Equality in Islam?

[van]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091215/ap_ ... harassment

Harassment across Arab world drives women inside

By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer Sarah El Deeb, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 15, 8:43 am ET
CAIRO – The sexual harassment of women in the streets, schools and work places of the Arab world is driving them to cover up and confine themselves to their homes, said activists at the first-ever regional conference addressing the once taboo topic.

Activists from 17 countries across the region met in Cairo for a two-day conference ending Monday and concluded that harassment was unchecked across the region because laws don't punish it, women don't report it and the authorities ignore it.

The harassment, including groping and verbal abuse, is a daily experience women in the region face and makes them wary of going into public spaces, whether it's the streets or jobs, the participants said. It happens regardless of what women are wearing.

With more and more women in schools, the workplace and politics, roles have changed but often traditional attitudes have not. Experts said in some places, like Egypt, harassment appears sometimes to be out of vengeance, from men blaming women for denied work opportunities.

Amal Madbouli, who wears the conservative face veil or niqab, told The Associated Press that despite her dress, she is harassed and described how a man came after her in the streets of her neighborhood.

"He hissed at me and kept asking me if I wanted to go with him to a quieter area, and to give him my phone number," said Madbouli, a mother of two. "This is a national security issue. I am a mother, and I want to be reassured when my daughters go out on the streets."

Statistics on harassment in the region have until recently been nonexistent, but a series of studies presented at the conference hinted at the widespread nature of the problem.

As many as 90 percent of Yemeni women say they have been harassed, while in Egypt, out of a sample of 1,000, 83 percent reported being verbally or physically abused.

A study in Lebanon reported that more than 30 percent of women said they had been harassed there.

"We are facing a phenomena that is limiting women's right to move ... and is threatening women's participation in all walks of life," said Nehad Abul Komsan, an Egyptian activist who organized the event with funding from the U.N. and the Swedish development agency.

Harassment has long been a problem in Mideast nations. But it was little discussed until three years ago, when blogs gave posted amateur videos showing a crowd of men assaulting women in downtown Cairo during a major Muslim holiday in one of the most shocking harassment incidents in the region.

The public outcry sparked an unprecedented public acknowledgment of the problem in Egypt and elsewhere in the region, and drove the Egyptian government to consider two draft bills addressing sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment, including verbal and physical assault, has been specifically criminalized in only half a dozen Arab countries over the past five years. Most of the 22 Arab states outlaw overtly violent acts like rape or lewd acts in public areas, according to a study by Abul Komsan.

Participants at the conference said men are threatened by an increasingly active female labor force, with conservatives laying the blame for harassment on women's dress and behavior.

In Syria, men from traditional homes go shopping in the market place instead of female family members to spare them harassment, said Sherifa Zuhur, a Lebanese-American academic at the conference.

Abul Komsan described how one of the victims of harassment she interviewed told her she had taken on the full-face veil to stave off the hassle.

"She told me 'I have put on the niqab. By God, what more can I do so they leave me alone,'" she said, quoting the woman. Some even said they were reconsidering going to work or school because of the constant harassment in the streets and on public transpiration.

Where segregation between the sexes is the norm and women are sheltered by religious or tribal customs, cases of sexual harassment are still common at homes and in the times when women must venture out, whether to markets, hospitals or government offices.

In Yemen, where nearly all women are covered from head to toe, activist Amal Basha said 90 percent of women in a published study reported harassment, specifically pinching.

"The religious leaders are always blaming the women, making them live in a constant state of fear because out there, someone is following them," she said.

If a harassment case is reported in Yemen, Basha added, traditional leaders interfere to cover it up, remove the evidence or terrorize the victim.

In Saudi Arabia, another country where women cover themselves completely and are nearly totally segregated from men in public life, women report harassment as well, according to Saudi activist Majid al-Eissa.

His organization, the National Family Safety Program, has been helping draft a law criminalizing violence against women in the conservative kingdom, where flirting can often cross the line into outright assault. Discussion of the law begins Tuesday.

"It will take time especially in this part of the world to absorb the gender mixture and the role each gender can play in society," he said. "We are coping with changes (of modern life), except in our minds."

[FinalEnigma]

Here is some stats of rapes and molestations, which clearly shows that the most targeted women are of west, who dont like to cover themselves.

Care to bring evidence:) ,
Also, you are admiting cleanly that rape and molestation is more and high in west, and the reason is well-known.

You know TR you are absolutely correct rape is much higher in the west in fact Europe is going through what they are calling a rape epidemic. The vast majority of these rapes are being committed by muslim

http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/7 ... c.htmls.

It seems islamic men have no capabilty to control themselves and of course why should they when the culture they grew up in does not require them to control themselves and in fact their religion condones such behavior.

Just as a note, that link didn't work for me. Don't know if that is true for others.

[Wyvern]

Here is some stats of rapes and molestations, which clearly shows that the most targeted women are of west, who dont like to cover themselves.

Care to bring evidence:) ,
Also, you are admiting cleanly that rape and molestation is more and high in west, and the reason is well-known.

You know TR you are absolutely correct rape is much higher in the west in fact Europe is going through what they are calling a rape epidemic. The vast majority of these rapes are being committed by muslim

http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/7 ... c.htmls.

It seems islamic men have no capabilty to control themselves and of course why should they when the culture they grew up in does not require them to control themselves and in fact their religion condones such behavior.

Just as a note, that link didn't work for me. Don't know if that is true for others.

Fixed it, thanks for the heads up.

[TrueReligion]

Your argument for 21st century shows very childish approach, it means we should abandon all the religions, and live life without any religion.

I don't see the problem with this idea and as has been seen in europe, Japan and parts of america many others also have no problem living without religion.

The person who give this remark for 21st century, is a practical christian, and strong in his faith, sorry but this is only for him. No hard feelings Wyvern

[TrueReligion]

Your argument for 21st century shows very childish approach, it means we should abandon all the religions, and live life without any religion. Than why we are here on this site? This site should also not be there as well right?

You have yourself a deal.

So you can close this site,and close all the churches, temples masjids in the world? you will start this?

[TrueReligion]

Here is some stats of rapes and molestations, which clearly shows that the most targeted women are of west, who dont like to cover themselves.

Care to bring evidence:) ,
Also, you are admiting cleanly that rape and molestation is more and high in west, and the reason is well-known.

You know TR you are absolutely correct rape is much higher in the west in fact Europe is going through what they are calling a rape epidemic. The vast majority of these rapes are being committed by muslim

http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/7 ... mic.html

It seems islamic men have no capabilty to control themselves and of course why should they when the culture they grew up in does not require them to control themselves and in fact their religion condones such behavior.

It will bring only counter attack from my side, as you have given only 1 incidence, and I can give plenty of these, which rejects that muslims are doing most rape in west.
And ofcourse it looks funny what you said, as its proven already by all media, that the rapists are all either christians, or other non-muslims.

But Im adviced by other members, not to show any counter attack like this, as its not a good debate form,

But realy what youve shown here, is showing how much false attack on Islam is done by west

[Goat]

Your argument for 21st century shows very childish approach, it means we should abandon all the religions, and live life without any religion.

I don't see the problem with this idea and as has been seen in europe, Japan and parts of america many others also have no problem living without religion.

The person who give this remark for 21st century, is a practical christian, and strong in his faith, sorry but this is only for him. No hard feelings Wyvern

Can you give me the reason that the Taliban are so worrying blowing up girls schools

[TrueReligion]

Your argument for 21st century shows very childish approach, it means we should abandon all the religions, and live life without any religion.

I don't see the problem with this idea and as has been seen in europe, Japan and parts of america many others also have no problem living without religion.

The person who give this remark for 21st century, is a practical christian, and strong in his faith, sorry but this is only for him. No hard feelings Wyvern

Can you give me the reason that the Taliban are so worrying blowing up girls schools

Its some political issue, rather than religious issue Goat. Maybe its same reason as when Israel blowup children school with children inside in Palestine.

Charge: Israel's Phosphorus Bomb Use Violated "Rules of War"



If it was religious issue, other local religious people would also be involved in this, but every1 condemn that.
Also, many official news were given by Pakistan Army as well, that in the dress of Taliban, they found many Hindus, which were disguised in Taliban dress, and making trouble in Pakistan and doing terrorist activities.

http://www.pakspectator.com/indians-fig ... res-proof/

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Pictures of Uzbek and Gurkhas non-Muslim militants killed during the Pakistani military sweep of the Swat Valley. These exclusive pictures show that they are uncircumcised. Their facial features prove they could be Gurkha fighters whom the Indian and the British militaries use to fight in mountainous regions. The Americans have also hired some of them. The pictures also show that some of theses killed terrorists could be Uzbeks from Abdul Rasheed Dostom’s murderous militias in Afghanistan that are allied with the U.S. occupation army and Kabul’s puppet government.


Can;t put the picture here Goat, as its not good, better check yourself, I'am giving you Pakistani site, which is more official than your yahoo site.

[Goat]

Your argument for 21st century shows very childish approach, it means we should abandon all the religions, and live life without any religion.

I don't see the problem with this idea and as has been seen in europe, Japan and parts of america many others also have no problem living without religion.

The person who give this remark for 21st century, is a practical christian, and strong in his faith, sorry but this is only for him. No hard feelings Wyvern

Can you give me the reason that the Taliban are so worrying blowing up girls schools

Its some political issue, rather than religious issue Goat. Maybe its same reason as when Israel blowup children school with children inside in Palestine.
.

Is it the same? when Hamas is using a school to launch rocket attacks, do you think that people won't respond?

What is the political reasoning behind the taliban targeting girls schools? I say it's the same reason they beat women who go out in public.

[Wyvern]

It will bring only counter attack from my side, as you have given only 1 incidence, and I can give plenty of these, which rejects that muslims are doing most rape in west.

I disagree with you and you disagree with me, I agree with you and you still disagree with me. I guess there's no pleasing some people. If you had actually read the link I gave you would have noted that it shows a number of individual cases along with stats from most of the scandinavian countries which show that over 65% of all rapes in those countries are being committed by muslim immigrants. If you want to counter those numbers feel free to go over the crime data of the countries noted.

And ofcourse it looks funny what you said, as its proven already by all media, that the rapists are all either christians, or other non-muslims.

The data from these countries say otherwise.

But realy what youve shown here, is showing how much false attack on Islam is done by west

Simply because it shines an ugly light on an aspect of a culture coes not mean that it is wrong. The west has a long history of shining that same kind of light onto many of its own bad behaviors.

[Wyvern]

Its some political issue, rather than religious issue Goat. Maybe its same reason as when Israel blowup children school with children inside in Palestine.

If you are going to use a school as a launch site for rockets you have to expect counter battery fire is going to hit it. Terrorists commonly use civilians as unwilling human shields so I don't think hamas is in any position to complain when what they knew would happen in relation to their action happened.

If it was religious issue, other local religious people would also be involved in this, but every1 condemn that.
Also, many official news were given by Pakistan Army as well, that in the dress of Taliban, they found many Hindus, which were disguised in Taliban dress, and making trouble in Pakistan and doing terrorist activities.

It is well known that the two countries have been squabbling since their founding as you say, this is political not religious.

http://www.pakspectator.com/indians-fig ... res-proof/

Can;t put the picture here Goat, as its not good, better check yourself, I'am giving you Pakistani site, which is more official than your yahoo site.

Actually the article came from former Pakistani journalist Ahmed Quraishi and is not in any way official. http://www.ahmedquraishi.com/article_ ... p?id=685