Murder Tops Crimes by Women in Afghanistan

[polly7]

http://www.globalissues.org/news/2012/09/20/14841


Murder Tops Crimes by Women in Afghanistan

by Sohaila Weda Khamosh (Kabul)Thursday, September 20, 2012
Inter Press Service

KABUL, Sep 20 (IPS) - The number of Afghan women being jailed for murder has been increasing every year, officials say. More than a quarter of the 700 women in prison are serving murder sentences.

Parween Rahimi of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) is in charge of the women’s rights support department in the regional office. She says that since the start of the year 52 women are in jails in three central provinces – Parwan, Kabul and Kapisa – on charges of murder. Most of the killings were acts of revenge, or when the accused felt she had no other recourse. “The violence is so intense the women cannot bear it. So they kill their husbands or other members of his family.”

According to Rahimi, there are also cases where a husband addicted to narcotics has taken his life, and his wife has been accused of murder by his family. She says forced marriages in Afghanistan are at the root of social problems faced by women.

The murders are usually not premeditated, says Fawzia Amini, head of the Rights Department in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. “The murder takes place suddenly.” She believes women face all kinds of oppression that affect them psychologically. There is widespread violence in the family and oppressive social customs like polygamy.

“The very stressful life makes people quarrelsome and creates psychological problems,” says Spozhmai Oria, lecturer in psychology in Kabul University. Years of conflict have scarred people, she adds. “It is necessary to acknowledge that people have psychological problems.”

It's hard enough dealing with domestic violence here, I can't imagine what these women go through with no support or resources.

[yellerpup]

1. Not surprising.

Under the Taliban a woman has to kill someone to be noticed. Unless, of course, they assume Western dress.