law that adequately punished those who commited acid attacks on women in Pakistan. In the U.S., similarly, there are laws that certainly punish rapists and people who commit acts of sexual violence. However, the question that sparks my curiosity is why are these acts being commited in the first place? What is the target against women in so many different societies? As we discussed in class, the differences in the societies of Pakistan and the United States are vast-- so why is it that one of the few similarities is in violence against women? Could these attacks, both in Pakistan and the United States, be considered hate crimes against women? What can be done to ensure that the overall safety of women is more secure all over the world?