It is routine work for 43 year old Helen Rawlins. For years now she finds peace saving women forced into marriages. She knows the way the cruel world acts upon their daughters. She wants a change. She might not be able to change the mentality of the thousands who believe in what they call tradition, but she surely has been able to give a peaceful life to the girls who do not want to surrender to the ’situation’.
For the British Government, a forced marriage is a breach in human rights. As far as arranged marriage is concerned, it is acceptable if both partners agree to it. Most of the girls Rawlins attend to are shockingly very young. Early twenties, and some even legally not of marriagable age. Thankfully for the girls in Pakistan, mjany have found a way to use their burka to conceal a mobile phone- their tool to call for freedom.
The Forced Marriage Unit operates from London. In Pakistan though, Helen Rawlins leads a team with concent of the Pakistan Authorities. It is a sigh of relief for girls who have supportive boyfriends to fight for them and bail them out. For others, it is a struggle alone. In Islamabad Khalida Salimi runs a shelter for women wanting to lead a life away from violence and forced marriages.
Via: TheAge
Comments
Atleast smeone’s started working on this part! Please do keep up the good job dear! You are an angel!
Hello my dear sister :)
i just have a question, umm are you actually against Islam? Is that what your blog is focusing on? how women are treated in Islam? :)
I really want to know, because you alot of misconceptiong and you’re sooooo much into media!
You need more education rather than watching alot of media and reading alot of newspaper :)
people shouldnt judge others by images they see on websites and taking like small sects of people around the Islamic world to give a bad impression of ”ALL” Muslims!
Muslims are more than billions, small groups you’re talking about shouldnt reflect all Muslims! Exactly how we shouldnt sterotype Americans, westerns or Christians! right?
I couldnt say that all Americans are racists! etc etc etc...
:)
sorry my dear sister, I want to say one other thing! :)
i come from Kuwait, which is one of the most richest countries! I’m a Muslim girl that studies in the American University of Kuwait, advertising and pr major! You should come an meet us someday :) hehe
well, I read most of your posts and It shows that you’re showing the bad side of Islam and its really.. funny! I’ll tell you why! Firstly, you never lived in an Islamic country before (i guess)! All these news your giving is in Iraq, Iran, Afganistan!! these are most, well lets not say not educated but traditional!
If you read the Qura’an it doesnt say one word about treating women badly! not one word! all you see and read in those countries are the traditions they live in! They are not practicing Islam, but thats how they live over there!
The arranged marriages you wrote about, is not found in Kuwait..because its not part of our traditions, and Islam says that the girl thats going to be married should accept the one she wants! We are free to choose our husband! All these things you’re writing about is just a bunch of traditions found in different parts of the world! yep it is funny actually but after all, you’re showing the bad side, as if ALLLL Muslims are the same, even when its not even written in our Holy Qura’an!
thats why my dear sister, When you find the truth you’ll understand that women in Islam are valuable and are like dimonds! I do wear a hijab (Muslim scarf) but i wear watever i want, yet modestly! My sister which is 30 years old doesnt wear it coz we’re not forced to wear it! its from the heart, exactly how Nuns in Christianity are not forced yet are doing this from the heart! All these things you’re seeing are just traditions that people still believe its true!
if you want to learn more, you can ask any question you want! but believe me my sister, all this is nothing, Islam is a religion of peace, ( terrorism, oppression, arranged marriages) its not part of Islam, its wat media is showing to the world! we hate those terrorists too because they are making us look bad when we’re not, they are mentally ill!
thanx my sister :)
Dear ab abb,
you are exactly right! finally someone I agree with. Veils, burkas, forced marrages, laws restricting womens rights etc etc. areeeeeeeeeee not part of Islam!
The whole problem in the arab world is when the man exploits Islam by laying down laws and stating they are Islamic laws! Like the terrorists stating that they must kill all the westerners because thats what Islam says to do! Thats the whole problem with the arab world is that men are using islam to any advantage they can and its working against them only making enemies and holding them back economically etc etc. so you see people........when a westerner sins and commits murder or something....most of the time they do not say it was in the name of christianity! But arab men will always hide behind Islam. Unless they are forced to tell the truth, people will always get the wrong idea about Islam.
I am a muslim and I agree completely with ur views..
Those who say ”this is not part of Islam”,can I ask,”Isn’t it MUSLIMS who is doing this”???
Whenever there is honour killing,stoning to death etc etc,people run away telling ”This is not Islam”..
But I’ld say,Muslims did it..So Islam is responsible”..dn’t be hypocritical..
really sorry for the so-late reply. That is exactly what i am trying to focus. i have read the qura’an- and that is exactly where i find the hypocrisy of the way muslims are treated dear. try and watch khuda kay liye. It says, what i really want to say. I have a lot of muslim friends and i will quote you what they say, ”Islam is not bad, its the muslims that are ruining our reputation”. When we had bomb blasts in bangalore, a kashmiri friend of mine was made to go through extra security scrunity and question than us at office. You think that is fair? We were SO mad at the security. You know wat Waseem, my friend said? ”Its what my fellow kashmiris has made of me, I have to face it.” I know i’m not a muslim. and i do not follow any religion. But i respet all the religions. I feel pity the way the word ”jihaad” is used. I surely hope somebody reads the definition from the quran. Dont you think that such a pure concept has been polluted. I loved where it said that there cannot be any tree where there is war- why destroy nature? Do people look onto that? I surely wish people like you come out and speak for your beliefs. I’m there
I dont think religion should be mixed. There is honour killing and stoning to death in haryana too- and they are by hindus. They do it in the name of safe guarding the purity of their community. Why isn’t hinduism a ”bad” religion then? That day, there were pig heads that were thrown inside mosques- hindus did it. If the muslims would have reacted furiously, then also it would have been their mistake. Why? I think there should be a ”live and let live” policy that should be followed. I mean come on- for your believes to be respected, you have to respects others’ believes too... dontcha think so?
by the way, there is forced marriage everywhere. I am grateful that a few of them are atleast getting relief. I am not looking at religion at all.