Mukhtar Mai: Pakistan rape victim gets married

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7947458.stm

Mukhtar Mai married at a simple ceremony

A Pakistani gang rape victim who won international acclaim as a campaigner for women’s rights has married.

Mukhtar Mai wed a policeman who is still married to another woman. He threatened to divorce his first wife if she did not marry him.

Ms Mai said she decided to do so to avoid family break-up.

Four men raped Ms Mai as punishment after her 12-year-old brother was accused of adultery in 2002, but she fought to have her attackers convicted.

She ignored taboos about her ordeal, becoming a champion for women’s rights.

Six men arrested and sentenced to death in connection with the gang rape are still in custody pending a retrial.

Mukhtar Mai’s case in Pakistan

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/mukhtar-mais-case-in-pakistan/

By Nicholas Kristof

I’ve often written about Mukhtar Mai, the Pakistani woman who used compensation money from a gang-rape to start schools and a women’s shelter. She’s one of my heroes, and lately there are some signs of funny business concerning the legal case against her attackers. Mukhtar has deeply offended the local feudal elites by championing the poor and pointing out the degree to which corruption protects the elites when they rape or abuse poor women. It’s no secret that some of those feudal families would like to see Mukhtar put in her place, even killed, and I hope the latest burst of activity doesn’t reflect that. Mukhtar’s aide, Samson Salamat, send around this note earlier today, and then Mukhtar just sent another note saying she’s deeply concerned. Here’s Samson’s note.