Iraqi Women and Rape
Rape and war go hand in hand. That's the lesson of history. That's the lesson of Iraq. Iraqi women are being raped and for the most part are silent about it. The rapists, unfortunately, will get away.
When Sabreen al Janabi came forward with accusations of rape, the issue became a sectrarian one. Those who did not believe her, and in fact just issued a warrant for her arrest on the grounds that she's has more than one husband, tarnished her reputation. Her supporters saw in her rape a violatioin of their sunni honor and slaughtered 22 men who had nothing to do with the rape in her name. Both parties were acting as if this is the first rape that ever happened. A woman's rape is outrageous only if it fits in one group or another's politcal agenda.
But Iraqi women are being raped. We will never know how many and their rapists, in the majority of cases, will never be punished. They will live silently with the pain and stigma.
Labels: Arab women, Iraq, rape
posted by Amal A @ 9:46 AM
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Who says that these Iraqi women will always be victims? The courage to come out to speak against these rapes could inspire more women to come out or to organize for justice for women and against the occupation.
we hope so. But it takes more than speaking up. It takes changing the way women's bodies are thought of whether under the occupation or in an occupation-free Iraq.
Did you know, that it wasn't until 2001 the UN decided that rape was a crime against humanity?
This post made me think about this, could have happened much sooner.
yes, I did. I posted about it a couple of times. It was in relation to Bosnia's rape camps, I believe. Before that, it was taken for granted that rape is a side show of war and boys will be boys and all that good stuff.
Another shocking thing I find out "rape is now considered a criminal law since 2001???"
Well, just follow the fact that animal rights came before children's protection act.
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