The Saudi government offers a widespread safety net for its citizens, at least in theory. According to this Arab News article, the net has serious holes that allow people to fall into terrible situations. Assuming the facts to be as stated in this piece, it appears that a cultural preference toward leaving family issues within the family led to a disastrous outcome for one woman, sexually abused by her father for 19 years without hope of recourse from governmental systems.

I’m puzzled by the article’s assertion that what the father was doing ‘was not rape’. That may be because the article is using a narrow definition of the term. Perhaps it was everything short of penetration. It is, nevertheless, troubling that wherever she turned, this woman found no help.

Victim of incestuous father cries out
Walaa Hawari | Arab News

RIYADH: A Saudi woman who was sexually abused by her father for 19 years has accused society and the country’s legal system of collaborating with the perpetrator of the crime.

“I always thought that my father was the one who was doing me wrong, but I discovered that society and the legal system were collaborating with him,” said 32-year-old Amal, speaking at a forum entitled “Drugs and Smoking: Two Sides of One Coin, Avoid Them” at the Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Amal’s drug-addict father began abusing her when she turned 13. However, with little knowledge of who to turn to and fearing what her family and society would say, Amal was left without help for years on end.
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