All things Middle East related

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Violence against women - whether "honor killings" or "just because it gets you off" is deplorable. I find it hard to believe that the numbers are comprable but don't know the comparable stats. Even if comprable, however, the fact that women are generally treated as property subject to the law as opposed to people with rights under the law is endemic to many countries in the ME and is enforced by their courts - both civil and religious (in some cases, one and the same).
It's night and day. I seriously doubt any well-adjusted Western woman, regardless of class, thinks to herself "Gee, I wish I lived in Pakistan, India or
Afghanistan - life would be soooo much better."

Theyre not comparable. They are worse here. Although its beyond dispute that women have more "rights" here from a legal perspective, the majority of eastern and middle eastern countrys consider violence against women and children to be criminal. Even if Afghanistan, its illegal pretty much everywhere. Its just certain tribal areas that adhere to extremist religous law where this sort of thing is tolerated... yet, ignorant americans act like the whole middle east is represented by those small, isolated areas.

The fact remains that violence against women is universal problem. No matter what the country, some men mistreat women becuase they're @ssholes. I would imagine most abusers "justifiy" their actions to themselves for varoius reasons. The only difference in the situation described in the CNN article is that the @ssholes feel they are justified because of their religious laws.