2012
| Followed by a pervert in broad daylight! |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 26 April 2011 08:24 |
|
The writer would like to stay anonymous | Saudi Life
IT was broad daylight when I and my sister-in-law with her two toddlers had to go to the baqala to get a packet of yoghurt urgently. No male member was at home so we thought of going on our own as food had to be cooked and the baqala isn’t far from my place – just two buildings apart. Living on a busy lane that has a police station at the end of the road, an ATM machine, a football stadium, a prominent school and a newspaper office in the close locality, I naively considered my area to be safe from any form of harrassment for women. But I was wrong as the disgusting reality soon became apparent! First encounter As we stepped out of our building that is parallel to a heavy traffic lane, a midget peeping from his car window passed a weird gesture. Giving no expressions or reactions, we moved forward to our destination i.e. the third building where the baqala lies! Second encounter We reached there and purchased our stuff and started back towards our home. We saw the same person trying to approach us again outside the shop. This time we walked away fast to avoid any unpleasant incident. Third encounter Strictly minding our own business, we reached our apartment building and quickly started going up the stairs. We then heard a call, “Hala! Ya Shabha!” The same person had followed us to our building and had climbed a few stairs as well! It was then that I couldn’t keep the cool any longer. The matter had gone beyond the decency level. I gathered courage and pretended as if I were about to hurl my footwear toward him and shouted loudly which made him flee from the place. I just couldn't understand what made him think we were the “other type” of women. What can two women in full niqab with two toddlers hanging on them and strictly minding their own business be up to in broad daylight in an area where policemen keep patrolling?! It was simply perverted! Much has been written and read on Islamic rulings of lowering the gaze and niqab and hijab. But we still have many perverts around who follow women at malls, roads and other public places despite women observing decent Islamic dress code. Had this man not been a coward who ran away on a single scream, what would I have done? After all, we also hear of kidnapping cases where women are lifted from anywhere! My suggestion is that women learn a few basic self-defense tricks to avoid such street-harassment. Get enrolled in different physical training activities. Also, do not hesitate to react in self-defense when water has reached above the certain level. A humble request to government authorities as well: Allow women to get some psychical training. After all it is necessary for a healthy body that can defend itself! |
 Israel kills 6 PalestiniansJERUSALEM — The Israeli military killed six Palestinians on Saturday, three in the West Bank whom it accused of killing a Jewish settler and t... Read more |
 Saudi census represented a paradigm shiftIT was evening and we were leaving for a nearby sports club when we met him. I have, perhaps, not seen a broader smile than that of that man, whose name too w... Read more |
 We love you, Dr. Zakir NaikDR. ZAKIR NAIK, probably the most famous Muslim preacher in the world who has enthralled millions of Muslims and non-Muslims with his tireless efforts to spre... Read more |
 How safe is our money in Saudi banks?LIKE many other regulations, we have accepted this quietly. Why are our bank accounts frozen when the iqama is near expiry? Read more |
 Finding the Right English Teacher in KSATODAY, even native English speakers and those already proficient in the English language are trying to find the right English teacher for their needs. Job req... Read more |
 Do employees need to be in office 8 hours?WITH all the innovation in technology and communication industry, the age of the internet and mobile connectivity, companies can remove so much unneeded stres... Read more |
 Giving Charity to the Silent, But NeedyWE all give to charities. We all give to the one's that ask. We all pay someone somewhere for something. And, there are countless charities and welfare funds ... Read more |
 Labor & Birth Workshop in Jeddah, ThursdayLadies in Jeddah wouldn't want to miss this! Aisha Al-Hajjar will be in town this weekend to conduct a workshop on natural birthing. When: Thursday, June 2, 20... Read more |
 Multiple Wives Culture: A BlessingIN the past seven or more years, I have noticed a growing phenomenon. It has become an issue so severe that it is destroying society slowly. And yet we all ve... Read more |
Comments
Here in the Emirates, we use the word 'eve teasing' for such perverse behaviour. A couple of years ago, the govt had run a 'name & shame' campaign to discourage such crimes. Each morning's news paper would carry the mug-shots of men caught the previous day for harrassing women in public places.
As a niqaabi, I've never faced harrassment in the Emirates, alhumdullilah. However, it is extremely sad that I cannot say the same for my visits to SaudiArabia.
I think if you are in an open public space, then you should turn around, face the chaser, fold you arms infront and look him straight in the eyes with confidence and dare. Cowards like this man will surely cool off and do an about-turn.
Also, harassment of women is not something unique to Saudi Arabia. It exists all around the world. Moreover, cases of groping, rape and molestation are quite rare here (alhamdulillah) when compared to other places. So it doesn't really mean that the society views women as objects. I think women are very much respected and honored (in general) here. Their personal privacy and modesty is respected. It's only the overzealousness in protecting the woman's honor with a mix of cultural traditions that has led to the many hurdles and problems women face here.
Having said that, I'm quite appalled by this perverse attitude of approaching women. It makes my blood boil when I hear such stories. This problem has to be tackled from its roots!
lol. It's kind of funny to read comments like SGIME's. There's always someone who will use a single experience (or blog) on a Muslim country's site to criticize the beautiful dress that Allah has legislated for women.
If harassment is a by-product of the way women are seen "here" (as SGIME suggests), I guess we'll find a zillion of SGIME's posts on the American and British websites (starting with the thousands of local news sites) that document literally hundreds of thousands of harassment cases of non-covered women as a matter of course.
Alhamdulillaah for Islam and good sense! Reading this comment has made me so grateful to cover as I do and believe as I do, b/c it protects me---not from being subjected to perversion like that being discussed in this article---but from perversion of thinking as illustrated in this post.
Allah is Merciful. And Islam is good.
In the Emirates..such cases are boiling up by the day wAllahi.From married women to girls in the kindergarten are being harassed...ladies who walk and ladies who drive too!!
Personally speaking,I remember coming across such unusual behaviour quite often 2-3 years back when I would just wear my abaya, hijaab & niqaab. But alhamdulillah after I started the proper sharaee way of covering...I noticed the drastic difference!!
To avoid such behaviour,
I find completely ignoring the person helps a great deal...
OR making a note of the number plate if he's in a a car...that'll give him the scares
and ofcourse reading the supplications before you leave home in which you seek you refuge from Allah of oppressing someone or of being oppressed.
May Allah ease the affairs of the muslimeen.
A lady in our building was followed by a car when she came in a taxi, with her daughters and friend. As soon as she got out of the taxi, the guys following her stopped. She took a big rock and threw it at them, cursing them. She cracked their back window. They could do nothing but drive away fast. lol. We saw this.
There will always be indecent , ignorant and disgusting people in every society.. sadly.
such things happeneds every where around the world in a daily bases,even in the west (USA & UK),however we should pay more attention to how to defend ourselves or do the right thing to avoid any action(s) that might harm us. women should always carry with them any type of spray(deodrant, perfume,etc...)electric stickes or learn some martial art techniques to show that you have the power to fight back & heart them.believe me most of these kids will run a way when they see that you are serious & will fight back.also showing them that you are writting the car liscense plate number is a good idea but not taking a picture of them as that might lead them to attack you to get the cell phone from you.
may allah keep you all safe & in one peace.
KHALID
In this particular instance, it's obvious that the existence of a police station where there should have been a police presence going into/coming out of the building on a constant basis was no deterrent to this treatment nor did it prevent the stalker from unlawfully entering the building.
Indeed modest dressing does not prevent harassment; sometimes it results in more harassment.
Well, I agree such incidents happen everywhere in the would. But the Saudi Arabia is an exception, come on the cradle of Islam. This is a place where women have so many restrictions on them as they are a source of 'Fitnah'. These women were in NIQAB, but even then? I believe its the ideology men have in Saudi Arabia. They see a woman as an object not a peson. In the western countries you could say women are uncovered therefore attract negative attention. My friend had the opportunity of living in Saudi Arabia for some years as her husband's job took them there. They wore complete Niqab, Hijab and Jilbab and with all that cloaking they were harassed outdoor while they were with her husband. A man grabbed and squeezed her hand outside a shop. She could'nt do anything about it either! If this happens else where then you can say its a womans fault for not covering up and going out alone. And this is just one story I relate here. I have others too.
RSS feed for comments to this post