Director Jami just opened up about why his support for the Me Too movement is much more than being an ally.
Update (December 30, 2019): this post has been updated to reflect that Jami has named his alleged rapist.
Pakistani award winning film director Jami aka Jamshed Mehmood has been very vocal in lending his support to the Me Too movement when it took off in Pakistan
Apart from talking about it openly and siding with the women who came out with their stories, he went as far as to boycott the Lux Style Awards and even threw away his Lux Style Award for best film as a protest when the award show stood by their decision to not withdraw the nomination of an accused harasser.
Lux Award for Best film Moor is now on the road outside my gate. We believe and stand by our Women stories! @Unilever @LeenaNairHR pic.twitter.com/lUwJUmaXq0
— jami (@jamiazaad) April 24, 2019
A lot of people appreciated director Jami for sharing his experience and for being vocal about it when a majority of celebrities shied away from lending their support to the Me Too movement
Last night, Jami made an admission about his support for the movement; it’s not merely as an ally but as someone who has been a victim as well. Jami opened up about his own experience with sexual assault at the hands of an unnamed media mogul.
Why im so strongly supporting #metoo ? cuz i know exactly how it happens now, inside a room then outside courts inside courts and how a survivor hides confides cuz i was brutally raped by a very powerful person in our media world. A Giant actually. and yes im taller than him but
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
While Jami mentioned that he was physically bigger than the man who assaulted him, he froze; a completely normal response that a lot of victims of sexual assault face. And which is why asking victims why they didn’t ‘fight off’ their attacker is one of the stupidest things you could possibly say.
He talked about how he was at first in disbelief and then blamed himself for it
Even 13 years after the incident.
I froze not sure why yesss it really happens and happened to me. Till this day 13 years ve passed i curse myself why i didnt take his eyes out but i was so close to this guy a friend, doing his mega shoots for his mega high end books and museum launches etc may be thats why my
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
Director Jami shared how no one believed him or laughed it off. Even his closest friends did nothing.
He then spent time with in therapy and was prescribed a lot of medications and finally left the country for a change of setting, hoping it would make him feel better. When he returned for his father’s funeral, the man who assaulted him showed up which was of course incredibly triggering for Jami and he had his grief stricken mother stop the man from entering their home.
system shut down… or i couldnt believe WTF is going on. I told my few close friends but no one took it seriously. I told them so many times with the name of this tycoon but as if im a joker or something. YES high end friends top end friends in media didnt do anything. I spent 6
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
or so month in agha khan with a therapist and the usual pills zanax or some shit screwed my head and then i left pk for few months to reboot. He came to my Fathers funeral also and instead of crying for Papa (who got to know before dying that im destroyed) i was hiding inside my
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
own home telling Mother who was also busy with her pain to run out and stop him from coming in. Fiasco fucking cant even cry for my papa. Till this day i dont ve the courage to come out and name him. Its super tough. I know my own buddies will laugh and joke or whatever shit
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
Jami went on to say that he knew he would be ridiculed for coming out about his experience but he was willing to do so for the greater good of the movement
The veracity of Me Too movement has been called into question after a teacher from Lahore allegedly committed suicide after he was allegedly falsely accused of harassment by a student.
we all desi do. Im writing this now cuz #metoo is under attack and im ready to partially vomit out my own experience. Its all true what the victims says and how they say or hide. Its all an exact same pattern a victim goes thru like clock work as if DNA has a SOS gene to shut up
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
or they all will rip u apart in the society. So one wrongful death doesnt mean all victims r fake and liars. Im pissed that they r attacking the movement and victms so im coming here today after 13 or so years to say 99.99% survivors r telling the truth always. No doubt ever!
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
Jami talked about how the sexual assault changed him as a person and even 13 years later he felt it’s effects on him and his personality
I never use to fight or this angry on social media or absurd in any way but after the incident i ve no clue how to shut up now for the victims and survivors. My personality changed in few months and its very erratic the way i talk but i promised myself i will stand for all #metoo
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
He also mentioned he knew that writing his statement meant he would come under fire and it was practically suicide for his career. How he expected to be attacked and knowing the toxic masculine culture that he would not only face victim blaming but also have his ‘manliness’ questioned since apparently, men can never fall victim to sexual assault since they should be able to ‘fight their attacker off’.
i know its a suicide what im writing right now but this is important before they harm the movement. I know now they all will attack me also, oh BC why u stayed quiet till now? Oh maan ka L…tuu mard hai ya kunjri? rape kur deita na usska pulut kur etc all attacks but its time.
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 20, 2019
Nonetheless, Jami was brave enough to talk about his experience
He did it for all survivors of sexual assault and harassment. And honestly, we are in awe of his bravery.
Ask Mukhtara mai how it feels when system doesnt see a gang rape or victim or evidence or after conviction lets go the convicts. We find one sad case and that too has University admin fault partially for stalling the clearance process. System failed him too. Truth! #metoo
— jami (@jamiazaad) October 21, 2019
On December 28, Jami said that he was raped by Hameed Haroon, the CEO of Dawn Media Group
Yes HAMEED HAROON Raped me. Im ready now. R u ready to print this @dawn_com ?
— Jami raza (@azadjami1) December 28, 2019
Jami’s powerful statement about his own harrowing tale is inspiring. If it’s hard for women to come out about experiences like these it is just as hard if not more for a Pakistani man to do this because of our culture of toxic masculinity.
More power to you Jami, and to all of those who have similarly survived.
We Talked To Male Victims Of Harassment And Sexual Abuse. Here’s What They Had To Say
Dear Men, The “Me Too” Movement Is Your Responsibility Too. Here’s How You Can Help
Cover Image Source: dawn.com