Many shopping centers and recreation parks are barred to young male Saudis. The ban covers every male over 10 and everyone over 100 cm tall. I think the reason for the ban is that the centers want to avoid harassment of women shoppers by these often rowdy youth.
Of course the boys are extremely annoyed by the ban, which they say goes to show that society does not trust them. They find themselves branded as bullies and dangerous elements that must be kept away from public places.
Others are pleased because they see the ban as a recognition of their supernatural powers. They believe they are a powerful force that must be kept at bay by the operators of the shopping centers. Yet others see themselves as melancholy outcasts who are unwelcome wherever they go.
Some youngsters will use any trick to beat the ban. The latest ruse I heard about was to take the maid along to make it look as though the youngster is accompanied by a member of the family. Once inside each goes their own way.
Perhaps the most bizarre development in this process is that some expatriate women are reported to be offering their services by acting as companions for SR50 a trip. The bargain starts outside the main gate and when a deal is struck the two stroll past the security guards.
Some youth try to strike up a friendship with the guards, others seek to win them over with bribes and still others camp outside the place begging passing women to help them get in.
Is barring boys from malls like this and preventing access to a public place to a significant portion of our population offer a solution to harassment? It is true some youth are ill mannered and may behave impolitely with the other sex. But I don’t think the ban solves the problem. The solution lies in education, and this has to start at home. Children must be taught how to behave and deal with others by respecting their privacy. The harsh way our boys are being treated may backfire and drive them to lose confidence in themselves. It will only foster a sense of rejection and being unwanted in their own country.
