Minority Report: International Female Repression

The majority of the world’s female population live oppressed, fearful lives. For example, Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship laws prevent women from any control over their lives. A guardian can be a father, brother, husband or even a son. These guardians dictate almost all areas of a woman’s life; without permission women cannot drive or even leave their homes. These laws can be terrifying when it comes to marriage: girls as young as 10 can be married in Saudi Arabia on their guardians’ command. The laws of the country ignore the young bride’s safety, and child marriages are common.

Even in some advanced countries, women’s rights are completely ignored. Equality Now, a charity focussing on women’s rights, has been trying to outlaw the Japanese videogame ‘RapeLay’. In this game, the player pursues a young schoolgirl and rapes her, then goes on to violate her mother and younger sister, the aim being for the player to “enjoy themselves” in the process. Although not sold legally here, the game is widely available outside of Japan, and is relatively popular in the US. Turning this atrocious act into a game normalises violence against women, and makes rape a positive and enjoyable thing, potentially turning back years of progress. Despite the charity’s efforts, Japan continues to produce the game.

As terrible as these examples of oppression are, they pale in comparison to female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM is practiced in many parts of the world as a cultural or religious ritual. When a girl reaches puberty she is subject to the operation that ranges from removal of the clitoris to a complete destruction of the female genitalia. This operation is almost always performed in unsanitary conditions, rough knives or even broken glass the common implements. Afterwards, the labia are sewn together leaving only a small opening for fluids. Apart from the obvious agony and shock (which can be fatal), infections are likely, which can then be ascribed to witchcraft or adultery. The girl in question is shamed, or sometimes killed. Even if a girl survives all of this, she will likely be in pain for the rest of her life, and sex will always be oppressive and painful. An estimated 123 million of the world’s women will have been subject to FGM, common in Africa but also practiced extensively in the Middle East, Asia and in immigrant communities in Europe and America.

Of course, there is international outcry about FGM, with numerous charities and international women’s rights activists campaigning against it. There has been some progress: since 2003 the practice is no longer widely seen as a “cultural right”, and some African countries have even outlawed it. However, this is not enough. A campaign for a “zero tolerance” policy has recently been started by Equality Now, after African rulers did not interfere with the traditional December mass mutilations last year. Many have been quoted as saying they cannot take a stand against it as they will “lose votes”. But even with zero tolerance, it is unlikely that the practice can ever be totally stopped.

It is possible that religion and culture will always be a barrier to women’s rights. Iran is a good example of this. Until the 1960s, women had been making progress, holding government and journalistic jobs, well on their way to equality. But in the 1970s, Iran became the ‘Islamic Republic’. Now, women are restricted once more, barred from holding many jobs, forced into marriage as young as 13 and ordered to wear the traditional Islamic hijab. While this can be anything from a head covering to a full body covering, if an Iranian woman reveals anything other than her hands and face in public, she can be subject to 60 days imprisonment or 70 lashes with a whip.