Iraqis Fight Sexual Violence Amidst Societal Taboos and Legal Gaps
Women activists face death threats and isolation while working to combat widespread sexual abuse and harassment in Iraq, where legal protections are lacking.
Women in Iraq are increasingly using their mobile phones to document instances of sexual harassment and violence, posting the evidence online to shame perpetrators and seek justice in a society that often blames victims. Activist Sarah Jassim, who runs an Instagram page sharing such videos, told the BBC that "your camera is your weapon." She has personally faced death threats and accusations of inciting public indecency for encouraging women to speak out against harassment.
Jassim argues for stricter laws to explicitly criminalize "harassment" and "gender-based violence," terms currently absent from the Iraqi penal code. She says recognizing the problem is the first step toward addressing it and that abusers must be deterred.
Many Iraqi women report feeling failed by the justice and police systems, citing complicated procedures and uncertain outcomes when pursuing legal action against harassers or rapists. A UN committee report in May described violence against women and girls in Iraq as "widespread and under-reported," urging stronger legislation and the repeal of laws that exonerate rapists who marry their victims or allow reduced sentences for "honor killings."
One woman, who uses the pseudonym Amal, has been involved in a five-year legal battle. She accuses her ex-husband of repeatedly raping their daughter at gunpoint when she was under 18. Amal recounted her daughter's harrowing experience, including her father's threat: "No-one will hear you if I kill you." Medical documents and DNA evidence support Amal's account. She believes her ex-husband may have threatened to kill their daughter to prevent the assault from being proven.
Amal stated that she fought the legal battle alone, unable to afford legal representation while her ex-husband hired multiple lawyers. Her family also largely ignored the situation. She has lost faith in a favorable court ruling, expressing only a desire for her ex-husband to stay out of her life.
Survivors of domestic sexual abuse in Iraq often lack independent income and safe housing, as shelters for abused women are scarce. Yanar Mohammed, a prominent women's rights advocate and co-founder of several shelters, was murdered outside her Baghdad home in March. Experts from the UN Human Rights Council noted that Mohammed had received years of death threats and online abuse, believed to originate from extremist religious militias.
Women's rights activist Hanaa Edwar, who saw Mohammed two days before her death, stated that targeted attacks on colleagues are increasing. Edwar herself has received threats and commented, "There are no laws, no protection, and no justice for women in Iraq." Mustafa Saadoon, head of the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, noted that even when women speak out, the system is not built to listen, with many reporting being told to settle issues quietly at family, police, or court levels.
Samira, another woman who asked for her name to be changed, described facing repeated harassment on public transport and being followed by a man in a car. She recounted an incident where a man displayed pornography on his phone to her on public transport. When she reported being followed by a car to the police, she was told they lacked the authority to act.
Muqdad Miri, a spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry, acknowledged that cases of harassment involving police personnel occur but are rare, with perpetrators facing severe punishment. He stated that many cases go unreported due to societal norms, customs, and traditions. Miri added that women increasingly use social media to report incidents because it is easier than filing official reports.
Miri mentioned that the police receive around 300 reports of sexual violence annually but accepts that the actual number is higher. Activists like Edwar express pessimism, noting that women's rights appear to be regressing two decades after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Despite the challenges, Jassim and Edwar emphasize the importance of continuing their advocacy, with Jassim stating, "If all of us are going to get scared, no-one will change anything."