Muslim girls grow up being told that wearing a hijab or a burka will protect them from being sexually assaulted. The source for this is the Koran itself, which warns Muslim women to wear the hijab to distinguish them from non-Muslim slaves who can be assaulted.
In reality, Muslims frequently harass Muslim women wearing hijabs and burkas as both statistics and anecdotal accounts from Muslim countries make clear. This pernicious claim is used to blame women’s clothing for Muslim sexual violence.
It’s certainly troubling that a Utah station chose to uncritically air such a claim, as Andy C. Ngo notes.
MILLCREEK, Utah — A student at Millcreek Elementary named Maram Al-Shammari is sharing her bullying experience to raise awareness about the importance of religious expression.
“It means a lot. It means peace. I love my religion,” Maram said.
As a devout Muslim girl, Maram’s hijab is a critical part of her cultural identity.
“A woman who doesn’t wear the hijab is most likely to get sexual assault and abuse then a woman that does wear it because she covers up,” Maram said.
It’s not surprising that Maram was brought up to believe this. It’s however a form of child abuse. Maram has been taught that if she’s assaulted while not wearing a hijab, it’s her fault.
But Maram is an abused child. What’s deeply troubling is that a Utah TV station chose to promote this idea.
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