MADRE Denounces Sexual Violence Against Iraqi Women Protesters

by Alex DiBranco · 2011-07-25 13:01:00 UTC
Topics:

A petition from MADRE, a global women's rights organization, is accusing Iraqi government security forces of sexually assaulting women to break up pro-democracy protests and demanding that officials intervene to protect the peaceful demonstrators.

MADRE's partner group, the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), reported that activists were beaten, violently groped, and sexually assaulted by thousands of men who were bussed into Baghdad's Tehrir Square on June 10. Nineteen-year-old Aya Mohammad told Al Jazeera that the men called them "whores" and "prostitutes," attempted to rip off her clothes, and broke a tooth. And when Mohammad went to government security forces standing by, bleeding and bruised, they refused to help.

According to MADRE's press release, they believe that the attackers "were organized by Iraq’s official security forces and were un-uniformed to keep them from being held accountable." Some of the assailants were even carrying police identification cards.

The attack on the protesters came after the Iraqi government missed its promised deadline to implement reforms, a promise that had been won from Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki during a wave of uprisings in February. Instead of the pledged reforms, the government appears to be trying to silence the opposition.

"Women have been leaders of these pro-democracy protests, in Iraq and throughout the region," stated Yifat Susskind, Executive Director of MADRE. "The attacks were not random but part of a deliberate strategy of sexual violence. It is an attempt to terrorize women who have been the catalysts for demonstrations that call for a new Iraq." MADRE is calling upon Prime Minister Al-Maliki and other Iraqi officials "to guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and to respond to the demands of demonstrators."

MADRE is asking people from around the world to stand with their sisters and brothers peacefully demonstrating in Iraq. You can join the hundreds of people who have already signed their petition by clicking here.

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.

RELATED PETITION

Condemn Attack on Peaceful Protesters in Iraq and End the Sexual Assault of Women Protesters
SIGN PETITION
1,404 People
PREVIOUS STORY:
Victory! Got Milk Ends Sexist PMS Ad Campaign Early Amid Public Outcry
NEXT STORY:
Fox News' Trotta Still Doesn't Get It: I Want Her Rape Apologism Off the Air

COMMENTS (0)

    Comment Policy

    · All fields are required to comment.

    [X]

    Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the campaign on Change.org. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments which, as determined solely in our discretion: (1) are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; (2) include content solely intended to personally attack the campaign creator, (3) are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them; and/or (4) violate our terms of service and/or privacy policy. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion. Please also be advised that: (A) we do not actively curate and/or monitor in any manner whatsoever the comments made on the Change.org platform, and (B) the creator of each campaign on Change.org may remove any comment at her/his/its discretion.