Maryam Namazie

Maryam Namazie is a political activist, campaigner and blogger

What about the children?

In a letter to the National Secular Society, Children & Families Minister Tim Loughton has said he was not convinced that it would be practicable for Government to implement a national register of madrassas and that any consideration of this would have to include all supplementary schools. To focus only on madrassas would appear discriminatory and could reinforce unhelpful stereotypes.

This despite the fact that there have been loads of evidence of abuse taking place in these schools. A BBC investigation revealed that over 400 allegations of physical abuse (and 30 of sexual abuse) were made at Britain’s madrassas in the last three years. Only 10 cases went to court, and of these only two apparently led to convictions. A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary also revealed abuse. [Read the Council of Ex-Muslims statement on the Dispatches documentary here.]

Err but hold on, what about the children?

Oh yes, sorry, the Chidren and Families Minister has more to worry about than abused children and their families…

Yet another example on how defending Islam and Islamic schools take priority to defending children and citizens from abuse.

(Via Anne Marie Waters)

Comments

6 responses to “What about the children?”

  1. onefuriousllama Avatar
    onefuriousllama

    European governments are turning into religion’s (one in particular) little bitch.

    What exactly does go through the mind of a person in government when he puts religious demands before the rights of children? How do they rationalise that?

    Though, I guess to be fair, society had animal protection laws before child protection laws – says a lot about where we come from. Perhaps this newfangled idea of not abusing helpless minors is just so new that some people just don’t quite get it yet.

    Reply
  2. Acleron Avatar
    Acleron

    Supplementary schools are NOT registered already???

    I know of two people who have given up baby sitting for up to five year olds because of the incessant regulation and interference. And yet schools are not registered.

    The previous government was wanting a report from any babysitter who saw a strange man near children and yet they missed schools. I’m just flabbergasted

    Reply
  3. stripey_cat Avatar
    stripey_cat

    Our dear, despicable government are more concerned about protecting religious authorities (even if they’re the “wrong” religion) than their constituents. When a bunch of patriarchal, authoritarian bastards get in, this is par for the course.

    Reply
  4. Mriana Avatar
    Mriana

    You know, violent indoctrination can one way or the other. Some may give lip-service just to keep from being abused and stay in that religion until they find a way out and even then, due to all the abuse, they could be afraid to leave, even if the opportunity for them arises. Some may take it and others may stay out of fear. Again, it is a real psychological number religion does on people and the more extreme it is, the harder it is to leave, even if it means keeping you mouth shut about what you don’t believe. Of course, there is the other end of the spectrum where individuals believe it so much that they do lose their minds and become extremists due to the abuse. There is a broad spectrum of how people reacted and become indoctrinated as a result of abuse, but one thing is appears to be common- fear, guilt, and shame, no matter where a person is on the spectrum, due to indoctrination. One might not have all three or they might, but the what one fears or has guilt and shame about, is not necessarily the same as others. One may fear hell and another may fear death for leaving, but since this indoctrination, esp if it includes abuse, starts in infancy or early childhood, it is worse in adulthood than a teenager or an adult being indoctrinated and makes it even harder for them to leave the religion after becoming adults. It’s hard enough for people to leave religion, but the earlier the indoctrination and the more abusive it is, makes it even harder, due to the psychological factors involved.

    Reply
  5. Sunny Avatar
    Sunny

    Subservience to dogma over human life. Nothing surprising.

    Reply
  6. Martyn N Hughes Avatar
    Martyn N Hughes

    Ah, you see. This is why I joined the National Secular Society. This abuse of children makes my blood pressure go through the roof. Infact, it’s boiling right now… Again.

    All schools, community centres, projects, etc, that provide services for children should be registered with a governing body.

    Just as all teachers and youth workers have to have a criminal record background check.

    Given the institutional abuse of children in catholic quarters, they should have to be registered with a governing body too. (If they already are, apologies).

    The only discrimination here, is the discrimination of children. It’s disgusting.

    Reply

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