Bahrain: 'Safe haven' like jail say women

A GOVERNMENT shelter that is supposed to protect women and children from abuse is allegedly mistreating those in its care.

Several victims at the Dar Al Aman shelter have told the GDN that they have been treated like prisoners.

They claim they are not allowed out of the shelter without permission and only for official engagements such as visiting the courts or their lawyer.

The women allege that they are confined to their rooms at night and told when they should sleep and wake up.

In addition, they allege the shelter withholds their meals if they fail to comply with the 'rules' and when they do receive food it is a small portion and of poor quality and is sometimes even stale.

The shelter has further been accused of failing to provide adequate supplies of basic necessities such as blankets, toiletries, nappies and toilet rolls.

The women claim the shelter gives them no privacy and their personal stories are shared freely and they are made to feel small and of low class.

One of the victims, who didn't want to be named, claimed that her and her four daughters were given insufficient food and toiletries and treated like slaves.

"It's a prison without bars," she told the GDN.

"The house is beautiful, but inside is terrible, there is no humanity.

"There is no privacy, they examine every step you take.

"It's horrible, my self-esteem is very bad, I want to cry but I have to be strong for my daughters.

"We came for help and now we need help."

Another victim at the shelter claimed the managers speak to her in a rude manner as if she was a "street woman".

The woman, who wants to remain unnamed, alleged she was stopped from leaving the shelter and all her movements were dictated.

"I feel like I'm in a prison, I'm only allowed to go out during my court hearing," she said.

"I'm not even allowed to go to the cold store to buy things for my children.

"During Eid I was even banned from leaving the shelter to go for a celebration at my embassy.

"They are constantly yelling, they wake us up at 9am, but some of us don't sleep at night because we have young children who stay up late."

One victim at the shelter claimed the managers threatened to throw her out on the streets and call her husband to take her children.

"One of the officials is constantly yelling. She is inconsiderate and doesn't respect us," said the women, who wanted to remain anonymous.

"Me and my roommate were banned from breakfast because we didn't go to bed at 10pm."

Another resident at the shelter claimed the problems at the shelter began when the administration changed earlier this year.

She said punishments for not obeying management orders included confiscating all mobile phones for 14 days, withholding meals and confining them to the shelter.

"We are only allowed to leave with an escort to the court, Public Prosecution or our lawyers, in addition to other important errands, it's as if we are prisoners of war," said the woman.

"When we complained, saying each case is different and we are adults and mothers, we got no response.

"We complained about the food, the restaurant contracted brings the worse meals and repeatedly offers the same food and the cost doesn't exceed BD2."

She said most of the women don't have money to buy extra food for their children and that during Ramadan everyone, including children, was forced to fast because meals weren't served during the day.

"We were banned from Suhoor (last meal before fasting) for two days because we ate our iftar in the main hall instead of the kitchen because there are so many cockroaches," she explained.

"When we complained about the kitchen's condition, they used normal bug spray and the situation continues until this day.

"We are confined to our rooms by 12 midnight, making us feel we are prisoners and it is difficult when we are all going through hardships and if we stay up late we are not given breakfast."

The shelter was established in 2006 by the Social Development Ministry and since May this year has been managed by the Bahrain Sociologists Society. Shelter consultant Huda Al Mahmood told the GDN that she was aware of the allegations that had been made by some of the women and there would be a Press conference organised by the ministry to discuss the issues.

She said the shelter was a new facility in Bahrain and it was still learning how best to serve the women.

"We are open to criticism," she told the GDN.

"The women are subjects of violence and we are open to improve our services to them."

Ms Al Mahmood didn't comment on the allegations. However, she said the shelter was providing an important service that had only recently been available in Bahrain.

"No matter what shortage there is, we are still providing a service," she said. "There will be shortages and will work them out and improve."

-- Gulf Daily News