A very clear and common thing that is noticed in the Arab world is that when there is a criminal assault by a man on a man, the crime is rarely justified by blaming the victim. It very seldom happens that the male victim is accused of inciting the attacker or of provoking the other man to take action against him. However, if the victim is a woman, it is an entirely different story. In such cases, justifications are made for the male criminal while actively and enthusiastically pointing the finger of accusation at the woman. She is blamed for the crime against her. If she is the criminal’s wife, people will say that she probably provoked his anger and so brought the assault on herself. If the victim is a sister or daughter, people will say that she must have insulted, hurt or humiliated the man. And if the female victim is a total stranger in the street, people will quickly say that she must have made it “easy” for him by believing his trickery or by being present and thus approachable to him.
We Arabs are used to looking at these crimes as an equally shared responsibility between the woman and the male attacker, regardless of how shocking the crime and no matter how violent the attack. For example, in a recent incident in which a young woman was raped and there was solid evidence against the rapist, the girl and her family were blamed. She was said to be “loose” and so within the villain’s reach. And her family was neglectful for they should have taken better care of their daughter. There is no mention whatsoever about families looking after their sons. Why are men’s families also not held responsible for failing to bring up their sons properly?
Do the justifiers of these crimes think that they are actually advising people and warning them by such illogical reasoning? Do they think that written sermons, full of gloating of the victim is effective? In such a case advice and sermons are not enough to solve the situation but action must be taken against the wrongdoer.
This is not the time or place for words and sermons. A girl and her family are suffering the consequences of a crime. And it is not humane to increase their suffering by lecturing them and advising them. What is needed is immediate and firm punishment of criminals. And their punishment should be publicized. If this is not done, then we have only ourselves to blame for the spread of crime in our country and society.
