US opens asylum to sexually abused women
The Obama administration has opened the way for foreign women who are victims of severe domestic beatings and sexual abuse to receive asylum in the United States. The action reverses a Bush administration stance in a protracted and passionate legal battle over the possibilities for battered women to become refugees.
There are still strict criteria but the move is to be celebrated nevertheless.
It also struck me that in addition to foreign policy, the environment and a whole rage of domestic issues like healthcare and science – Obama really is trying to eke out a different agenda despite the establishment inertia. And yet there are still hard-left ranters who keep saying there’s little difference between Obama and Bush. It boggles the mind.
| Post to del.icio.us |
Filed in: Current affairs,United States
Good stuff.
It is good news but seems shocking thate there arent places in the women’s own country that can deal with them since they would have to deal not just with the grater shock of the abuse they suffered but of the shock of cultural dislocation. Surely, other than in war town countries, such centres must exist? If not they should be supported.
Interesting that George Bush who invaded Afgahnistan “to liberate its women” stalled on this legislation for years.. Bush also refused to support the claims of Korean comfort women against the Japanese in WWII and was hard line on abortion.
Its Lord Cromer all over again.
Women who face threats of violence should have the same right to asylum as any other ‘minority’ who suffer oppression; nobody ever suggests that Kurds or Chinese Christians should seek refuge within their own countries in order to spare themselves ‘cultural dislocation’.
If such provision existed they would not BE refugees.
Look forward to the first scam cases to come to light.
A planeload of ‘abused’ tearstained Roma wimmin will arrive from Slovakia with identical and rehearsed stories. Or possibly Kurds. Or Iranians. Or Pakistanis.
Just you wait and see!
A multitude of Iranians arrived en bloc in a Scandinavian country, claiming to be persecuted homosexuals.
Refused asylum, a herd of Afghani asylum-seekers in the same country announced that they have converted to the Faith of Christ en masse and would face death by stoning if sent home to face the wrath of the mullahs.
http://www.meforum.org/2107/europe-shifting-immigration-dynamic
Soon planeloads of Third World wimmin will be flying into JFK with fresh bruises.
Thanks guys!
So how many women are going to benifit from this new programme?
It kind of sounds like the way the asylum laws were first meant to be about. High profile and celebrated cases of people who needed asylum from their own countries. So for example, we would welcome Zimbabwean oposition leaders and activists in the movement, but we wouldn’t expect sections of the general population to show up.
Is this how Obama is setting this up too?
OK, so FGM is not a good enough reason.
I’ve still to get this book about Afghanistan. Did anyone read it?
”Kabul in Winter: Life Without Peace in Afghanistan”
http://www.amazon.com/Kabul-Winter-Without-Peace-Afghanistan/dp/0805078843
All I’ve read is some reviews like this Amazon one. But if Ann Jones (the writer) says this: ”Ninety-five percent of Afghan women are subject to violence: they are bought and sold, beaten and raped, preyed upon and betrayed by their own flesh and blood.”
… then you might think that the majority of Afghan women (who made a claim of asylum) would have to be granted it.
I can’t imagine how some immigration official from Milwaukee could turn down a claim from someone who was talking about events in some Afghan village.
It’s sexist! Don’t tell me there are no such things as abused husbands!
Next time I get beaten-up by a gang of drunken girls, can I apply for asylum too?
If not, I’ll sue for sex discrimination!!!!!!!!!
Mantis,
Yes, there are male victims of spousal abuse. I suppose you could have made a serious point there, but chose not to. That’s your call.
‘Next time I get beaten-up by a gang of drunken girls, can I apply for asylum too?
If not, I’ll sue for sex discrimination!!!!!!!!!’
Yes, I’ll support your right to leave the country.
I have to be honest Sunny, reading the link you provide this sounds rather more like egregious failings on the part of the authorities in Mexico rather than anything more political. Sure, LR has clearly had one horrific time of it but I do struggle with the idea that that should have some sort of link to asylum.
I accept that there are arguments in both directions
MM – what’s LR?
It might be Mexico’s failing, but it was also America’s failing. why should women in danger of being killed if returned be treated any worse than political refugees?
Sunny – LR is the Mexican woman in the link you provide from the NYT in your article, am I missing something?
Again, I appreciate that there are arguments in both directions, but saying this is, ‘America’s failing,’ is arrant nonsense.
It just seems to me to be stretching political asylum a long way, that’s all.
My memory is failing: at least one West African woman has used the fear-of-impending-FGM dodge to claim asylum in the USA, backed by American wimmin’s groups [some mean people said the whole stunt was pre-arranged.]