Women Under Attack

Some of this kind of thing has been going on for a long time, some of it is getting worse--women under attack. World Tribune:

The U.S. embassy in Damascus has reported a spate of sexual attacks on foreigners in Damascus. In a June 6 warden message, the embassy said the attacks targeted foreign women.

"Two incidents in the past week involved women walking alone, either in the early morning or early evening," the embassy said. "Another incident occurred several months ago when two women were walking together in one of the tunnels crossing underneath the Autostrad near Damascus University."

The warden message cited other reports of female U.S. embassy employees being sexually harassed by Syrian taxi drivers. The embassy reported two cases of female staffers being fondled during taxi rides.

A horrible honor killing in the UK. The Telegraph:

His daughter's crime? To leave the husband - from her arranged marriage - whom she claimed was abusive, and then to fall in love with someone else; someone who was not of the family tribe, nor a strict Muslim.

Even though Banaz grew up here, her decision to act as an individual of free will, like the rest of us, was like signing a medieval death warrant. Strangled with a bootlace, stuffed into a suitcase, then buried 10ft deep in a suburban garden on her father's wishes? What a terrible way for a young woman to die.

And a young woman came to England for an arranged marriage, then her husband wants to arrange for her death. Video at LGF. (HT Reverse Spin). .

Secretary of State Rice presents the annual report (full text) on human trafficking. Radio Liberty:

A total of 16 states are listed as Tier-3 countries, including Iran, Uzbekistan, and North Korea. Also joining the worst offenders this year are U.S. allies Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

"It's especially disappointing that so many wealthy countries in the Near East that aren't lacking adequate resources to make significant progress are on Tier 3," Lagon said. "For instance, Saudi Arabia is on Tier 3 for the third year. These are countries in that region that rely extensively on foreign migrant laborers."

Video of Secretary Rice: 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report

Related post: Freedom of Dress Code

And post on last year's report: Axis of Evil Plus