He married Pakistani women raped en masse to denounce their abusers

New Delhi, 19 March 2009. - Mass was raped on the orders of a tribal council, but unlike many women of Pakistan, Mukhtar Mai reported him and went to court in Pakistan, where, after years of struggle against the taboo of rape, just married the policeman who protected her.
"It's the dream of every woman, married and have a normal life and settled," he told Efe in a telephone interview Mukhtar Mai, 37, from his home in the village of Meerwala, located in the eastern province of Punjab Pakistan.
The dream of normal life vanished Mukhtar on June 2002 when she was kidnapped to pay an "honor killing" of her teenage brother, accused of having sex with a girl from a powerful clan.
His brother was sodomized as punishment and Mukhtar was imprisoned and raped by several men in series, but instead of keeping silent out of shame, or suicide, as a mark some tradition in Pakistan, this woman decided to take their attackers to court.
After years in various courts and resources to obtain justice, Mukhtar took his case to the highest levels of government and became a symbol of women's struggle to end the social stigma that rape carries.
His marriage collapsed on Sunday, is already part of the taboos broken by Mukhtar, but has not been without turbulence, because her new husband, a policeman charged with their protection, and is married to another woman.
"We met during the case. We talked a lot. One day, went to my parents and told them he wanted to marry me. My parents tried to convince me that was best for me, but I refused at first, "Mukhtar told Efe.
That refusal led to the police, Nasir Abbas Gabol, to attempt suicide, she says this brave Pakistani, who has spoken before the United Nations, his biography has been published and was named Woman of the Year by U.S. magazine.
Following the suicide attempt, Mukhtar went home to women and children of police to accept the proposal-legal in Islam, but Mukhtar said yes only if the first wife explained that her husband would leave his family to not get the love of the activist.
"My family said it was best for me and felt myself at the end there was nothing wrong with that. I did not put any conditions, unless I hold the right to divorce, "said Mukhtar.
According to the activist, marriage will not jeopardize their social organization, including a girls' school in Meerwala from promoting female education and the fight to eradicate honor killings are common in rural areas of southern Asia.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, every eight hours there is mass rape in the country, often as a result of punishment ordered by village councils to pay for crimes committed by male relatives of women.
"Not for the world-let-Mukhtar claimed the fight. My husband has his own space and I have mine, so we will not break the other's place. And besides, everyone in my husband's family are willing to support me. That is my mission. "
After breaking with his actions the taboo of rape and waiting for the Supreme Court of Pakistan to decide what to do with the defendants in the case, now Mukhtar Mai prepares for a new challenge: family life.
"I maintain very good relations with the other wife of my husband. I am now in my town and she came to visit yesterday. I am very happy, "he said.

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