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Path: utzoo!watmath!saquigley
From: saquigley@watmath.UUCP (Sophie Quigley)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: rape and islamic law
Message-ID: <7544@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Apr-84 15:11:16 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.7544
Posted: Sun Apr 15 15:11:16 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Apr-84 23:38:17 EST
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 30


I wanted to clarify this business of rape and islamic law.  If anybody
remembers, a few weeks ago I claimed that in islamic law, for a rape 
to be recognised as a rape, 4 witnesses had to be present.  Mr Martillo
answered me by telling me that I had my facts confused with adultery.
So I asked a friend of mine who has lived in Iran most of his life, (but
who is not a muslim) whether he could shed some light on this matter.
here is his answer:

"I think that you are both right in the following way: in Islam you need
four "men" (sorry I did not write the law) witnesses to any claim in the
Islamic court.  I think that means about everything which should also 
include the rape.
On the other hand, I have not heard any references to the laws for rape,
and all sightings are about adultery.  Therefore he might also be right,
because there are no laws as far as I know, about rape.
I think there are more rapes in North America as there are more of all
sorts of other crimes.  Probably women show much more of their body in
Europe and there are less rapes there.
Second, the most important factor is the fact that with the mentality of
such countries no one reports the rape.  Being raped is probably as degrading
as being responsible for it"

So we are getting closer to getting a full picture on the subject.
BTW I don't really know if there are less rapes in Europe than here;
I assume he meant proportionally.  Is there anybody who can shed even
more light on these matters?

Sophie Quigley
...!{clyde,ihnp4,decvax,allegra}!watmath!saquigley