Inside Saudi Arabia's 'Care Homes': Weekly Floggings, Forced Confinement For 'Disobedient' Women
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The report said that there have also been multiple instances of suicide or attempted suicide due to the severe conditions.
Saudi Arabia's secretive 'Dar al-Reaya" or 'care homes" for women- officially described by officials as shelters for 'rehabilitation" of vulnerable women- are being increasingly exposed by testimonies gathered over the past six months. The Guardian reported that the accounts from former inmates and activists describe weekly floggings, forced religious teachings, and complete isolation from the outside world, painting a grim picture of 'hellish" conditions. The report said that there have also been multiple instances of suicide or attempted suicide due to the severe conditions, with women often held for years, unable to leave without the permission of a male guardian or family.
Women Lashed For Transgressions In Saudi Care Homes
Maryam Aldossari, a London-based Saudi activist, said, 'A young girl or woman will stay in there for as long as it takes for her to accept the rules." Sarah Al-Yahia, who initiated a campaign to abolish these facilities, details harrowing experiences of strip-searches, virginity tests on arrival, and forced sedation. She described them as 'prisons," where women are referred to by numbers, punished for not praying, and lashed for perceived transgressions like associating with other women. Yahia, living in exile, revealed her own father used Dar al-Reaya as a threat, highlighting the impossible choice many women face between abuse at home and confinement.
Saudi Regime Punishing Women, Activists Say
Activists contend that these facilities, established in the 1960s, serve as a lesser-known tool for the Saudi regime to control and punish women, directly contradicting the country's publicized narrative of women's empowerment, especially as it seeks global recognition like hosting the FIFA Men's World Cup. They emphasize that while some women may have supportive families, many live under strictures and suffer silently, with the state allegedly enabling abuse through these institutions.
ALQST, a human rights group, describes Dar al-Reaya facilities as notorious tools for enforcing gender norms. Nadyeen Abdulaziz, their campaigns officer, urged the Saudi authorities to abolish these discriminatory practices and establish genuine shelters that protect rather than punish victims of abuse.
What Saudi Government Has Said On Care Homes
In response, a Saudi government spokesperson maintained that these are specialized care facilities for vulnerable groups, categorically rejecting claims of enforced confinement, mistreatment, or coercion. The spokesperson stated, 'These are not detention centres, and any allegation of abuse is taken seriously… Women are free to leave at any time… with no need of approval from a guardian or family member."
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May 28, 2025, 11:35 IST
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