Editor’s Note: This piece was  originally posted by AltMuslim and written by Guest Contributors Nahida S. Nisa (@haraammermaids), Shehnaz Haqqani (@qrratugai) and Darakshan Raja (@DarakshanRaja). For past MMW pieces on Asra Nomani, see here, here, and here. After accusations of rape were made against Tariq Ramadan, Asra Nomani wrote an article for the New York Times parading an […]

The past couple of months have felt like a dam has broken as more and more women (and men) come forward to disclose their experiences with sexual harassment and/or assault and to name their abusers. I still am not sure what it is about this moment that has made people listen to the survivors, because […]

Famous Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan has been accused of rape by at least three adult women as well as having been accused of having  sexual relationships with underage students while he was teaching in Geneva. As a Muslim living in Switzerland, and who didn’t run in his circles, I was warned about his “close relationships” […]

Things to Know About! Barbie’s latest doll is modeled after Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. The doll was revealed at the Glamour Women of the Year awards in New York. Muhammad expressed that having a doll modeled on a strong Muslim woman is “revolutionary.” Yoga has become an “approved” sports activity in Saudi Arabia. Nouf Marwaai, […]

For the past few days, social media networks have been filled with the #metoo hashtag. The current campaign calls women to post #metoo in their social media networks, as a way to show how prevalent the problem of sexual violence is across the board. Alyssa Milano, credited with starting the current campaign, explained about the […]

*Trigger Warning* for description of sexual violence. Mukhtaran Mai, Pakistani women’s rights activist, recently walked a fashion runway in Karachi, Pakistan.  The goal, as explained, was to model courage and hope for other Pakistani women. Mukhtaran Mai came into the spotlight 14 years ago when she was gang raped and paraded naked by men of […]

According to statistics provided by RAINN, the United States-based Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, “1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.” The organization further notes that women who have experienced sexual assault are at higher risk for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, […]

Last week I was invited to the Dutch embassy to celebrate the launching of the Nobel Women’s Initiative’s report on sexual violence against women in Sudan. The report is titled “Survivors Speak Out: Sexual Violence in Sudan,” and it is meant to address the situation of “mass rape” and other forms of sexual violence against […]

Years ago, loose gravel on a trail up Margalla Hills landed me in the emergency room with a sprained ankle.  All I remember at the time was the excruciating pain radiating from my ankle and worrying if it was broken and whether I’d be able catch a plane on time to return to university.  My […]

It’s been 20 years since the start of Bosnian war. All year, journalists have used this anniversary not only to revisit their coverage of the region, but also to highlight how communities and individuals continue to experience the aftermath of a conflict that uprooted families from their homes, saw widespread wartime sexual violence and resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 people between 1992-1995. Unprotected, a recent documentary […]