Author:
Publication: Feminist Daily News
Wire
Date: July 8, 2005
URL: http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=9145
Several Iraqi women have been burned
by acid attacks during recent weeks in Baghdad and the western province
of Anbar. Acid attacks are a form of violence against women where acid
is thrown at or sprayed on women's faces, legs, or other exposed body parts,
in order to punish women in this case for not wearing the 'abaya,' a long
black cloak that only reveals the nose, mouth, eyes, and hands.
Hania Abdul-Jabbar, a university
student, had acid thrown on her face and legs by three men for not wearing
the veil out in public. "They cut all my hair off while hitting me in the
face many times, telling me it's the price for not obeying God's wish in
using the veil," according to IRIN News. Today Abdul-Jabbar is blind in
one eye, and her face is completely deformed due to the acid attack.
Since Hussein's removal in 2003,
at least five women have been killed in Anbar for not obeying orders by
religious extremists to wear the veil and women continue to be threatened
today, IRIN News reports.
Despite such threats, many Iraqi
women refuse to be intimidated by religious extremists. Hiba Zuheir, who
is 24 years old, explained, "I won't force myself to use something that
I don't feel comfortable with. Women in Iraq are losing their place in
society and we have to fight that and determine who we are and how we should
dress, despite these dangers," according to IRIN News.