Who Killed Beauty Blogger Amna Atiq?

Amna Atiq, a well known beauty blogger, was trapped in a domestically violent marriage, and pushed back into it by a father more concerned about his ‘social image’. 

Recently a very heartbreaking story has come to light where an independent working woman who happened to be a beauty blogger and owner of a beauty brand killed herself after going live on Facebook.

*Trigger warning – domestic violence, suicide

A disastrous first marriage she was forced into

Amna Atiq owned an eyelash brand and co-founded a company named ‘Bonitaaz’. Her father is an Australian National. He got Amna married to a man she knew nothing about, at a very young age, against her will. She loved another man, but her father rejected him saying that he wasn’t earning well. So, Amna married the man of her father’s choice in 2013.

Soon after marriage, Amna found out that her husband was a drug addict, an alcoholic and even had extra-marital relations! He physically, mentally and emotionally abused Amna, causing her severe depression. Her husband threw her out of the house. Amna told her father all about the torture by her husband. But her father did not support her. So she went back to her husband.

She gave birth to a girl in 2015, but it couldn’t save the marriage and they got divorced at the end of 2015. After the divorce from her husband of arranged marriage, Amna met once again the man she loved earlier. He made her feel good about herself by showing her the love and respect she deserved. Amna felt happy, loved and safe with him. Soon she got married to him.

A disastrous second marriage too

But as the destiny had planned it, her second husband with whom Amna had her second marriage, turned out to be the same as the first one. He also began to physically, emotionally and mentally abuse her. He constantly taunted her about her first marriage, beat her, and inflicted much pain on her, like burning her hands and so on.

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Amna went back to her father for his protection, but instead of supporting his daughter, he feared his social reputation.

Thinking about “What will people say?” her father refused to help Amna and shut the door on the face of his daughter and little innocent grand daughter. He blatantly asked her to go back to the man who tortured her. He threatened to get her killed if she even thought of divorcing her second husband! What a man!

Depression, domestic violence, and no support

Amna Atiq had no one in her life to support her. She found some consolation in the virtual world where she was loved and followed by many. She was under depression. She decided to end her life.

Before taking the extreme step of ending her life, she went LIVE on Facebook and had a chat with her followers. She cried helplessly in that, and narrated the ordeal she was going through in her life.

Amna revealed that her second husband felt jealous and insecure of her, as she was an independent woman earning her own money, and so he used to torture her.

Amna was part of a closed Facebook group where she did live videos and shared makeup tips with other women. A few days before her death by suicide, Amna came live on the group for sharing makeup tips, but when people saw her finger which was burnt they showed sympathy and asked her to talk about that.

Amna broke down and told she was going through a tough time. Her second husband was mean and abusive to her. People advised her to go back to her dad on which she said, her dad wanted her to stay in the abusive marriage and even threatened to get her killed if she tried to escape.

Till when will this violence continue?

Police has not yet given any statement on Amna’s death, but it appears that she was forced to die of suicide due to apathy from her husband and her father. Amna loved her daughter a lot and felt extremely sad about leaving her alone.

Amna Atiq’s death is a slap on our society- a society which claims to be trying to bridge the gender gap and becoming inclusive for all. It forces us to think –

When will we stop blaming the women for whatever wrong happens?

When will we rise above an extremely patriarchal mindset?

When will we stop teaching the women to ‘protect themselves’ and start teaching the men to behave right?

If fighting for women’s rights and freedom is given a bad name by other fellow women, how can we ever expect a society giving respect to women?

Come on, fight for what is right- don’t feel shy and hesitant for the same. Amna Atiq belongs to Pakistan, but represents women all over the world fighting for their rights and dignity. Please show support to her.

If you or anyone you know is feeling suicidal, here are some of the helplines available in India. Please call. 

Aasra, Mumbai: 022-27546669

Sneha, Chennai: 044-2464 0050

Lifeline, Kolkata: 033-2474 4704

Sahai, Bangalore: 080–25497777

Roshni, Hyderabad: 040-66202000, 040-66202001

Image source: facebook

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