She was beaten up because she refused to wear the burqa. This time, however, the 14-year-old girl, who lives with her family in Ostia, decided to report the incident.
It happened on Saturday afternoon when the Bangladeshi girl, after refusing to wear the traditional Islamic female dress that covers the whole body, including the head, except for a slit for the eyes, was beaten by her older brother. But when she arrives at the Carabinieri of Ostia, she reports further assaults on her, always because she did not want to conform to Islamic culture. It is alleged that these assaults were not only related to her brother, but also to her mother.
The Rome Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation for assault and ill-treatment. The girl was first taken to Grassi hospital, where she was diagnosed with a head injury, and then taken to a facility with protection.
Local and national politicians defended the young woman and condemned what happened on the Roman coast:
“The scandalous assault on a Bangladeshi teenager in Ostia, who was attacked by her mother and brother because she refused to wear the burqa and follow the commandments of Islam more strictly, is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” commented League Senator William De Vecchis.
“Such dramatic incidents are intolerable for a democracy such as ours, whose founding law, the Constitution, provides for respect for diversity, different opinions and religious choice. It is now up to the judiciary to clarify the circumstances of what is still an unclear event and to hold the culprits accountable for their actions if proven. However, it must be clearly stated that Islamic religious fanaticism is incompatible with our national community, which has already been marked by distressing events that have made sad headlines,” Carroccio’s representative added.
“Unfortunately, this is a topical issue that we should not turn a blind eye to. On the contrary, we must work seriously to raise awareness. The laws and human dignity must be respected by all. A harsh punishment for those guilty of such atrocities and an iron hand to defend the dignity of so many women who have the right to live in freedom and without fear,” said Mariacristina Masi, X FDI City Council member. She added: “That is why we will propose information and education projects in all reception areas. All women, especially young women, who find themselves in such a situation, must consider the institutions as allies capable of bringing justice and security into their lives.It is worrying that the attack was also perpetrated by a young family member, a clear sign that measures must be taken to teach the younger generation to respect others. Incidents like the one in Ostia must be reported immediately and the victims must be able to count on the full support of the state. However, we must not forget that such phenomena, even if they are less noticeable, which we are witnessing more and more frequently, must be fought with all cultural and educational means.
The president of Fratelli d’Italia, Giorgia Meloni, also spoke out and wrote on social media: “An outrageous case in which a young Bengali girl was beaten and humiliated by her family because she refused to wear the burqa. And this is just one of the many cases where young people are abused daily by their parents because of fundamentalist codes. This is unacceptable: there is no place in our country for those who are not able to respect our culture and civilisation. My solidarity with the young woman who is now happily housed in a protected institution.
“I declare my solidarity with the young woman who was examined and treated in the emergency room of the Grassi Hospital in Ostia as part of ‘Code Pink’. The priority now is to ensure the safety and psychophysical integrity of the girl. Acts of violence against women are always abhorrent, and in this case the attempt to enforce religious commandments by force is even worse. This violence must not be tolerated and we have assured the full support of the Regional Health Service to this young person who had the courage to denounce it and who must not be left alone,” said Alessio D’Amato, Health Officer of the Lazio Region.
