Abeer Mishkhas explains how the Ministry of Justice's outrageous handling of the now-infamous gang rape case has reinforced misogynistic social attitudes:
Last Sunday, along with the rest of the world, Saudi Arabia celebrated a day dedicated to Eliminating Violence Against Women. Newspapers carried articles and editorials on the importance of the day and TV naturally gave the day a lot of coverage. Aside from celebrations, speeches and good intentions, we need to remember that the problem of violence against women and children has not gone away...
We cannot but see the irony of the day against the backdrop of the continuing coverage of the Qatif girl and how her story has turned from a clear case of rape to a bigger and wider one that at its core includes terrible violence.
The girl’s case which has attracted international attention, including comments from American presidential hopefuls, remains unresolved. We note a shift in public discourse concerning this case; it has effectively turned from a gang rape — in which the rapists were the perpetrators — to a case of seduction in which the girl is the seducer and guilty party...
To take the discussion further, we must wonder about the description of the girl’s appearance which was in a statement from the Ministry of Justice. The statement says she threw her clothes aside. Can we accept such a statement?...
The statements seem to imply that the girl herself was the cause of the rape. After all, she was allegedly involved in an immoral relationship with the man she went out with. The implication has been that the rapists were lured into their crime because of the indecency they saw in front of them...
It has been interesting to follow the online comments from readers and members of the public about the case. A shift in perspective has become very clear; now there are voices asking for stoning and some are asking for death — for the girl of course...
it was but a single step from there to thinking that she violated a social taboo and so she deserved what she got. And we are celebrating the International Day for Eliminating Violence Against Women. Here I drop my pen.
Thanks for the coverage. Sounds like the discussions are finally heading the right directions.
Posted by: mp3 search | March 05, 2010 at 03:51 AM
Or maybe they'll request Everyday is Like Sunday: "Come, come, nuclear bomb..."
Posted by: dr dre beats headphones | December 01, 2011 at 08:05 PM