Death threats and isolation – the cost of fighting sexual violence in Iraq

Sexual abuse has long been seen as a taboo subject in Iraq. I have been in touch with many survivors who say that they prefer to hush it up, because of a potential family backlash. Others told us they were afraid to go to the police, for fear of social stigma and possible harassment. But Amal was determined to seek justice and rushed to police to report the incident.

“She had lots of bruises around her wrists, as he held her hands tight. Whenever she tried to scream, he would cover her mouth with his hands,” Amal says.

Amal showed me medical documents, including DNA evidence, which support her account.

A further demonstration of her ex-husband’s cruelty came, Amal says, when she heard him tell a family member to “wash off our disgrace” if he was arrested. The expression is used in Iraq to refer to so-called honour killings – carried out in the belief that a woman has compromised a family’s reputation.

Amal says she believes the father threatened to put an end to his daughter’s life “so the medical report would not be released and the assault would not be proven”.

She says her ex-husband is on the run and the court case remains open.

“I fought all alone,” says Amal, bursting into tears as she says her ex-husband hired several lawyers but she could not afford legal representation, and her family turned a blind eye to the situation.

She no longer has any faith that a court ruling will come in her favour. “I just want him to stay out of my way forever,” she says, with a sigh of despair.