Afghan women escape violence through suicide: report

[StarfarerBill]

More Afghan women are choosing suicide to escape the violence and brutality of their daily lives, says a human rights report prepared by Canada's Foreign Affairs Department.

The 2008 annual assessment paints a grim picture in a country where violence against women and girls is common, despite rising public awareness among Afghans and international condemnation.

"Self-immolation is being used by increasing numbers of Afghan women to escape their dire circumstances and women constitute the majority of Afghan suicides," said the report, completed in November 2009.

The document was obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

The director of a burn unit at a hospital in the relatively peaceful province of Herat reported that in 2008 more than 80 women attempted suicide by setting themselves on fire, many of them in the early 20s.

Many of those women died, the report said.

The frank evaluation of the plight of women was written against the backdrop of international debate last year over the Afghanistan government's so-called rape law.

The legislation, aimed at courting votes in the minority Shia community, legalized rape within a marriage. It prompted outrage in Canada and many other countries.

The move was an attempt to codify social and religious practices, but the international condemnation forced the government to review the law. It was eventually enacted with some amendments, although the basic tenets remained unchanged.

"Rape is widely believed to be a frequent occurrence, though its true extent is concealed by under-reporting owing to the social stigma attached to it," says the 31-page, partly censored document.

More:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/07/afghanistan-women-brutality-violence-report.html

[tekisui]

1. That is horrible. Increasing since we brought out war.

[Rebubula]

3. Good Point...

...no war, poverty, abuse or rape in that country prior to us bringing 'war' to them.


:eyes:


Not saying that you are not correct, just pointing out that this shit was going on in Afghanistan LOOOOOOONNNG before we got there.


Edited for grammar...

[tekisui]

5. It was going on, and has gotten worse with our war.

[Rebubula]

7. My point still stands...

How can rape, oppression, murder get worse?

I would proffer that this is more of an issue of it getting reported. It is not like officials kept records of crimes against women 50 years ago.

[tekisui]

9. It can get worse when compounded by war, and allowed to

expand.

[EFerrari]

16. We've been screwing with Afghanistan since the 70s.

:shrug:

[polly7]

6. Do you think handing out little blue pills is helping these women

along with the 'war'?
http://www.google.com/search?q=cia+viagra+afghanistan&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLL_en

Let's face it, Afghanistan was never about helping anyone.

[Rebubula]

8. OK

The war in Afghanistan was always about revenge. No is doubting that here...at least not me.

[polly7]

13. I thought that at first.

Not any longer. Too many lies, all those troups headed to Iraq instead. The pipeline theory makes a lot more sense to me. But, I agree to disagree. .

[left coaster]

2. That women anywhere still have this kind of existence to face..

..leaves me shaken and speechless.. oh what horror..

[Nikki Stone1]

4. The title is even too mild for this.

This is what happens when you allow women to be raped and beaten on a regular basis, deny them healthcare and education. Death looks better than such a life.

[dustbunnie]

10. I remember reading about this years ago.

Considering what type of life is available to these women, I think I'd choose suicide as well. Death would be a welcome option to what they endure.

[Tailormyst]

11. I think I would probably not want to live like that either

If escape were impossible, I would also seriously consider suicide. I think people do not understand how badly women are treated there. Worse then slaves, worse then livestock. They are expectedly to never think, never hope, never dream. That kills a persons spirit.

[polly7]

14. I would too. I can't imagine living that way.

When you do see pictures of their faces uncovered they're so beautiful, but there is something dead in the eyes. jmo

[niyad]

12. k and r--I want to know why part of the report was censored?

[Quantess]

15. K & R