Officials for the Olympic committee are reporting that Saudi Arabia finally allowed it's women athletes to compete in the London Olympics. This is a huge step forward for a country known for its oppressive nature when it comes to women. Among these women athletes in Sarah Attar, she runs track and field.
Sarah Attar at the 2012 London Olympics.
Pakistan
The story of 10 year old Zaib Aslam, is one that hear in America is shocking and heartbreaking, but in Pakistan is all to common place. This little girl was on the bus on her way to school when she, and her mother were attacked by her older sister's ex fiance and other men. They flung sulfuric acid they had bought for 88 cents at the store, at this little girl's face. her mother even swallowed some causing scars on her throat and face. Now her mother says, she doesn't want to go to school because she says she is ugly and can't stand seeing other girls her age look normal. She hides away in her room with a pink shawl over her scarred face. She is not like most 10 year old watching TV and having slumber parties with her friends because of this brutal, senseless act of violence.
Pictured above, Pakistani acid attack victim Fakhra Younus had endured more than three dozen surgeries over more than a decade to repair her severely damaged face and body when she finally decided to end her life in March of this year. She was attacked at 21 years old by her husband of 3 years when she left him due to physical and verbal abuse. He doused her in acid while her 5 year old son slept next to her. She committed suicide at 33 in Rome, Italy, her husband was never arrested, he is the son of a Pakistani politician, therefore he is almost untouchable.
The Pakistani government have done little to nothing in other acid attacks, but after the documentary by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who won an Oscar this year for "Saving Face," her documentary on victims of acid attacks, the Pakistani government has met with criticism and been pressured to pass legislation rewarding acid attack victims. It passed in December, and the perpetrator of such a crime could spend 14 years to life in prison, and pay a fine of $11,000. The Pakistani Government doesn't keep track of acid attacks, but the Acid Survivors Foundation, a Pakistani advocacy group for victims, estimates that 150 occur each year. The majority of the victims are women, and attacks are often an escalation of domestic violence. Meaning a woman's own husband could douse her with acid, for any reason without penalty since a wife is a husband's "property".
Here is the trailer to the documentary "Saving Face":
Hey Gisselle! I love your blog. Keep up the great work and keep posting interesting articles! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this blog post on acid attacks on Pakistani women and watching the documentary-based film “Saving Face,” I was made aware of these cruel acts that go unacknowledged each and every day. It is absolutely astonishing that these helpless women were under the control of mindless men and were not granted the freedom to exercise their human rights. These abusive men continued to torture women because the Pakistani government condoned it and in Fakhra Younus’s case, some of these men have close ties with the government and are supported by politicians. It is not just unfortunate but inhumane that women in the 21st century are still repressed, controlled, and humiliated to the extent of being disfigured or killed. Why do these men think that women are their property? This dates back to the Hindu Aryan civilization where women were fully dependent on men and forced to veil themselves when in public. This was a form of isolation from the rest of society, however now their scars signal women out in a crowd to reveal their pain and suffering. It is disheartening that so many women have had to be wounded and mutilated in order for the government to finally make a change and pass a law punishing violent men. How long can this treatment be endured until worldwide efforts take place to end these horrific acts? And where are the human activists? Issues like these are going to take years to start seeing results, yet can change the life of a woman in just seconds.
ReplyDelete-Rebecca Yero
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/the-girl-on-the-schoolbus/
ReplyDeleteHey Gisselle, I thought this article would be a great addition to your blog because it speaks about the fact that women in Pakistan are restricted from thinking, making choices, and pursuing an education. Female children in particular are being penalized and persecuted because they think differently than the government and want certain freedoms that are inherent in other parts of the world, especially the U.S.
Thanks so much guys for your help and support! :)
ReplyDelete