After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects (OP)
Violence against women has increased dramatically since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. They have been kidnapped, killed, raped, and even sold to foreign countries for the global prostitution network, the Woman Freedom Organization (WFO), a Baghdad-based NGO, said in a report earlier this month.
"We've studied reports from local NGOs on women's rights in the past three years, including violence, kidnappings, forced prostitution and honor killings," WFO President Senar Mohammad told Reuters. “And the extent to which women have lost their rights in Iraq is shocking."
According to the WFO study, the most worrying trend was the kidnappings of women, many of whom reported being sexually abused or tortured. "Kidnapping and raping women has become so widespread that every woman worries that she may become the next victim. Very few women are seen on the streets. It was not like that before the war, no! Many are frightened to step out of their home,” an unidentified Iraqi woman said.
More than 2,000 Iraqi women have been kidnapped since April 2003, the report said, adding that such incidents were largely unknown during Saddam Hussein’s regime. "Money has become more important than lives, and kidnapping women – easy targets because of their weakness – is a quicker way to get a good ransom," said Mohammad.
Moreover, the study says that several Iraqi women were being sold as sex workers abroad, mainly to the illegal markets in Yemen, Syria, Jordan and the Gulf States. Victims usually discover their fate only after they have been lured outside Iraq by false promises.
"They told my family that I was very beautiful and they were sure I could be a famous model outside Iraq," said one woman who was deceived by traffickers into going to Kuwait. "Because my brothers and father died in 2003, and we needed money desperately, my mother agreed that I should go."
"But I discovered that everything was a lie, and I was forced to have sexual relations with men," she said painfully. "I lost my virginity to a 65-year-old man who bought me at a very high price and who slept with me everyday until I ran away and arranged my return to Iraq."
* Sexual abuses
The report also raised concerns about the conditions of women detainees currently held in prisons run by the U.S. and UK occupation forces, pointing to the Al-Kadhimiya and Abu-Ghraib prisons in particular. "Based on our records and from anonymous information, we estimate that there are more than 250 women in these two prisons alone, who are exposed to different kinds of torture, including sexual abuses,” Mohammad said.
"I was kidnapped and sexually abused," said Surra Abdu, who spent two months in al-Kadhimiya prison. "But after I was released and reported the matter to the police, they interrogated me and hurt me more, saying I was in cahoots with my jailers." Abdu added: "Is that the freedom and security offered to us when Saddam was toppled?"
The Iraqi Interior Ministry denies that women detainees were regularly subject to mistreatment. "We're Muslims, and we know very well how to treat our women prisoners," said top ministry official Ahmed Youssifin.
But the WFO rejects the government‘s assertions, insisting that it has abundant evidence of the abuse of women detainees. "It's very difficult to believe women are being well-treated in Iraqi prisons," he said. "Many times have I seen signs of torture and beatings on their faces after they were released."
Some of the photos that U.S. guards shot at Abu Ghraib show a U.S. military policeman "having sex with an Iraqi woman," according to Maj Gen Taguba, who headed a 2005 investigation into abuses of female detainees at the hands of U.S. guards. The Taguba report also stated that U.S. guards committed other crimes against Iraqi women for their entertainment. "An Iraqi woman in her 70s had been harnessed and ridden like a donkey at Abu Ghraib and another coalition detention center after being arrested last July," the report said.
Lawyers of women prisoners also assert that U.S. guards had been raping women detainees and forcing them to strip naked in front of men. They also said that these crimes were being committed all across Iraq. According to an Iraqi female lawyer, identified as Swadi, a woman prisoner at a U.S. military base in al-Kharkh told her that “she had been raped… several American soldiers had raped her. She had tried to fight them off and they had hurt her arm.”
There is reason to believe that these abuses are still going on. When Swadi tried to visit women detainees at Abu Ghraib recently, U.S. guards refused to let her in. When she complained, they threatened to arrest her.
It is obvious that these abuses are horrible. What is so painful is that the oppression of Iraqi women won’t end soon. It will also have a devastating impact on the way of life of the Iraqi people -- thanks to the U.S./UK invasion.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
It is expected because, think about it......They have full control, they wont get in trouble.....
They are a bit like the School bullies, who are the choldren of the headmaster of that school, they can do what they like, they wont get any sort of punishment.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
the muslim ummah used to be brave!!
we were the bullies bt now we are being bullied!!
i think allah is testing us!!
"Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested?
We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false". allah knows best
may allah guide us
salaam
I agree that those responsible for these tortures should be shot. Heck, why not. Anyone in their right mind (westerners included) would never condone this type of behavior.
However, from the messages posted on this topic (and others), I'm getting the impression that some people are blaming the US for exposing the Iraqi women to impure practices, for the first time. Let me begin by stating that my boyfriend is Iraqi and he along with other Iraqi men are working here in the US. They insist that it was NEVER a problem finding consensual sex from "good, pure" Iraqi women. They state that many of the Iraqi women are very sexual (like many western women), the only difference is that the Iraqi women conceal their sexuality, and would never admit to it. When I was first told this by my boyfriend, I thought he was teasing me. However, several of his Iraqi friends (and Americans they work with) make the same claim. This type of sexual Iraqi women is not new. They have known it to be true all of their adult lives (before the US had an influence in Iraq). Unfortunately, they have pictures to prove it.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
MAsya Allah,,
I'm so suprised and afraid read this article,,,
MAy ALLAH Subhana WAta'ala bless always upon iraqi people. ESpecially for the women.
And MAy ALLAH Subhana WAta'ala erase all wars and occupations in the world...
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
Thats just too low.
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Renak,
I do not know how much of the claim that it was easy to find sex objects in Saddam Era, however in every country the problem exists (dont know about Saudi Arabia though). Anyhow, the problem in hand is not that it exists but rather the rate at which it has risen with the invasion of Iraq. In Saddam Era, yes alot of attrocities occured, but not at the scale at which now US and UK have done. People then could actually regulate the society and implement whatever law was left. But with the Invasion, that little law is gone.
Just for Fact: After Gulfwar 2, The sanctions were placed on Iraq by Western Community - US and UK planes bombed the so called "WMD factories", and it turned out that they were nothing but manufacturing Medicine. The sanctions prevented Iraq to import Medical Supplies and the bombing assured that there was none produced - This resulted in the deaths of Millions of Innocent Childeren.
Anyhow: These people do deserve to be shot and yes not all westerners are like this.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
format_quote Originally Posted by itsme01
Thats just too low.
------------------
Renak,
I do not know how much of the claim that it was easy to find sex objects in Saddam Era, however in every country the problem exists (dont know about Saudi Arabia though). Anyhow, the problem in hand is not that it exists but rather the rate at which it has risen with the invasion of Iraq. In Saddam Era, yes alot of attrocities occured, but not at the scale at which now US and UK have done. People then could actually regulate the society and implement whatever law was left. But with the Invasion, that little law is gone.
Just for Fact: After Gulfwar 2, The sanctions were placed on Iraq by Western Community - US and UK planes bombed the so called "WMD factories", and it turned out that they were nothing but manufacturing Medicine. The sanctions prevented Iraq to import Medical Supplies and the bombing assured that there was none produced - This resulted in the deaths of Millions of Innocent Childeren.
Anyhow: These people do deserve to be shot and yes not all westerners are like this.
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that the "attitude, desire, etc...of consensual free sex" of the Iraqi's existed before there was US involvement. Now that it is more open in society, does not make it a result of Western influence.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
renak
format_quote Originally Posted by renak
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that the "attitude, desire, etc...of consensual free sex" of the Iraqi's existed before there was US involvement. Now that it is more open in society, does not make it a result of Western influence.
Yes, thats understandable - however the point what I am trying to make is that before invasion, there were people who would go about regulating and preventing this from spreading and being open, as well as before people had "fear".
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
format_quote Originally Posted by itsme01
renak
Yes, thats understandable - however the point what I am trying to make is that before invasion, there were people who would go about regulating and preventing this from spreading and being open, as well as before people had "fear".
There was Law and Order - but now, thats no more.
I don't find living in fear to be healthy. If the sexuality was hidden, it doesn't make it more acceptable. God knows what our actions and thoughts are. The fact that sexuality is becoming more open seems more honest to me.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
Also, the fact that prostitution or "consensual" sex even though existed earlier - it does not enable the people to abduct women or women prisoners and use the women as "sex objects"
You being a women can perhaps understand this better: Is it ok if someone invades your privacy, looks upto you with wrong ideas, and/or rapes you - even though sex clubs are common thing in states.
(please do not be offended: if you are then i am sorry)
Also, I agree that everything must not be blamed on US and UK. Some Men are *put inappropriate word here*, they have no respect for women. Sadly, such people exist in every society.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
format_quote Originally Posted by renak
I don't find living in fear to be healthy. If the sexuality was hidden, it doesn't make it more acceptable. God knows what our actions and thoughts are. The fact that sexuality is becoming more open seems more honest to me.
Somewhat agreed,
Islam is very open to this subject of Sexuality, however it also teaches us that respect is important. When a man/woman goes about having sex just for the pleasure - it has more negative effect on the community.
Its like this (example, this time i will use it on me ): I go about having sex with women. And Another person (lets say you) have sex with one person and you love him (love does not mean sex). In the end, will I be more happier or You. I believe the answer is obvious.
Re: After Saddam, Iraqi women are used as sex objects
format_quote Originally Posted by itsme01
Also, the fact that prostitution or "consensual" sex even though existed earlier - it does not enable the people to abduct women or women prisoners and use the women as "sex objects"
You being a women can perhaps understand this better: Is it ok if someone invades your privacy, looks upto you with wrong ideas, and/or rapes you - even though sex clubs are common thing in states.
(please do not be offended: if you are then i am sorry)
Also, I agree that everything must not be blamed on US and UK. Some Men are *put inappropriate word here*, they have no respect for women. Sadly, such people exist in every society.
I definitely agree that the existence of consensual sex does not make the abduction of women appropriate. I'm just not convinced that there has actually been an increase in the ill treatment of women (in the sexual nature) since the US has been in Iraq. Being that Iraq now has more freedom, these individual cases are now being reported. I doubt that during the Ba'athis regime, they were officially reported.
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may allah guide us to the right way of dealing things. 
:sister:
): I go about having sex with women. And Another person (lets say you) have sex with one person and you love him (love does not mean sex). In the end, will I be more happier or You. I believe the answer is obvious.
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