Culture and Reporting Sexual Violence

The Toronto Star had this interesting article about cultural issues that inhibit reporting of sexual violence and how such inhibitions embolden attackers:

Young Muslim girls in Toronto schools are being targeted for sexual assaults because attackers consider them less likely to report the incidents to authorities, an education official told the Star.

In several cases, the students were harassed or assaulted because, as recent immigrants from the Muslim world, they were assumed to be from conservative families – where, for cultural reasons, sexual abuse can be considered shameful for the victim, say those familiar with the alleged incidents.

At least two sexual assaults against Muslims occurred at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate, the school where 15-year-old Jordan Manners was shot to death in May. But there have been other incidents at other schools, which were reported to police and dealt with, said the education official who did not want to be named because of an ongoing police probe into the allegations.

Others with community contacts said cultural beliefs were being exploited in these attacks.

Nasreen Karim, an assistant manager at the Muslim Welfare Home in Whitby, said sexual assaults are embarrassing for immigrants from Pakistan and India because of their cultural ethos, not their religion.

"I have a daughter. It would be embarrassing for parents," said Karim, who is from Pakistan. "They don't want to report, because they feel embarrassed. That's our culture. It's a virgin woman who goes to marriage."

Comments

[maryann]

As a registered nurse for 20 years none of the local hospitals in my area would hire me because I refused to and continue to refuse to have sexual relationship with. Leonardo lado. He has been calling prospective employers with lies making it impossible for me and my children to find work in Naples Florida. After moving to New York I was able to find work immediately
The local collier county police dept continue to protect this sexual predator.
All anyone has to do is look into his back ground to find he's a women abuser, chronic liar, sexual predator and stalker. However the letters M.D behind his name serve as a shield for this psychopathic behavior.

Never dated this man, never socialized with this man, nothing was done to seduce this man.
This man became obsess with destroying my family.

When I went to work at the willoughs of Naples as a registered nurse.....I was escaping the stress of critical care nursing ...I had no idea I would end up sexually assaulted and stalked.... for approximately four months ( LEONARD LADO) a psychiatrist on staff whispered inappropriate sexual word in my ears .. Constantly went out of his way to touch and feel where ever he could ...I was constantly invited to his office...all of this was reported to the administrators ...however nothing was done.
This mad man showered at my house requesting “an all night ".which I ignored ...he went on talking about his multiple failed marriages and bad relationships ..After about 1hr of listening to his problems.... he left. Soon after I started receiving explicit sexual phone calls ...i.e. "My penis is bigger than the average you know" “I might no look like it but am a black man would you like to see" .....In one phone call I was offered $2,000 per month for sex in return ....the phone calls kept coming ....request for phone sex was a frequent. I have changed my phone number 4-5times a year since 2002 my initial contact with this sex predator ...I even changed job several time and asked him to stop calling , but the calls came more frequent both in Spanish and English...my self and my children were constantly followed ...and harassed by him or his friends ...
The local police (Tim Smith) said he would have to physically harm me or my family before they could do anything. The EEOC (Latoya Allen) was useless Incompetent and the waste of my time and intelligence.
He told the medical boards that I was upset the relationship ended . WE NEVER DATED.
nothing was do to provoke the mad mans behavior. I always dressed appropriately at work and everywhere else. America is full of hate toward black. This is my personal experience!

I was able to find work immediately in NY. With out this man following me and lying to prospective employers.

...SOMETHING IS SERIOUS WRONG WITH OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHEN IT FAILS TO PROTECT its CITIZENS... THIS MAKES ME ANGRY....
I never knew a human being can become a stalking savage animal seeking blood of innocent people until this experience.

[Dave]

WTF? I'm sorry, but WTF? Seriously, you need to take that somewhere else if you really want to have something done about it. Bitching on the internet will only get you a temporary feeling of self worth.