In many Muslim countries, rape is common but the idea that there should be four witnesses to prove the rape can be hard to produce as rape can take place when the aggressor and the victim are totally alone.Some women prefer not to report the rapist for fear of scandal as sex outside marriage or rape is seen as dishonouring their family.
The Islamic law or sharia condemning the aggressor to flagging or death is practised in very few countries like Saudi Arabia. In other Muslim countries like Morocco the penalty is imprisonment and a fine or the aggressor with the consent of the victim in case of deflowering her should marry her.
Another point is that in many Islamic countries rape within marriage isn’t recognised as the woman should be at the beck and call of her husband even in sexual matters. But in countries like Morocco, there are associations formed to help women in difficulties with their husbands, including the sexual abuse they can be exposed to.
In view of the traditional restrictions on sexual freedom in Muslim countries and the desire for a romantic relation, many women fall victims to rape resulting in deflowering which is considered as a loss of dignity for the woman and a dishonour to her family.
To deal with the problem of rapes and to have real statistics about it in the Muslim world, taboos on this should be lifted and open debates should be organised to sensitise women about the legal procedures they should follow as well as sensitizing societies and families to provide the victim with support instead of looking down on her as a shame to her surrounding.
1 comment:
I just have a problem with you continuously using the words "Muslim" and "Islamic countries" no counrty on the face of this planet correctly uses or carries out Islamic law, and lets not forget that other religons do exist in those countries. In Islamic law 4 witnesses are needed to prove adultry not to prove rape a DNA test is enough to prove rape. About Islamic law allowing rape within marrige well if she doesn't want to be with him she should get a divorce. I agree that women in Middle Eastern (not Muslim) countries should be more educated in terms of thier options but lets not forget that even in the west alot of women choose not to report, so its not something restricted to that part of the world. Women all over the world should be able to find reassurance that the people who do these kinds of things wont go unpunished and that those women will be protected so the men who assaulted them will never be able to get near them again.
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