I came across an article in ‘The Women’s Voice’- the newsletter of Tralee Women’s Resource Centre, which made me feel sick to the stomach. Apparently it was in the Irish Independant newspaper. A 19yr old woman has been sentanced to 200 lashes and 6 months in jail in Suadi Arabia for being gang raped!!! The sentance was justified because she had been travelling with a male companion when she was pulled from the car. This apparently is against the law there. Even if we accept such a stupid and idiotic law as an ínternal’ matter, when has breaking one law been seen as justifying another crime to be committed against that person – especially such a serious insulting and injurous crime. The sentance also is appalling. My own daughter is nearly 19 and I still think of her as a child (yes, I know that’s my problem) but to imaging a girl her age being whipped 200 times just turns my stomach – well to be truthful , I daren’t think of it. I also wonder – if she survives her ‘punishment’ what does life hold for her in 6 months time. will her family take her back and suppport her? – I hope so. , she’ll be in dire need of it.
Sorry to write such a depressing post but I just had to try and get this out of my system.
I think I might join Amnesty International as well.
Tags: human rights, women's rights
