.In the southern Yemeni city of Aden, there has been a disturbing escalation in incidents of assaults and violence against women, ranging from verbal and physical harassment to murder, amidst a failure by security and judicial authorities to effectively address this phenomenon and to put an end to it, which has not been tangible in this form in the past.
This comes amid widespread societal fears with the recent increase in these incidents, which have reached the level of child abduction, as happened recently with the kidnapping and murder of the five-year-old girl "Shams" in the "Al-Ruzmit" neighborhood of the Crater area in the heart of Aden.
Over the past three years, there has been a noticeable increase in the rate of violations against women across different regions of Yemen, due to the destabilized and deteriorating security, judicial, and moral situation, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Yemen since 2015. The severity of these violations has intensified, with numerous cases reported against girls in Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognized government, as well as in other areas and governorates across the country.
A psychologist stated, “Through my interviews with some cases, including girls who have been subjected to stalking and are now in the therapeutic phase, after being active members of society, it is difficult to describe the post-traumatic stress pressures they have experienced. They have refrained from completing their studies and have become suffering from severe fear and continuous panic attacks.”
Moreover, the city has witnessed several horrific incidents recently, mostly occurring in public streets and places in full view of passersby, in brutal ways that have shocked public opinion. Consequently, this has led to numerous calls for the concerned authorities to take action to protect women and girls as such incidents continue to recur. Many believe in the importance of the community's role, in conjunction with security and judicial authorities, to combat this violence and assaults against women in Aden.
The Exacerbation of Feelings of Despair and Frustration
Late last year, a 23-year-old woman was killed at a shopping center in the Al-Mansoura district, in what was described as one of the most horrific acts of violence, attributed to a young man working at the same center. Just weeks after this incident involving the young woman Fatima Omar, another woman, Saja Mohammed Ayyash, was attacked while on her way to the university where she studies at the Faculty of Arts in the Khor Maksar area. She was stabbed multiple times by a man named Tarek Al-Sulaimani. Following this incident, the Sira First Instance Court announced the commencement of his trial, without disclosing the motives and reasons behind it.
In this context, academics attribute the exacerbation of this phenomenon to a number of factors, most notably the ongoing war and conflict in the country, as a major factor that contributed to creating a fertile environment for the spread of violence in general, including violence against women. In addition to the deteriorating economic situation, poverty and unemployment, which all exacerbated feelings of despair and frustration among many young people and citizens in general.
In this regard, Dr. Mujeeb Al-Rahman Al-Wesabi, an academic at the University of Aden, stated in an interview with "Khuyut" that the issue of assaults against girls and women in Yemen is primarily caused by the living conditions, in addition to poverty, which he considers a major cause of all societal ills, including the assaults against girls and women.
He also emphasizes that the lack of acceptance of others and the gap in social coexistence exacerbate this phenomenon, along with the absence of proper family upbringing, especially in light of the difficult economic conditions, which may lead to the emergence of wrong behaviors, some of which appear in an alarming and terrifying manner.
According to this academic at the University of Aden, addressing this issue requires raising community awareness, encouraging solidarity, combating violence, and fostering the upbringing of respect for others, especially women. He noted that improving economic conditions could reduce poverty and enhance living standards. Furthermore, he urges the government to focus on combating unemployment, providing job opportunities, and improving salaries.
A High Price for Society
In mid-August of last year, a video clip circulated showing an argument and fight between a couple in the Dar Saad area (north of Aden), which culminated in the detonation of a "bomb" that killed them both.
Actually, such these incidents have continued in various areas and streets of Aden. The most recent incident shocked the community when a man in his twenties stalked a young girl, no older than five years old, abducted her, and took her to a remote place out of sight. Thus, after a lengthy search, she was found murdered and left in that area.
As for Maria Al-Absi, the Director of the Media Department at the National Committee for Women in Aden, she explained to "Khuyut" that the recent crimes against women are a result of the changes that occurred in the social structure and fabric due to nearly a decade of war and conflict. This situation has fueled violence in the community, led to the proliferation of weapons, and made their use more common amidst the ongoing conflicts.
On the other hand, there are those who raise another reason, in addition to the aforementioned factors, for the increase in violence and assaults to an appalling level, especially after the city has witnessed many horrific incidents involving women and girls. According to citizens, it is not unlikely that the spread of illicit substances such as 'crystal meth' (locally known as “shabu”) and other drugs, which affect the mental state of users, is contributing to this surge in violence.
However, Al-Absi, for her part, focuses primarily on the repercussions of the war and conflict, as it is a major cause, alongside the deteriorating living and economic conditions. She asserts that the war has been a major factor in the proliferation of violence, fueling feelings of murder without fear. Hence, what is being experienced now is the cost of the war, which society pays through the increasing crime rate and family disintegration.
Adopting Behavior Opposed to Values
Women who experience assault suffer from serious psychological and physical traumas, some of which can lead to death. These incidents also create a sense of fear and anxiety among women, which may prevent them from participating in public life and force them to stay at home for fear of being assaulted, negatively affecting their role in society.
Likewise, psychological counselor and specialist Wafa Saad Talha tells "Khuyut" that these actions are the result of various factors, including economic, political, social, and cultural ones, in addition to the corruption of youth culture and the adoption of behaviors that oppose societal values.
She continues: "Through my interviews with some cases, including girls who have been subjected to stalking and are now in the therapeutic phase, after being active members of society, it is difficult to describe the post-traumatic stress pressures they have experienced. They have refrained from completing their studies and have become suffering from severe fear and continuous panic attacks."
“If we delve into the situation in Aden Governorate last year, we find that there were numerous assault crimes occurred against young women in the streets of the city, resulting from the spread of drugs among the youth, in addition to weapons of both types, white (bladed) and firearms, coupled with the absence of security role and the judiciary's weakness in the past years, due to the inadequate provision of full protection for judges and members of the public prosecution.”
Among these cases, Talha narrates one of them by saying, “A girl was returning to her home in one of the neighborhoods when the electricity was cut off upon her arrival. Then she was suddenly chased by a young man in a manner that terrified her, causing her to freeze in fear. Subsequently, she entered a profound psychological crisis, to the extent that she lost trust in the world and became isolated, despite previously having a cheerful and intelligent personality.”
However, due to the violence, she has become depressed and sad, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She is currently undergoing medication and therapy sessions to overcome this trauma." Meanwhile, Wafa calls for the necessity of addressing and resolving this phenomenon, given its extremely painful consequences.
A Phenomenon Requiring Urgent Action
In reality, the escalating incidents of violence against women in Yemen are a serious phenomenon that requires urgent action from all concerned parties, including the government, civil society, and international organizations, to put an end to this phenomenon and ensure the protection of women from violence.
In this context, the human rights activist Jawad Al-Nabihi comments on this matter to "Khuyut," saying: "Violence against women is a widespread phenomenon in all governorates of Yemen, not just in Aden alone. Further, it has not been limited to the confines of the family but it has extended to include individuals with no apparent connection to them."
He further added: "For example, if we delve into the situation in Aden Governorate last year, we find that there were numerous assault crimes that occurred against young women in the streets of the city, resulting from the spread of drugs among the youth, in addition to weapons of both types, white (bladed) and firearms, coupled with the absence of security roles and the judiciary's weakness in the past years, due to the lack of provision of full protection for judges and members of the public prosecution."
Regarding the role of the law, Al-Nabihi believes that it exists, but it is merely ink on paper and ineffective; stating that if the law were enforced, the phenomenon of crime would disappear, because its application in such cases or incidents represents a life for society as a whole, as it prevents the occurrence of crime and acts as a deterrent to its commission; therefore, security in general precedes the judiciary and justice.
