According to reports in the local media on Thursday, Prince Sattam has approved a decision to lift the ban on single men visiting shopping malls in the city during peak hours, especially on weekends. The decision was made by a committee made up of local officials and representatives of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia).
Previously, single men were only allowed into shopping centers at lunch time on weekdays, a move the authorities said was aimed at harassment of women.
Mohammed, 21, said security guards still bar him from going in.
“It is an issue of trust and the managements of some malls still feel it is their right to prevent us from visiting the malls,” he said.
On the other hand, Abdullah, a 36-year-old executive, believes the new directive represents a step toward breaking social taboos and spreading tolerance. “I have been in a situation where I have been barred although I tried to explain to the security guard that I have errands to run in the mall and no other intentions. Still he had certain orders that he applied without prejudice or good judgment.”
Families were divided on the governor’s directive. Some said it could lead to trouble in malls and girls might be harassed. Other families said it would not be a problem because there are security guards and officers from the Haia to deal with any possible trouble.
Monira, a mother of three young girls, did not see anything wrong with the decision. “My girls know how to respond if they are harassed. Besides, young men are everywhere, in the streets, the clinics and hospitals. Why should we assume that all of them are not well-behaved and will cause problems?”
A manager at one of the large malls in Riyadh, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed he and his colleagues have never been given clear directives regarding the policy concerning the entry of single men.
“Our management wanted to keep the mall a safe place for families and ensure it was harassment free,” said the source, admitting he personally found it unrealistic and unfair to prevent singles from entering malls. He also claimed single men always tried to sneak in because of this policy.
Sara, a young woman, admitted she had helped young single men enter malls by pretending she was related to them.
“The truth is, although there have been reports that girls are paid to do this, I wasn't. I just did it because I felt sorry for them. They stand there like beggars and all they want is to shop or go to food courts,” she added.
“When I was at the gate of one of the malls, a young man was arguing with a Haia member who was stopping him from going in. The reason was the young man was wearing low-waist jeans and a T-shirt with inappropriate logos.”
Nineteen-year-old Salem said some young men try to push social boundaries. “Mall managements, as I understand, should have clear regulations on the dress code that is to be worn inside malls, as is done in other GCC countries. Being able to judge the character of young men wanting to enter malls is a skill that should be taught to security guards to differentiate between men who are likely to stir trouble and those who simply have things to do,” said Salem.
