HRW: Palestinian violence against women & girls must stop - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Goddess · #1 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006

Quote:

Occupied Palestinian Territories: Authorities Must Address Violence against Women and Girls

Inadequate Laws and Policies Deny Victims Justice

(Ramallah, November 7, 2006) − The Palestinian Authority (PA) has failed to establish an effective framework to respond to violence against women and girls, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Despite the current political and economic crisis, there are steps that the PA can and should take to address these abuses as a priority issue within its security agenda.

The 101-page report, “A Question of Security: Violence Against Palestinian Women and Girls,” based on field research conducted in the West Bank and Gaza in November 2005 and early 2006, documents dozens of cases of violence ranging from spousal and child abuse to rape, incest and murders committed under the guise of family “honor.” There is increasing recognition of the problem, and some PA officials have indicated their support for a more vigorous government response, but the PA has taken little action to prevent these abuses. As a result, violence against women and girls is often unreported, and even when it is, it usually goes unpunished.

“PA officials across the political spectrum appear to view security only within the context of the ongoing conflict and occupation, all but ignoring the very real security threats that women and girls face at home,” said Farida Deif, a researcher in the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch and co-author of the report.

A combination of discriminatory laws that condone and perpetuate violence and the virtual absence of policies to assist victims of abuse have left Palestinian women and girls with little protection. All Palestinians suffer from the deficiencies of the existing criminal justice system in the OPT, but women pay a particularly high price for officials who are often unwilling to respond adequately to gender-based violence.

Discriminatory criminal legislation in force in the West Bank and Gaza has led to virtual impunity for perpetrators of such violence and has deterred victims from reporting abuse. These laws include provisions that: reduce penalties for men who kill or attack female relatives who commit adultery; relieve rapists who agree to marry their victims from any criminal prosecution; and allow only male relatives to file incest charges on behalf of minors. These laws deter women and girls from reporting abuse and provide virtual impunity for perpetrators.

With some exceptions, Palestinian police lack the expertise and the will to address violence against women in a manner that is effective, sensitive to the needs of the victim and respectful of their privacy. As a result, police officers often turn to informal measures rather than serious investigations. When questioned, many were unapologetic about their efforts to encourage marriage between a rapist and his victim, sometimes with the assistance of influential clan leaders. They see intervention as a means of “solving” these cases. In addition, police often force women to return to their families even when there is a substantial threat of further harm.

“When confronted with cases of violence against women and girls, the Palestinian criminal justice system is more interested in avoiding public scandal than in seeing justice done,” said Lucy Mair, the report’s other researcher and co-author. “A woman’s basic right to life and bodily integrity is seen as a secondary concern at best.”

The absence of medical guidelines for doctors also seriously affects the quality of treatment afforded to female victims of violence. The health care system is typically the first and sometimes the only government institution that victims of abuse come into contact with, yet doctors are ill-equipped to deal with such cases. The Ministry of Health has no medical procedures or protocols to guide medical professionals or ministry staff in their treatment of domestic violence cases. Doctors lack specialized training and guidance on how to treat women victims of violence, preserve evidence of the abuse, and maintain confidentiality.

While the availability of shelters has increased this year in the West Bank, movement restrictions within and between the West Bank and Gaza make it impossible for some victims of violence to reach these shelters, leaving them without a refuge. Sometimes the lack of shelters and socially acceptable living arrangements for single women has forced Palestinian women’s organizations and the police to house victims in police stations, governors’ offices, private homes, schools and orphanages.

While it is true that Israeli actions since the outbreak of the current intifada in September 2000 – including attacks on PA institutions and security services, and Israel’s current refusal to remit tax revenues – have significantly weakened PA capabilities, this is no excuse for inaction. Despite its political and economic challenges, the PA has built important new institutions and reformed and unified some laws, such as those governing the justice system and children’s rights. The same must be done to protect women and girls from family violence.

Human Rights Watch calls on the PA to establish guidelines for responding to family violence in line with international standards and to train government employees to recognize and respond appropriately to victims. The PA should also enact a specific law criminalizing domestic violence and repeal discriminatory laws that hinder efforts to tackle gender-based violence.

“The PA urgently needs to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of violence against women and girls,” said Deif. “Failing to offer women and all members of Palestinian society the highest protection of the law will only further erode faith in the Palestinian criminal justice system.”

Selected testimonies from “A Question of Security”:
“He [my husband] used to beat me everywhere. He beat me with a rock on my leg … I never went to the hospital, and I didn’t even tell my parents. I was just thankful to be alive.”
− Mariam Ismail (pseudonym), 35

“My problem started with my family. When I was 12, my brother attacked me, attacked me sexually…My brother was 24. He’d hit me. Everyone in my family knew. My father died when I was small, so there was no one to protect me. My brother would even hit my mother. I didn’t report it since there was no one to protect me. I couldn’t tell the police. I was not allowed to even leave the house.”
− Nada Omar (pseudonym), 30

“Rape cases are dealt with at the police station as special cases. Most of the time, the result is that they [the rapist and the victim] get married under the carpet to avoid scandal. Rape cases rarely go to courts … In all of these cases, the police want to solve the matter within the family without documentation.”
− Palestinian women’s rights activist, Gaza

Upon release, “A Question of Security: Violence Against Palestinian Women and Girls” will be available at:
http://hrw.org/reports/2006/opt1106

Human Rights Watch Report on hrw.org

I'm surprised to see Human Rights Watch actually dealing with human rights issues instead of their usual biased political reports.

Does this mean that if a girl is raped and the man "agrees" to marry her, she has to live with him too?!

That just means that she will be raped by the same man her entire life!!!

Unless she dishonors him in some way, then he can just kill her.

What is it with Muslims and women's rights? Seriously, what is this honor killing business? Does it come from the Koran or is this just part of their culture?

BDaileyPLS3060 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goddess

Human Rights Watch Report on hrw.org

I'm surprised to see Human Rights Watch actually dealing with human rights issues instead of their usual biased political reports.

Does this mean that if a girl is raped and the man "agrees" to marry her, she has to live with him too?!

That just means that she will be raped by the same man her entire life!!!

Unless she dishonors him in some way, then he can just kill her.

What is it with Muslims and women's rights? Seriously, what is this honor killing business? Does it come from the Koran or is this just part of their culture?

Honor killing is primarily a cultural tradition, but the Qur'an does give it some support.

Ironman Jack · #3 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006

She just needs to get a Gun, blow these bastards away and blame Hamas! When you shoot em, just wound them and allow a long time of suffering before you put one in their balls, and finish them!!

Goddess · #4 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDaileyPLS3060

Honor killing is primarily a cultural tradition, but the Qur'an does give it some support.

Well, it's a disgusting tradition.

A culture which allows men to murder a woman for losing her virginity (whether by rape or with consent), is a sick culture in my opinion.

There is nothing honorable in "honor" killings. It's just sick. I don't understand any of it.

moon · #5 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006

You're right, Islam has some highly objectionable aspects.

BDaileyPLS3060 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goddess

Well, it's a disgusting tradition.

A culture which allows men to murder a woman for losing her virginity (whether by rape or with consent), is a sick culture in my opinion.

There is nothing honorable in "honor" killings. It's just sick. I don't understand any of it.

I agree. The practice is abhorrent to those reared in a western culture. It is, however, consistent with their beliefs and traditions dating back over a thousand years. Not that it's any consolation, but they don't understand our cultures attitude regarding women; the freedom and rights women enjoy as a matter of everyday life.

The problem with this issue, like many others in the Middle East and Islam, is that any criticism is viewed as an attempt to interfere, subvert and destroy their way of life. The criticism is then used as one of the reasons for declaring the critic, and the west in general, an enemy which must be destroyed.

Analyst · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2006

>There is nothing honorable in "honor" killings. It's just sick. I don't understand any of it.

According to the statistics there are about 1000 times / person more killings in USA than in the muslim coutries. Are these honor killings or just killings? Tell then what is your position to teach other cultures in the world. Of course all the killings are criminal - but in some countries the government is supporting the killing... like in USA.

daisym · #8 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDaileyPLS3060

Honor killing is primarily a cultural tradition, but the Qur'an does give it some support.

really?

can you quote the Surah where the Quran supports honour killing?

daisym · #9 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDaileyPLS3060

I agree. The practice is abhorrent to those reared in a western culture. It is, however, consistent with their beliefs and traditions dating back over a thousand years. Not that it's any consolation, but they don't understand our cultures attitude regarding women; the freedom and rights women enjoy as a matter of everyday life.

The problem with this issue, like many others in the Middle East and Islam, is that any criticism is viewed as an attempt to interfere, subvert and destroy their way of life. The criticism is then used as one of the reasons for declaring the critic, and the west in general, an enemy which must be destroyed.

which western culture are you talking about? are you aware that the practice was not unknown in Catholic Southern Europe only a few decades ago ... And one of the reasons suicide rates are higher among women than men in a lot of non western cultures (including christian cultures - while the reverse is true in western culture) is related to ex nuptial pregnancies.

The thing is there are a lot of problems with Islam - especially for women. I didn't mind my daughter being in such a culture when she was pre pubescent, but I certainly didn't want her there as a teenager - but lets stop with all this bullshit.

Its not about Islam, its about traditional patriarchal societies.

As to the violence against women - have you seen any statistics on domestic violence in Israel, for example .... I did several years ago, and there were concerns among women groups then because violence against women was increasing. This is not at all unusual in circumstances where the men in a community are placed under extreme stress.

WRT the Palestinian situation - are you aware that over 80% of users of public mental health services in Jordan are Palestinians? Strangely enough this is not uncommon among refugees. Nor is an increase in violence against women uncommon among men who feel displaced and as if they have lost their whole definition of manhood.

In Arab societies men are still supposed to support their families. This is pretty much impossible in Palestine, which is an economic disaster - a situation which has worsened since the election of Hamas - due to the activities of the outside world - not due to mismanagement on the part of Hamas. It is not all that unusual for men to lash out at those closest to them when they lose their jobs in OUR society - the situation in Palestine is far, far worse.

BTW - I don't condone violence against women in any shape or form - but its all very well tut tutting about how bad people are without looking at what factors contribute to that. I have lived among Muslim people - and my perception is that violence against women is no more common than in our society. Mothers are far more respected in Islam than they are in our world.

Goddess · #10 (**permalink**) 11-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analyst

>There is nothing honorable in "honor" killings. It's just sick. I don't understand any of it.

According to the statistics there are about 1000 times / person more killings in USA than in the muslim coutries. Are these honor killings or just killings? Tell then what is your position to teach other cultures in the world. Of course all the killings are criminal - but in some countries the government is supporting the killing... like in USA.

1000 times more killings per person in the US?

Could you please provide us with a source for that interesting statistic.

Goddess · #11 (**permalink**) 12-16-2006

Quote:

'Islamic mafia' accused of persecuting Holy Land Christians
By Harry de Quetteville in Bethlehem
(Filed: 09/09/2005)

Christians in the Holy Land have handed a dossier detailing incidents of violence and intimidation by Muslim extremists to Church leaders in Jerusalem, one of whom said it was time for Christians to "raise our voices" against the sectarian violence.

The dossier includes 93 alleged incidents of abuse by an "Islamic fundamentalist mafia" against Palestinian Christians, who accused the Palestinian Authority of doing nothing to stop the attacks.

The dossier also includes a list of 140 cases of apparent land theft, in which Christians in the West Bank were allegedly forced off their land by gangs backed by corrupt judicial officials.

From the birthplace of Christ at Bethlehem to the site of his Crucifixion in Jerusalem, Christian Church leaders have long been desperate not to upset the delicate ethnic and sectarian balance in the region by blaming either Jews or Muslims for the decline of their once robust religious community.

That self-imposed silence now appears to be crumbling.

"The problem exists," said Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Jerusalem's senior Franciscan, known as the Custos of the Holy Land. "The Christian community has always suffered in the last few years because we are a minority. Many have the temptation to leave, so the community is shrinking."

While he stressed that "we are not talking about a confrontation with all Muslims", he added that "we don't want to see violations of the law - sometimes we have to raise our voices".

The alleged attacks on Christians have come despite repeated appeals to the Palestinian Authority to rein in Muslim gangs.

A spokesman for the Apostolic Delegate, the Pope's envoy to Jerusalem, said nothing had been done to tackle the problem. "The Apostolic Delegate presented a list of all the problems to Mr [Yasser] Arafat before he died," he said. "He promised a lot but he did very little."

In the offices of his tiny Christian television station in Bethlehem, Samir Qumsieh said this week that Christian appeals to Mr Arafat's successor as Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, had also gone unheeded.

"At least Arafat responded," he said, "Abbas does not answer our letters."

Mr Qumsieh said he was trying to repair relations between Palestinian Christian and Muslim communities, convening a meeting attended by members of both faiths in Bethlehem last week.

But he said that the Christian community was faced with "very brutal" adversaries. "A criminal mafia and Islamic fundamentalists work together," he said. "Their interests met to take our land away." He said that one man had lost his finger in one land dispute which turned violent and that a group had attacked and injured a Greek orthodox monk at a 5th century monastery outside Bethlehem.

The dossier currently in Church hands details far worse allegations of violence, notably the torture and murder of two Christian girls in 2003 after they were deemed prostitutes. A post mortem examination reportedly proved they were virgins.

Some Christians note that land grabs are common in the growing lawlessness of the West Bank and are not necessarily motivated by sectarian rivalry.

They add that increasingly entrenched Islamic extremism has driven a wedge between the communities, especially over women's dress and freedom of expression.

Several Christians tell the story of a moderate Muslim imam in Bethlehem's biggest mosque, who was repeatedly threatened after giving a sermon calling for an end to the anti-Christian discrimination and land grabs.

Last weekend, the Christian village of Taybeh was ransacked and burned by a Muslim mob, incensed that a boy there had been seeing a girl from their neighbouring village of Deir Jarir.

"I am pessimistic about our future as Christians here," said Mr Qumsieh, adding that Christians now form about two per cent of the population of the Holy Land, down from almost 20 per cent 60 years ago.

"We have a low birth rate, and now with intimidation and emigration, our future is very dark," he said.

Telegraph | News | 'Islamic mafia' accused of persecuting Holy Land Christians

In my opinion it is important to look at the way Christian women are being treated when discussing the treatment of women and girls in the Palestinian territories. Their situation is particularly dire.

doniston · #12 (**permalink**) 12-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironman Jack

She just needs to get a Gun, blow these bastards away and blame Hamas! When you shoot em, just wound them and allow a long time of suffering before you put one in their balls, and finish them!!

Another Christian-like GENTLEman speaks

moon · #13 (**permalink**) 12-17-2006

Down with bullies everywhere. Israel in particular.

Quote:

Woman beaten on Jerusalem bus for refusing to move to rear seat

By Daphna Berman

A woman who reported a vicious attack by an ad-hoc "modesty patrol" on a Jerusalem bus last month is now lining up support for her case and may be included in a petition to the High Court of Justice over the legality of sex-segregated buses.

Miriam Shear says she was traveling to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City early on November 24 when a group of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men attacked her for refusing to move to the back of the Egged No. 2 bus. She is now in touch with several legal advocacy and women's organizations, and at the same time, waiting for the police to apprehend her attackers.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/801449.html

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode