RAJAA HAMID RASHID

Iraq—Three closely spaced incidents in the provinces of Najaf and Diwaniyah point to an alarming escalation in allegations of sexual assault within certain police stations in Iraq,after authorities detained a number of officers and personnel on charges of assaulting female detainees and an underage girl—incidents that have reopened debate on weak oversight and preventive measures within places of detention.

This case comes amid growing demands for tightening oversight within security institutions, ensuring the protection of groups most vulnerable to violations—particularly minors—alongside affirmations of the necessity of holding perpetrators accountable in accordance with the law after official investigations are completed.

Batoul Farouq, Director of the General Association for Women's Development, said: "The residents of Najaf woke up to two painful pieces of news concerning the assault of an underage girl, and a married woman who was raped by an employee of the Traffic Directorate. These crimes, which bring shame to humanity, have recurred to the point of becoming a phenomenon in detention centers and police stations. This reflects the absence of real deterrence, the lack of fear among some personnel of punishment, in addition to the absence of genuine and professional training for these personnel."

Demands for Accountability

She added: "This calls upon us to demand that the competent authorities in the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant authorities, pay attention to these criminal cases against women who are subjected to flagrant violations in detention centers or police stations."

She affirmed that responsibility also falls upon religious and community authorities, civil society organizations, and the media to expose these crimes and work toward raising a responsible citizen with a living moral conscience.

She emphasized the necessity of striking with an iron fist against all who exploit their positions for immoral and shameful purposes. It is also necessary to equip centers and detention facilities with surveillance cameras, train staff and personnel to work according to the principles of human rights and citizens' rights, and implement deterrent measures in the event of any violation.

She noted that these may not be isolated cases, but that also does not mean they are a systematic policy pursued by the ministry or the centers—yet they have become a phenomenon that recurs more than once.

Activation of the Domestic Violence Law

Batoul Farouq believes that these violations occur amid a real legal vacuum that does not do justice to Iraqi women, as most assaulted women may be killed by their relatives under the pretext of so-called "honor," even though they are rape victims.

She affirmed that Iraqi law has not done justice to women in this regard and has not provided them with protection. There are no shelters for battered women in Iraq, nor has the long-awaited Domestic Violence Law been enacted. In contrast, a law has been enacted allowing a father to marry off his underage daughter, with no penalty for marrying a daughter outside court at an early age, in addition to other laws that strip women of their rights to housing and custody, and grant the husband the right to marry another without his wife's permission.

She added: "At a time when Iraqi women aspire to justice, we find news continuing of husbands killing their wives—often recorded as honor crimes, even when the facts indicate otherwise."

Batoul Farouq concluded her remarks by saying: "We need a long and sustained struggle to obtain our natural human rights, which have been stripped away by the patriarchal mentality dominating society and the state."