Do you know Amina Filali?

Did you know Amina Filali?  I know I didn't.  Her husband didn't either.  We will never be able to meet Amina Filali because she committed suicide.  She took her own life because she was already living in hell.  She was repeatedly beat by her husband.  She was counseled by her mother to be patient; I guess the best motherly advice was just to wait it out.  Wait out the beatings.  Because the Quran and Shari'a Law strongly encourages couples to work out their differences, and let divorce be the last option.  I am sure you are wondering why I am telling you the story of Amina Filali on my blog about child brides.  Well she was a child bride.  Amina Filali was raped on the streets of the town at the age of 15....by her husband.  She was ashamed of what had happened, and kept it from her parents, but once she did tell, she was urged to marry the man.  According to an article I found on HuffingtonPost.com, in Morroco the burden of proof [in regards to rape] lays on the victim, otherwise she may face debauchery.  Also, in many parts of the Middle East, the rapist can escape prosecution by marrying the victim - which is exactly what Amina Filali's husband did.  After being raped and telling her parents what happened, she went to the court.  The court urged her to marry (it had to be agreed by the victim and both families); the husband originally declined but when told he would face up to 20 years in prison, he agreed to marry Amina.  Amina then was married to the man who disgraced her, who used her, who violated her, and who dishonored her.  But in the act of "honor" he married Amina.  Amina faced violence in her marriage, but stuck with it, using her mother's advice of patience.  After a year, Amina took her own life.  Amina decided that no life was better than the life she was "living."
This cannot be acceptable.  This type of "justice" is not only visible in Muslim societies, but there is a verse that encourages very similar behavior in the Old Testament's Book of Deuteronomy.  So thinking back to the first blog I wrote on this page about changing tradition and if it was possible; is it?  I don't think in the US, which claims to be a fairly Christian society, this type of behavior is seen very often or if at all.  So, why can our tradition change but other's cannot.  Amina Filali deserved a life of happiness; a life where she chose her husband and when she had sex.  Amina Filali did not gain back her honor by marrying the man who shamed her; who took away her rights, her voice and her choice.  This type of behavior should not happen.  Amina Filali was a young woman who had her whole life in front of her, and yet she died because no one was willing to stand up for her rights.  That will not happen on my accord.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT2aDC4HRQg
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/amina-filali-morocco-rape_n_1345171.html#s785972