Reports Reveal Harsh Conditions in Saudi Arabia's Women's Care Homes
Recent investigations have shed light on Saudi Arabia's "Dar al-Reaya," or care homes for women, which are officially promoted as rehabilitation shelters. According to The Guardian, former inmates and activists have described these facilities as sites of severe mistreatment, including weekly floggings, forced religious indoctrination, and complete isolation from the outside world.
Maryam Aldossari, a Saudi activist, commented that women often remain in these homes until they conform to strict behavioral rules. Sarah Al-Yahia, who is campaigning for the abolition of these institutions, shared distressing accounts of women undergoing extreme measures such as strip searches and virginity tests. These practices exemplify what activists label as a calculated strategy by the Saudi regime to control and punish women.
Despite these allegations, a Saudi government spokesperson insisted that the care homes are specialized facilities where women can leave freely without needing permission from male guardians, rejecting claims of abuse. As gender-based violence remains a contentious issue, activists are calling for genuine support systems for vulnerable women instead of punitive measures.
Saudi Arabia