Why rape? - Page 4

It is important we raise our collective voice for women, but let's raise it for all women, let's raise it so that no woman, no matter that she be poor, rich, urban, rural, Dalit, Muslim, Hindu, or whatever, ever, in the future, has to face sexual violence, and no man assumes that because of the system and people's mindsets, he can simply get away with it. And let's raise it also for men, for transgenders, for the poor — all those who become targets of violence. Let's not forget that the young rape survivor in Delhi was accompanied by a friend who too was subjected to violence and nearly killed. Let's talk about him too.[/quote]

That sums up how I feel about this topic. It's not just about demonizing rapists as 'inhuman" or what not. Rapists for accountable for their actions like we all are, and rape is wrong and must be punished (though I don't believe in capital punishment), but rape is a product of society, and only society as a whole can stop it.

First she was jailed for adultery, now Afghan rape victim is forced to MARRY her attacker to restore family's honour and avoid becoming a social outcast

• Woman known only as Gulnaz was brutally raped by her cousin's husband
• But SHE was jailed for 'adultery by force' and had his daughter in prison
• Despite being freed by President Karzai she faced becoming a social outcast
• Finally married her attacker on Saturday at a family court in Kabul
• Fears she could now suffer a life of domestic slavery as rapist's second wife

An Afghan woman who was jailed for adultery after being raped by her cousin's husband has now been forced to marry the man to restore the family's honour and avoid becoming a social outcast.

The 22-year-old woman, who is known only as Gulnaz, married her attacker last week in Kabul, after spending more than 13 months as a virtual prisoner inside a women's shelter.

Her heartbreaking story highlights the desperate plight faced by thousands of women in Afghanistan, who despite years of efforts by western agencies, endure horrific abuse and have no effective recourse under the law.

Desperate plight: Afghan rape victim Gulnaz with the daughter she had after becoming pregnant in the attack. She has now married her attacker after spending 13 months as a virtual recluse in a woman's shelter

Gulnaz was found guilty of 'adultery by force' following the brutal attack in 2008 which left her pregnant. She was sentenced to two years in jail, which was later increased to 12 years on appeal.

A first release offer, which she eventually agreed to, stipulated she must marry her attacker.

Gulnaz gave birth to her daughter in the Badam Bagh women's prison in Kabul before President Hamid Karzai took the highly unusual step of freeing her with no pre-conditions in December 2011.

But free from prison, Gulnaz faced a life of isolation and poverty as mothers without husbands are shunned by their communities and their own families and become social outcasts.

It has now been suggested that she reluctantly accepted the terms of the deal that had been offered to her in prison and approached the rapist's family to arrange terms.

While she was staying at the shelter she reportedly used a needle to tattoo her rapist's name on her hand - a sign of love.

The marriage was formalised at a family court in Kabul on Saturday but many involved in the case fear Gulnaz will be consigned to a life of domestic slavery as the rapist's second wife. There are even fears she could be killed to restore his family honour.

Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch Afghanistan said: 'I think her concern is less for herself and more for her daughter and the discrimination she might face.

'But it is difficult to imagine that the life that awaits them will be a pleasant one. Gulnaz will effectively become the second wife of the man that raped her.

Gulnaz faced a life of isolation and poverty as mothers without husbands are often shunned by their communities and their own families and become social outcasts

'Sadly there are dozens and dozens of these cases and a seriousl failure by the government to take them seriously.

'President Karzai has brought in laws which make rape a crime and make child marriage a crime but there is very little effort made to enforce them and the people who continue to commit these crimes enjoy impunity.'

Gulnaz's case had been condemned widely by human rights groups. An online petition started by Motley has been signed by more than 6,000 people.

Her lawyer, American Kimberly Motley said Gulnaz had been 'systematically brainwashed' by Afghan officials, some of whom were women, into agreeing to the marriage and that she remained concerned about the future..

Her story was to form part of an EU-funded documentary about Afghan women in prison but its release was banned on the grounds it would adversely affect European relations with the Afghan government.

The filmmakers also feared it might compromise the safety of the women involved because it showed their identity.

Director Clementine Malpas told the Times she believed that Gulnaz had married to give her daughter a chance for a future.

She said: 'Marrying the man she told us had raped her isn't what we had hoped for Gulnaz but the current cultural context of Afghanistan leaves very few options, especially for a woman with a child out of wedlock'.

Under the rule of the Taliban between 1994 and 2001, women were stripped of many of their rights and forced to wear a burqa in public at all times.

The were banned from employment, from appearing in public without a male relative and from speaking loudly in public on the grounds that no stranger should hear a woman's voice.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk