Rape as a Weapon of War: Women Fight Back in Libya

A terrible story came out of Libya earlier last week of a woman who was raped by government troops in Libya. Iman al-Obeidi, however, would not be silenced by shame. She stormed into a hotel in Tripoli where foreign journalists were based to openly disclose her identity and tell her story. Government minders in the hotel started a brawl with her as foreign journalists sought to protect her. She loudly declared that she had been detained at a check point, tied up, abused, and gang raped.  Hadeel Al-Shalchi of the Associated Press reported: "The woman, who appeared in her 30's, wore a black robe and a floral scarf around her neck and identified herself. She had scratches on her face and she pulled up her black robe to reveal a bloodied thigh. She said neighbors in the area where she was detained helped her escape."

At the end of the scuffle however, al-Obeidi was dragged out by the government minders who then came back and claimed to the journalists that she was drunk and mentally ill. These comments were later retracted and a government spokesman claimed it was a case of rape and it was being investigated and that al-Obeidi was "safe and well." A recent follow-up to the story by Al Jazeera today noted that al-Obeidi was still missing that that government officials were trying to bribe her family with large sums of money to convince their daughter recant the story. Her mother declared publicly that she told her daughter to "keep silent" (in regards to recanting), and her family had noted that she had been targeted after she had participated in a pro-democracy protest. Furthermore, while government spokesmen declared to journalists that al-Obeidi was a "prostitute," her family furnished Al Jazeera with photos of her receiving her law degree.

Al Jazeera reported: "Iman is rapidly become a cause célèbre in Libya. Highly unusual in a culture that traditionally secludes its women and exercises a code of honor."Moreover, the Al Jazeera reporter noted that "other women" had been detained along with al-Obeidi and their status is unknown. 

Libyan state TV, predictably, has not been kind to al-Obeidi. A friend shared with me the following link to a state TV response to the rape story. The newscaster had the gall to declare: ‎"From a psychological perspective, we know that any woman who has gone through any kind of rape it's impossible that she would have acted like this woman right after being raped" and claimed she had received this opinion from "doctors." Furthermore, today Libyan state TV aired what the claimed was 'secret footage' of al-Obeidi being interviewed by officials which appears to be some actress with her face covered up in al-Obeidi's scarf. 

Iman al-Obeidi's case is a reflection of a larger issue that often occurs in war - rape used as a weapon against women. This is not unique to Libya although certainly in a culture where rape victims shrink back in shame and silence, al-Obeidi's courage is astounding, more so in front of pro-Gaddafi minders and international journalists. She gives a voice to rape victims who have otherwise chosen to remain silent. Al Jazeera reporters talking to doctors in Libya discovered that Gaddafi soldiers had "condoms and viagra" in their pockets suggesting that they were intending to rape women on rebel territory. Doctors also noted that they were treating rape victims. 

Of course, the drama is just unfolding. In a diabolical twist, today, The New York Daily News just reported that al-Obeidi is to face criminal charges for slander, her accusations a "grave offense" to the 15 men whom she claims raped her.  British-based Telegraph further detailed that a Libyan government spokesman stated, "The boys accused of doing this are furious. They want to kill her. They have filed a case to defend their family name. In our culture these are very serious charges that will last for generations." The Libyan government response is stupefying. To blame the victim as a perpetrator against national honor after she faced horrific trauma at the hands of Gaddafi troops is appalling. There is no honor in raping and abusing a woman.

Bourzou Daragahi, writing on the LA Times Blog, stated, "Human Rights Watch, a New York-based advocacy group that has been trying unsuccessfully to gain access to Libya, demanded that her family and international media be allowed to independently verify the official claim that she is free and safe." He also added: "Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and North Africa division of the rights group, said that 'Libya has a history of mistreating women who have been raped or sexually abused and often jails them for what it describes as their own protection. Libyan judges also have an unfortunate practice of arranging for rapists to marry their victim, with the consent of her family, to 'save' her from ... an otherwise tainted future,' Whitson said in an email. 'The marriage also allows the rapist to avoid jail time.'" 

Libyan women have come out onto the streets to rally in support of al-Obeidi and her family has taken a decidedly non-traditional stance in publicly supporting their daughter and seeking her release. It will be a matter of time before we find out what's become of her and the other women that have been detained with her.