Saudi women runaways are fighting male control
About 577 tried to flee within country in 2015
Another Saudi woman has turned to social media for protection from her father, just days after Canada granted refuge to Rahaf Mohammed, the 18-year-old Saudi who fled her family.
Identified only as Nojoud alMandeel on Twitter, her case differs from that of Mohammed. She has not fled the kingdom, has not revealed her face and has made her pleas for help on Twitter in Arabic.
While their circumstances are different, the claims of abuse by the two women mirror those of other female Saudi runaways who have used social media to publicize their escapes.
There has been speculation that Mohammed’s successful getaway will inspire others to copy her.
However, powerful deterrents remain in place. If caught, runaways face possible death at the hands of relatives for purportedly shaming the family.
Saudi women fleeing their families challenge a system that grants men guardianship over women’s lives. This guardianship system starts in the home, where women must obey fathers, husbands and brothers.
Outside the home, it is applied to citizens, often referred to as sons and daughters by Saudi rulers who demand obedience.
Hala Aldosari, a Saudi scholar and activist, said the male guardianship system replicates the ruling family’s model of governance, which demands full obedience to the king, who holds absolute power in decision-making.
“This is why the state is keen to maintain the authority of male citizens over women to ensure their allegiance,” she said, adding that this “hierarchical system of domination” necessitates “keeping women in line.” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who’s introduced social reforms loosening re- strictions on women, told the Atlantic that doing away with guardianship laws has to be done in a way that does not harm families and the culture.
The issue of guardianship is extremely sensitive in the kingdom, where conservative families view what they consider the protection of women as a man’s duty.
More than a dozen women’s rights activists have been detained, many since May, after they campaigned against the guardianship system. Some had also wanted to create alternative shelters for women runaways.
Regardless of their age, women in Saudi Arabia must have the consent of a male relative to obtain a passport, travel or marry. In the past, a travel permit was a paper document issued by the Interior Ministry and signed by a male relative.
According to government statistics, at least 577 Saudi women tried to flee their homes inside the country in 2015, though the actual number is likely higher. There are no statistics on attempted or successful escapes abroad.
the woman identified as Nojoud al-Mandeel posted audio on Twitter on Monday alleging her father had beaten and burnt her “over something trivial.” She posted a video looking onto a neighbour’s gated pool, where she says she jumped from her bedroom window before a friend picked her up and they escaped.