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RAPED Woman’s Choice: 12 Years In Jail Or Marry Her RAPIST
The ordeal of Gulnaz did not simply begin and end with the physical attack of her rape. The rape began a years-long nightmare of further pain, culminating in an awful choice she must now make.
Even two years later, Gulnaz remembers the smell and state of her rapist’s clothes when he came into the house when her mother left for a brief visit to the hospital.
“He had filthy clothes on as he does metal and construction work. When my mother went out, he came into my house and he closed doors and windows. I started screaming, but he shut me up by putting his hands on my mouth,” she said.
The rapist was her cousin’s husband.
After the attack, she hid what happened as long as she could. But soon she began vomiting in the mornings and showing signs of pregnancy. It was her attacker’s child.
In Afghanistan, this brought her not sympathy, but prosecution. Aged just 19, she was found guilty by the courts of sex outside of marriage — adultery — and sentenced to twelve years in jail.
Now inside Kabul’s Badam Bagh jail, she and her child are serving her sentence together.
I started screaming, but he shut me up by putting his hands on my mouth
Gulnaz
Sitting with the baby in her lap, her face carefully covered, she explains the only choice she has that would end her incarceration.
The only way around the dishonor of rape, or adultery in the eyes of Afghans, is to marry her attacker. This will, in the eyes of some, give her child a family and restore her honor.
Incredibly, this is something that Gulnaz is willing to do.
“I was asked if I wanted to start a new life by getting released, by marrying this man”, she told CNN in an exclusive interview. “My answer was that one man dishonored me, and I want to stay with that man.”
Tending to her daughter in the jail’s cold, she added: “My daughter is a little innocent child. Who knew I would have a child in this way. A lot of people told me that after your daughter’s born give it to someone else, but my aunt told me to keep her as proof of my innocence.”
Gulnaz’s choice is stark. Women in her situation are often killed for the shame their ordeal has brought the community. She is at risk, some say, from her attacker’s family.
We found Gulnaz’s convicted rapist in a jail across town. While he denied raping her, he agreed that she would likely be killed if she gets out of jail. But he insists that it will be her family, not his, that will kill her, “out of shame.”
Whether threatened by his family or hers, for now, jail may be the safest place for her.
Shockingly, Gulnaz’s case is common in Afghanistan.
CNN asked a spokesman for the prosecutor to comment on the case. The reply was that there were hundreds such cases and the office would need time to look into it.
I was asked if I wanted to start a new life by getting released, by marrying this man
Gulnaz
But Gulnaz’s plight has found international attention because of a dispute between the European Union and a team of documentary makers hired to report on women’s rights in Afghanistan.
The documentary makers filmed a lengthy report on Gulnaz and other women, showing her talking openly about her fate. They showed the film to the EU, who were paying for it as part of a project on female rights here. After viewing it, the EU decided to spike the project.
The EU said it was concerned about the safety of the women in the film: they could be identified and might face reprisals. The filmmakers however suspect — citing an email leaked from the EU delegation — that the EU might also be motivated by its sensitive relationship with Afghan justice institutions, since he film shows the Afghan justice system in a very unflattering light.
The leaked email says: “The delegation also has to consider its relations with [Afghan] Justice institutions in connection with the other work that it is doing in the sector.”
The EU Ambassador to Afghanistan, Vygaudas Usackas, rejected any political motivation in asking for the film not to be shown.
“What I am concerned about is that situation of the women. About the security and well being, that’s of paramount importance, the key criteria according to which I, as representative of the European Union will judge,” said the ambassdor.
Under Afghan law, Gulnaz has been judged an adulterer. Despite the ongoing dispute over her story, her predicament has not changed. She faces the hideous choice of 12 years in jail or marriage to her rapist and risk death. It’s a marriage she says she’ll accept, so her child can continue to have a mother.
[cnn]
Posted by
Tracy Mwanza
November 24, 2011 at 4:03 pm
lET THE GIRL TESTIFY WHO THE FATHER IS IN PUBLIC SO THAT SHE CAN WALK WITH HER HEAD HIGH. SHAME ON THIS MAN. WHY ARE MEN SO CRUEL? MY DEAR I WILL COMMIT YOU IN PRAYER FOR JUSTICE TO PREVAIL.
Mind You
November 24, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Very sad story to read. The Islamic world need Jesus as Saviour.
Exhaust Blown Diffuser
November 24, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Poor gal and child, how unlucky once and she got pregnant, the guy must be fruitful..Afghanistan yalikosa sex outside marriage 12years in jail, we should have this in Zambia..Mary the chap when you get out of jail divorce him foolish man
Nathan Iris
November 24, 2011 at 4:20 pm
The story sounds like one of the zambia novels i read a long time ago in secondary school.Anyway this is sad indeed.
francis kayela
November 24, 2011 at 5:09 pm
The sole called courts have to be considerate because as the evidence produced before it did not prove her guiltness but the man was supposed to punished for rape.Islamic nations PLEASE revisi your laws so as to be enjoyed by everyone equally.
prof.*****
November 24, 2011 at 6:19 pm
It really makes a sad reading.May divine justice be meted out on this monsterous man.
meswin
November 24, 2011 at 6:19 pm
These people are very very bad, u get raped, impregnated & jailed at the same time. Their world is not fair. I believe God will judge them!
God forgives i dont
November 24, 2011 at 7:37 pm
F*ck all these rapist .
Hear me out!
November 24, 2011 at 8:51 pm
And these are the cultures that want to be included in our Zambian constitution making process.Please,such animal behavior is not welcome here.
Mulopower
November 24, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Shit country with shit laws
Another zambian
November 24, 2011 at 9:22 pm
This is crazy and we are sitting wr is amnesty international wr is united nations for refuges these people sholud be let out and given a real chance at life sum wr else not the fake refugees just wantin to live in better countries these pipo deserve wholeheartedly all our efforts just to make the world a Better place and help improve another personslife may god forgive us all who r not doing anything about the situation this is when we need to speak out now
Daka03
November 24, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Shame upon the islamic world,these pipo need Jesus and deliverance
george kunda
November 24, 2011 at 11:04 pm
Nathan dat dick is big. Iris did u even rich organism?
Peneshi
November 25, 2011 at 2:37 am
This z the reason Y us Zanbians doesn’t like Islam so much. One can agree wth me dat God can neva impose unfair rulling especially thoz targeted women in this way. He made US & brought us on earth 2 enjoy his creation & not 2 sufer on de hands of otha created humans. That innocent woman sufering 4reva & will neva be free coz if freed myt die aaaaaaahhh!!!!!!!! OH my Jesus.
Jb
November 25, 2011 at 6:38 am
If there was a way we’d remove all women from such places. Surely that is not living. Jesus help there people know you.
Monk Sq Analysis
November 25, 2011 at 7:54 am
#1 – Trace Mwanza:
How can she testify in public when she faces the danger of ‘honor killing’ Ever heard of that phrase? Its real and probably its her own family that will kill her. Sometimes a brother rapes a sister and the sister is killed by their father to protect the name of the family.
BA ZEDI
November 25, 2011 at 8:09 am
Sharia Law at work. no protection for abused women and children.
GEORGE BUSH
November 25, 2011 at 9:22 am
AFGANISTAN IS A COUNRTY OF DOGS WITH JUNGLE AND BACKWARD ISLAMIC LAWS. ISLAM IS FULL OF SHIT THAT’S WHY USA IS TERRORISING THEM.
African gal
November 25, 2011 at 10:01 am
oh GOD help us,i hate rapist with passion,why punishing the poor girl leaving the bastard to walk free,Islamic laws are full of shit.Why can’t they do DNA test and cage the f-u-c-k-ing bastard
s***********y
November 25, 2011 at 10:16 am
its true their laws are just smthn else i cant belive this its unfair
williams
November 25, 2011 at 10:55 am
sad
kasy
November 25, 2011 at 11:15 am
im really sad. pliz the only way we can help is to include her in our prayers, with God, nothing is impossible. indeed we re living in th last days. God hear her cry do not pass her by.
boogie
November 25, 2011 at 11:44 am
shit happens everywhere ,there was a case even here somewhere in lilanda of tamara tembo and daniel and fatima banda and her fience .chap was sleeping with both of them and then tamara was having it with indians from ndola and her friend josphine .so confusion is everywere in this world
Ba mwine
November 25, 2011 at 11:44 am
Whats important really a family name or a life? What a weak constitution these guyz have amanofye aya bunamabunamafye.
Chikolokoso
November 25, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I wud suggest that if the woman is stil traumatized with wat happened to her, let her and the child be together in jail, God will be with them than marrying this monister of a man.
gender
November 25, 2011 at 3:47 pm
islamic laws r so full of crap….women r treated like second class citizens which shouldnt b de case.yaba…katwishi no fo winga landa mwe.ba sushi abantu bakulya.wil commit our dear lady in prayers.
realist
November 25, 2011 at 3:50 pm
the Islamic community in Zambia is working towards this, its a movement and its starting from the eastern province . these guys are planting mosques in almost every village. and with time they will start to demand of there rights and you know what that means. dont look very far Nigeria is a very good example. lets be watchful.
glow
November 25, 2011 at 8:16 pm
Can life be this cruel…
Racheal
November 26, 2011 at 3:35 pm
YE YE hAVe It YOuR WaY…ummh