Rape Victim Kainat Soomro Continues Fighting On

One of her kidneys has stopped working. Another has developed stones. Doctors have recommended surgery. But she puts it off till after she gets justice. Kainat Soomro, a 21-year-old rape survivor has taken refuge in a two bedroom apartment at a rundown neighbourhood of Karachi. In 2007, at Mehar, her village in rural Sindh, she was gang raped by four men, when, 13-year old Kainat was buying toys for her niece. She was dragged and taken to an unknown place where she was raped by each of them. Defying all norms, , Kainat's family refused to settle the matter in the local Jirga, where she would have been declared Kari-- dishonoured for having s'x out of marriage.

Life for Kainat became harder after she filed a case in court against rapists and fled to Karachi. Her brother was murdered and she was attacked twice. Her two brothers and father dare not to step out as they receive death threats every day. The only source of income for the family is from salary of Kainat's sister who works as nurse in two shifts in a public hospital.

In May 2010, months before Kainat's brother was murdered, court acquitted all the four accused due to lack of evidence.

Despite a denied history of justice to rape victims in Pakistan, Kainat has the will to fight on. "I have suffered so much, how can I give up now?" she said.