Social media users are outraged at YouTuber Shahveer Jafry for his recent TikTok video that features a “choking” prank on his wife.
The video shows Jafry attempting to smother his wife with a pillow, and then getting angry when he fails to do so.
Netizens criticized the content of the video, calling it ridiculous and dangerous, especially in a country where women are victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and domestic violence.
41.3k likes on a video where tiktoker, Shahveer Jafry, chokes his wife as a joke in a country where domestic violence is rampant, where women ACTUALLY get killed by their husbands! My blood is boiling pic.twitter.com/goDLfwc4DE
— Nishat (@nishat218) April 17, 2023
Founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, Kanwal Ahmed, said that famous YouTubers find it “funny” to make a reel around choking your wife, adding that this type of joke is very triggering for actual victims of GBV.
These jokes are not funny. We don’t need to defend such jokes or normalize them.
Also I’m pretty sure that reel by Shahveer Jafry is very triggering for actual victims of GBV.— Kanwal Ahmed (@kanwalful) April 17, 2023
Ahmed stressed that such pranks should not be defended or normalized and that content creators have a responsibility to be mindful of the impact their actions may have on their audience. Many other users found the content “disgusting” and “shocking.”
That’s disgusting. You can’t show things like these without out even thinking about the implications. Especially when so many people follow you.
— namra Mahmood (@namra_793) April 17, 2023
This is not an appropriate or acceptable behavior. Domestic violence is a serious issue, and it’s never a laughing matter. #shaveerjafry #SayNoToDomesticViolence https://t.co/WWpVVLI5Pl
— بسمہ رفیق (@BismaRafique) April 17, 2023
