The most-viewed item today on the Saudi Gazette's website is 
an article about sexual harassment.

"Women of all ages and walks of life in the kingdom are subjected to abuse and sexual harassment," the paper says. "There are seldom any campaigns or workshops that teach women how to protect themselves or how to react to harassment. Whether physical or verbal, harassment is a neglected cause in Saudi society ..."

Describing one woman's experience, it continues:

"Asrar Jassim said she does not know what to do when she finds someone chasing her or even approaching her in public. 'I am too shy to act aggressively in public and that makes harassers target me the most. There is no place I can go or number I can call. Even the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia), the most concerned committee in this matter, is not easy to reach if you are a woman,' she said.

"Jassim recalled an incident when a harasser went too far and her only method of defense was to scream until he ran away. 'Passersby frowned and chided [me] for being a woman and raising my voice in public,' she said."

Another woman, named as Hibatullah, resorts to more drastic measures:

"Once, I was approached by two guys in a car. I threw a rock at their car, broke their window and they sped off and left me alone. When you're in this situation you just have to do whatever you have to do to protect yourself. I was never taught how to defend myself, this is one way that works."

The paper adds that Hibatullah "has been criticised by family members and other women for her actions but she insists she has no other way to repel harassers".

The article goes on to discuss possible ways of dealing with the problem. One would be a law against harassment, to be "implemented on all without exemption" (i.e. including princes). Another would be self-defence classes.

"Women should learn self-defence sports such as karate and female gyms and sport facilities should be available for them to use," says Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen of the National Society of Human's Rights. But in Saudi Arabia that is a contentious idea, since there is still strong social resistance to women doing any kind of sport.

While it's certainly worth discussing what women can do to protect themselves, this is not a solution and the article stops short of considering the actual cause of the problem: Saudi men and the way they behave.

Saudi society is constructed around the idea that men have uncontrollable sexual urges. Harassment, rape, etc, are thus the fault of women for placing temptation in their way – hence the need for gender segregation and not allowing women to leave their home unless accompanied by a male family member to protect them.

The first reader's comment below the Saudi Gazette article says: "The best way to avoid harassment is to strictly adhere the Islamic teachings. Don't go out without a muharram [male guardian]."

Changing attitudes like that will require a revolution. 
  
   
Posted by Brian Whitaker
Saturday, 19 July 2014