WUNRN
SAUDI ARABIA - A CALL FOR MEN TO
TAKE A STANCE TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
By Ms. Samar Fatany - November 23,
2013
On the 25th of November the world celebrates White Ribbon Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
A year has passed since our group of Saudi men
and women from media and academia began an initiative to adopt the
international White Ribbon Campaign to make men take a stance to stop the
violence against women in our society.
Unfortunately, the group was viciously attacked and accused of spreading
Western values that are un-Islamic which is far from the truth. Islam forbids
any form of injustice or abuse against anyone and especially against women and
children. The true Muslim man is compassionate to the women in his family and
the Arab man is known for his chivalry and sense of responsibility to
women in his society. In fact a Saudi White Ribbon Campaign can address the
negative attitude to women in our society that is alien to our true Islamic and
Arab culture.
The White Ribbon Ambassador program is a means for men to speak out and
stop violence against women and to effectively challenge the attitudes and
behavior of a minority of men who use or condone violence against women. The
program recruits high profile men, such as religious scholars, community
leaders and government officials to sign up as Ambassadors and
spread the message that any violence against women is totally unacceptable.
The president of the Association for Family Protection in Jeddah outlined
several reasons behind family violence, including mental illness, drug abuse,
alcoholism, poverty, unemployment, lack of religious values and ignorance.
Unfortunately, these problems are not properly addressed and are not given the
attention they deserve. As a result they continue to threaten many Saudi
families, leading to the creation of miserable wives and unhappy
children. What is needed is a more effective campaign to raise awareness among
the public and among the abusers themselves. Indeed many forms of violent
behavior against women and children remain in the absence of an effective
campaign to change the negative mindset.
In Saudi Arabia one in every six women is abused verbally, physically or
emotionally every day, 90 percent of abusers are men, usually husbands or
fathers. According to research conducted by the National Family Safety Program,
women are not aware of their rights and men violate religious teachings and
follow aberrant customs and traditions.
Male-dominated families show no respect for the rights of women. Social norms
and attitudes continue to deprive women of the privileges afforded to the
menfolk in society. A large segment of our society still insists on holding on
to the guardianship rule that treats women as minors. Many men steal and
control the inheritance or business of the women in their families. They
dictate their own rules thus depriving women of financial independence and the
freedom to work and prosper.
Changing and shaping the attitudes and behavior of young people is critical to
preventing violence against women in the future. Many men continue to exploit
social norms for their own selfish egos. Their negative attitudes are the main
reasons behind the rise in divorce cases and the number of broken homes. In
order to enhance the quality of life in the Saudi family, there needs to be a
change in the mindsets of men who have negative attitudes toward women. The ban
on women driving and the absence of proper public transportation allows men to
keep women captive in their own homes. Women are at the mercy of male family
members who decide when they can be taken out for a breath of fresh air or a
visit to family and friends.
The majority of Saudi men are nonviolent; however, they need to be encouraged
to play a bigger role to protect women from the violence perpetrated by many
men in Saudi society today. The voices of Saudi men can be an effective
means for stopping violence and promoting nonviolence. It is time we involve
Saudi men in a national plan to raise awareness among men and boys about
the different roles they can play to prevent discrimination and violence
against women in society.
Education is an important means that can help people develop and maintain
nonviolent and respectful relationships. Boys should be educated at a young age
to respect women. Schools can adopt educational programs to help children
identify inappropriate sexual or violent behavior in order to protect
women in society.
Discrimination and violence against women and their children is a universal
topic of great concern. Saudi Arabia like many other countries can benefit from
a more effective nationwide campaign to counter negative social norms and to
stop the violence against women. The champions of the Saudi White Ribbon Campaign
are hopeful that the government will provide the necessary support to implement
a Saudi national plan to mobilize men and government departments to
guarantee a safe environment for women and their children. The White
Ribbon Ambassador program can use the strong voices of men in the community to
raise awareness by targeting schools, communities, sports groups and the media.
Its main focus would be prevention and holding the perpetrators of violence
accountable. Hopefully, the national plan would stop violence
against women and children and would promote a healthier family environment
that could influence a more prosperous Muslim modern-day society.