L.O.
COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
A thousand men watched the stoning of a 13 year old girl
By Ruth Rasnic
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Today, November 25th, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women around the world.
On this day, we wonder about the kind of thoughts that went through the minds of the 1,000 men who watched the killing
of a 13-year-old girl at a Somali stadium.
The girl, Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow, was stoned to death for her terrible sin: She dared to file a complaint about a brutal rape by three men.
Yet the Somali court was unimpressed by her complaint and handed down a death penalty for adultery.
The killing method was particularly horrifying. The child was buried up to her neck before dozens of men proceeded to stone her.
Her body was removed from the "burial site" three times before her death was verified. A relative who attempted to help her was shot to death.
What were those 1,000 men thinking about while watching this horrific display?
Did their heart ache when they heard the girl crying and screaming, before ultimately growing silent?
Did anyone think of the terrible suffering experienced by the 13-year-old girl for filing a complaint over the rape she experienced?
Did anyone think the same could happen to their daughter or sister should other men carry out their malicious intent in a similar manner?
Some of these men may have been thinking about the fact that now they could apparently go out there and rape more girls and women. After all, nobody would dare complain.
Over the course of history, women learned to remain silent and bear the disgrace of rape without uttering a word, for fear that society would ostracize, humiliate, or murder them.
Only midway through the 20th Century we saw women's groups speaking up and saying no to rape, no to humiliation, no to beating up women,
no to harassing women, and no to trading women.
These brave women, who stood and are still standing at the forefront of the battle for the elimination of violence against women,
are working through the media, via legislation, at shelters for battered women, and at centers for sex assault victims -
they all bear one message: No more.
In the last 10 days of October, four women were murdered in Israel; two of them in the Jewish sector and two others in the Arab sector.
The shocking case involving a police officer who murdered his wife and children before committing suicide still resonates in our collective memory.
The comments that were made, implying that this could happen to anyone, make every woman shudder.
Is this true? Can any decent, pleasant and kind man turn into a despicable murderer? The answer must come from the men themselves.
You need to disprove the words of those people, who are trying to say this phenomenon can strike any woman;
those people who aim to falsely accuse you, saying that any man can do "something like that."
You, the men, the majority of whom are not violent, must contradict this type of talk and attitude.
You were brought into this world by women, you are the brothers of women, the fathers of girls, and the lovers of women.
You too should take an active part in the battle to eliminate violence against women.
Make yourselves heard at every opportunity, demand that legislators introduce harsher punishments, demand
that the government bolster the budgets earmarked to bodies engaged in this fight,
and insist that the Education Ministry make the issue of education to equality, parenthood, and non-violence a part of school curriculums.
Become the genuine partners of women. We have been engaged in this social warfare for many years. Join us to change the face of society,
for the future of your daughters and granddaughters.
Ruth Rasnic is the general manager of the L.O. non-profit organization dedicated to combating violence against women.
She also serves as a city councilor in Herzliya and heads the Welfare and Health Committees at city hall
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