While in Kuwait for several months, I knew some frightening stories. However, I can only vouch for one. A woman living on our compound was walking back from a short shopping trip at dusk when she was attacked. She fought hard to fend the man off and he was finally scared away when a passing motorist stopped to help. She came away bruised, shaken and with a broken finger. Now, I know worse things happen more frequently back where I come from. However, there it is just a little different. So, dress appropriately and, as a woman, do not walk around at night alone unless you are in a very public and crowded place. Even then, be mindful.
Domestic violence on woman in Kuwait is an issue that has been ignored for years. Research is evident that woman in Kuwait are abused more than what is actually reported (Conrad, 2011). For most women, their marriage is everything, yet there are some unlucky women whose marriages end up in nightmares (Conrad, 2011).
Many officials insists,” that problems doesn’t exist there because the culture and family traditions that woman are protected” (Conrad, 2011). A lot of woman there are scared to file police reports because they know that the police will not do anything to protect them. Theses woman are raised to marry and cater to their husbands because that is their way of life (Conrad, 2011). When “a woman does file for divorce because of abuse, they must provide at least two male witnesses (or a male witness and two female witness) to attest to the injury suffered” (Conrad, 2011).
Women are scared to not abide by these standards because of fear of scaring their family’s reputation. To them it is like sacrificing their lives; family and marriages mean a lot to them.
While I do not agree on the laws concerning domestic abuse of woman in Kuwait or any country, I could only hope that the times are changing to include laws that prosecute the abuser.
Whenever I see a stylish, appropriately dressed, Western, woman around Kuwait, she is usually a teacher, working for a Kuwaiti company or married to a Kuwaiti. When I see a hoochie mama with skin tight jeans, low cut tops that are so tight you can count that they have more rolls then a bakery on Madison Avenue she is almost always a contractor. They have short tops with their tattoos showing and low cut jeans with their muffin tops visible to all. I am not saying all contractors dress inappropriately, but it seems like the majority just let it all hang out.
Several of the woman that I knew talk about how they see Arab women at the malls dressing in very revealing clothes and so they are going to wear what they want. Well, if they jump off the Kuwaiti towers are you going to follow them as well? Do you want attention for being a beautiful, appropriately sexy, well-dressed woman who shows respect for herself and represents her country well while in Kuwait? On the other hand, do you want attention for looking like you have served more men than McDonalds on Gulf Road (a Road in Kuwait)?
Article Cited
Conrad, L. (2011, July 5). One in three woman in Kuwait a domestic violence victim’. Kuwaittimes.net. Retrieved September 19, 2011, from: http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=OTE4OTM2OTMxOQ==.
