JEDDAH, 11 May 2003 — Walking is a popular form of exercise, and unlike others it is free. The Corniche is a focal point for people who want to exercise and relax, but some women are finding that trying to keep in shape that way is more hassle than it is worth.
The reason? Constant harassment from youngsters.
Fayeqa Ali, a victim of harassment, told Al-Madinah newspaper that while walking was her favorite exercise, it was becoming more and more difficult to go out unmolested.
“Teenagers drive slowly alongside me when I am out walking,” she said. “They try to talk to me using all sorts of sweet words. It’s unacceptable. They say it’s our fault for leaving the house, but I think there is nothing wrong with wanting to get some exercise.”
Reem Abdulrahman is a university student who used to go out walking with her friends. “We walk along the Corniche. There is nowhere else to do it for free, and many people, both men and women, do it,” she said. However, there are always problems. “Teenagers come and harass us. A lot of the time they do stupid things to get our attention,” she added.
Muna Al-Ofai said the harassment was tantamount to a ban on women walking around in their cities. “These teenagers come here to harass us, not to exercise. If you confront them they make stupid excuses. They say they have to come here because everywhere else is ‘families only.’”
But there are plenty of places specifically designed for teenage boys and young men, she insists. “There are private clubs, restaurants and entertainment places for men only. They should go there and leave us alone.”
Najwa Al-Amri is a pregnant women out walking with her husband. “When you’re pregnant you need to walk,” she said. “But this place is full of teenage boys who harass us and make fun of us. There’s graffiti as well, with words of love that are completely inappropriate in a public place, especially if people come here with their children. There must be harsh punishment. There must be law and order.”
However, she does not think the youngsters alone are to blame. “If they didn’t get a response from some women, they wouldn’t come here. One day I saw a couple of well-dressed girls walking here, but they weren’t here for the exercise. They had other things in mind. The boys started talking to them, and one of them threw his phone number at them. One of the girls pretended to fix her shoe and picked up the number. Then they left. This has to stop. There must be special places where we can go and walk. We suffer. Our needs are completely ignored,” said Najwa.
Khalid Muhammad is a young man who does not think these accusations are fair. “They blame the ‘shabab’ (youngsters) for everything that’s wrong. They tar everyone with the same brush. But just because of the actions of a few, we can’t all be made to suffer. The Corniche is the last free place and everybody is free to come here whenever they want. Every other place in Jeddah is turning into a ‘families only’ place.
“Sometimes we come here and people look at us as if we are carrying a dangerous virus. Youngsters will only harass women who want to be harassed and wear beautiful clothes,” he added.
Saad Al-Ghamdi looks at the problem from an original angle. “I think families should be banned from coming to this place. I do not think there is a man who wants his wife or daughter to walk in this place near a public road. I think women should walk at home or somewhere private if they want to get rid of the harassment problem. But youngsters have nowhere else to go,” he added.
