Women in Afghanistan

I help to support the Malala Fund so I’ve been aware of the women’s situation in Afghanistan for some years.

malala.org/countries/afghanistan

That's a good link petra. Didn't know about it, thanks.

The situation for women and girls in Afghanistan is shocking and seems to be getting worse. I wish the women and girls could get to Europe and find refuge. That’s unlikely given every move is proscribed. I find it difficult not to wonder how many men who seek refuge in Europe share the Taliban views on women and girls

Malalas fund is a good organisation, and she even now gets opposition from some due to dress, views, etc, it is worth supporting.

I know it's important that this Thread is about women in Afghanistan, but there are two articles in The Guardian online this morning about misogyny increasing for teens, and the other article is about the fact that one fifth of femicides are committed by sons.

Maremia - I often ask why so many men are sexually physically and emotionally abusive towards women. Rarely get any response. Is it something worthy of its own thread ? My feeling is misogyny is rising

Yes, I have seen your concern expressed on other Threads, but I don't think the GNs are the ones who would know.
On the other hand, why not have a go and raise a Thread about it.

I wish I knew the answer to your question, Iam64. Is it because some men feel threatened by what they grew up to believe was the weaker and inferior sex, and cannot cope with present day reality? Do some feel they don't measure up to male role models, and take it out on women?

Yes, Galaxy, I am going to see what I can do, using this link given by petra.

I think the answer is very simple, men are physically stronger and bigger than women, the figures around male partners killing their female partners have remained fairly static for some time. There are differences between men and women, whether we like it or not.

There are many Countries where standards of acceptable behaviour are very low.

That is what bothers me the most.

And now, with say crimes statistics here, suddenly lots of things are deemed ok.

Knife crime up in the Uk? No worries. It is nothing compared to abroad.

And I do think a sizeable number of people living in the Uk are starting to believe the same.
And oddly, I think that is more true of older people than the young.

Everything is fine in the Uk.
It isnt!

And dont get me started on, "it is all anti-Labour propaganda".

Iam64

The situation for women and girls in Afghanistan is shocking and seems to be getting worse. I wish the women and girls could get to Europe and find refuge. That’s unlikely given every move is proscribed. I find it difficult not to wonder how many men who seek refuge in Europe share the Taliban views on women and girls

I saw a documentary recently of a youngish man going between the Afghan and Pakistan border.
It was absolutely nothing like most other border situations.

He was almost trying to make out that it was a safe thing to do.
Whilst ignoring the crime around him, and the fact there were virtually no women in sight in the whole of his documentary.

Iam64

Maremia - I often ask why so many men are sexually physically and emotionally abusive towards women. Rarely get any response. Is it something worthy of its own thread ? My feeling is misogyny is rising

My answer, having got out of a coercively abusive marriage in 2022, (tho he was bi polar as well):

and recently (October) was sexually assulted in a very "safe place", followed by denial and gaslighting with an alternative narrative within the social group it happened in. (Just all coming out now, so hard when others in the group believed him, but getting there/proven now).

Is that it's about the man needing to feel good about themselves by controlling either physically or by the narratives they create around themselves and can impose on partners/family/work etc. And often not done maliciously, either, (lack of self awareness/perception)

Why more now? I think as more and more people are under great stress, either its possible they may develop issues like depression, or resort back to "needing" to control again, as in self image, the ego.

I am glad your personal situation is being properly dealt with Wyllow.

It was the old old story of a well respected and powerful male needing to hang on not just to how others saw him, but how he saw himself as one of the good guys.

When I watch videos on Facebook, there are ads in between.
One of the most common is the one about 'when boys log on, within a few clicks, they are led to misogynistic content'.
There you have it 'content'.
We must attempt to legislation more effectively about this creeping brain washing.

There are many Countries where standards of acceptable behaviour are very low.

I wouldnt really want to bring religion into it, but I dont think it can be ignored.

Does anyone know, off the tops of the heads, which religions think abusing women is perfectly ok?

I dont know the religion of Afghanistan, but will look it up later.

fancythat, was the young man in that film you watched ever trying to address the situation of women in his country?

Most religions this millenia are Patriarchal.
Earlier 'pagan' beliefs, but not all, worshipped the Mother Goddess.
Worthy of its own Thread.

I can't get my head round the fact that one in five femicide killers are the sons.
Don't think that has anything to do with religion.

Iam64

Maremia - I often ask why so many men are sexually physically and emotionally abusive towards women. Rarely get any response. Is it something worthy of its own thread ? My feeling is misogyny is rising

I think you are correct to feel misogyny is on the increase Iam64, it also seems that hate directed towards any group is rife now. Be it generational, ethnicity or political based.
Social media/internet has now enabled the hate filled bigot to have the audience and validation that they thrive on.
Whereas years ago they would have been known (and avoided) in their community, they are now a combined 'force' .I find it quite terrifying to be honest, the potential for harm should not be taken lightly.

Maremia

Most religions this millenia are Patriarchal.
Earlier 'pagan' beliefs, but not all, worshipped the Mother Goddess.
Worthy of its own Thread.

I've always known this, but did an online course on feminist theology.

Women were the Mother goddess before it was known that men had any part in making babies, doing the most important thing, ie producing the next generation.

Of course, by the time male based religions got a hold, it was then believed that all women did was to "grow the mans seed".

The fact that it's an equal undertaking in the initial producing bit, but women actually do the real work, still seems to escape many.

The fear of women being powerful? Years of indoctrination generation to generation cast women's power as dangerous and transgressive has not yet gone.

Thank fully of course most of us probably also know men who love and accept that power, not just in the birth aspects, but our abilities to understand the world in a "different but equal" way.

(what shocked me in my recent experience was that the other men in our smallish group were more supportive than some of the women. The men thought, "that was disgusting, I'd never do that to a woman, if I fancied her, I'd ask her out for coffee.

but some of the older women I'm sad to say thought and said "oh, but he's such a lovely man!" blah blah.

ie
oh, but he's such a lovely man, he couldn't have possibly done x

What I think is really unforgivable is that the west opened a window for Afghanistan women and allowed them to think that they had the right to education and other freedoms like freedom from the tyranny of the burka, being stoned to death, going out and about without male escort etc.

Then we shut it with a loud bang.

What a dreadful thing to do.