Premium Essay

Suicide In Afghanistan

Submitted By
Words 1345
Pages 6
A woman’s agency is her right to make her own choices and live the way that she decides. According to Malalai Joya’s narrative of her life in Afghanistan, women during the time period of 2000-2009 did not have much freedom to practice their own agency, even though they would undoubtedly try. Some women would continue to study and receive an education, even though they were being targeted and could get killed. Some women practiced agency by going to Joya and other political and media sources to voice the injustices inflicted upon them. However, some women took a very direct and final approach to reclaiming their own agency: suicide. Women are not given many opportunities to claim and practice their own agency, so suicide was a common way of …show more content…
According to the U.N Development Fund for Women, 80 percent of women are affected by violence at some point in their lives, with a majority of this violence being domestic seeing how between sixty and eighty percent of marriages remained forced and often include young women (Joya, p. 189). The U.N Population fund has delved even deeper by announcing that one in four Afghan women, face sexual violence in their lifetime (Joya, p.189). Healthcare and poverty take tremendous tolls on people’s lives as well, with seventy percent of Afghans facing extreme poverty and acute food insecurity, the unemployment rate likely being ninety percent, and an afghan woman dying from childbirth every twenty-eight minutes (Joya, p. 192-193), it is not surprising that the future seems bleak. These limitations that are both directly and indirectly caused by the government and foreign influences make it so a woman in Afghanistan cannot live her life freely. According to Joya, the U.S invasion and occupation led to the reliance of privatization and the unchecked market economy, which affected poor people the most, even raising the price on formerly cheap Afghan staple foods (Joya, p.192). The media portrayals of Afghan women in the U.S have many Americans believing that the burqa, for example, is the most important problem Afghan women face. But without a security or justice system that protects women from rape, and without employment, food, and basic services, the burqa is secondary (Joya, p.172). With gang rape being used by the warlords as a war strategy, education being illegalized, the oppressive culture placing shame and blame on female victims of sexual abuse, and much more, many limitations were set to keep women from owning their agency. There was only but so much women who were not in places of political power could

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

“the Rise in Depression & Suicide in Veterans of the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars”

...Yvonne Aguirre Essay Two - PPCC English 122 “The Rise in Depression & Suicide in Veterans of the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars” In Jared Diamond’s essay “Why Do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions?” Diamond talks about four main points of why he believes societies make bad decisions. Diamond four main points on his reasons are as follows: “First of all, a group may fail to anticipate a problem before the problem actually arrives. Second, when the problem does arrive, the group may fail to perceive it. Then, after they perceive it, they may fail even to try to solve it. Finally, they may try to solve it but may not succeed.” Diamond has different viewpoints as to why each particular point might have happened. Our young men and women in the Armed Forces are experiencing some very hard and traumatic experiences in our current war. It seems that the very military that is supposed to help them overcome what they have helped to create is the same military that is hurting them by not providing adequate long term medical and mental treatment. Did we not learn anything from the Gulf War and the Gulf War Syndrome? These men and women are truly hurting and it seems that the military has turned a blind eye to how serious this problem is becoming. Men and women are returning from war and are acting unlike themselves before they went over there. They are committing more crimes, from simple robbery to murder and the depression and PTSD rates have steadily gone up for...

Words: 1105 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Bshs

... | |Raising children |Many children are introduced to violence, abuse, exploriation, and negect in Afghanistan. For more than 30 years of| | |war, many of them have been killed (Swanson & Swanson, 2011). Hundreds of children are used as suicide bombers, and| | |are put in harms way daily. According to Swanson & Swanson (2011), “Conflict and political violence force millions | | |of children and their families to flee their homes and as a result displaced families spend years in situations of | | |uncertainty and insecurity” (para. 3). | |Role of genders |Discrimination is common among girls and women. Throughout early childhood, about 70 percent of school-age girls, | | |do not attend school, while 94 percent of girls are not even registered births (Swanson & Swanson, 2011). The men | | |are the soliders. They are taught at a young age how to kill. “in the minds of Afghan men, are already believed to | | |be potentially (or likely) promiscuous” (Afghanistan, n.d). | |Marriage |Marriage in Afganiston has a deep-rooted process. Men and women do not have many opportunites to...

Words: 908 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Unclassified Decision Brief

...|[pic] | | | | |DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY | | | |1ST BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING GROUP | | | |1st BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING BRIGADE, 75TH DIVISION (BCTD) | | | |14555 SCHOLL STREET | | | |HOUSTON, TEXAS 77054-2025 | | | | | | | |REPLY TO | | | |ATTENTION OF | ...

Words: 1060 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Veteran

...To: Mayor Eric Garcetti Date: November 19, 2015 Subject: Veteran Suicide Prevention in California (Nationwide) ______________________________________________________________________________ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: “All I ever considered when I thought about suicide was the guilt I was feeling and just wanting a way out, wanting to not have those memories anymore,” said Clinton Hall, 35, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an infantryman and now lives in Portland, Ore. His friend and fellow soldier killed himself shortly after returning home. An epidemic is raging among us and some of us have no idea the problem sits next to the very flag of freedom we encounter throughout our day. Suicide is one of the many causes of death for American military forces. A research project in 2012 reported in Times Magazine regarding active duty members of the military, shows a surprising 349 veterans took their own lives; more than the death from combat operations that year. The Veteran Affairs Department estimates that 22 vets die by their own hand every day. For a veteran, the sound of a firework can spark a flashback of war; while shopping at the aisles of the super market, a veteran may suddenly feel the need to seek cover as it reminds him of being ambushed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The reality is that our patriots are leaving one battle and returning home to another. Some veterans feel ostracized, others are homelessness, have become drug addict,, and are unemployed. These problems relate to...

Words: 2340 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Argumentative Essay On Military Veterans

...the graph, states, “Veterans stands at 6.7 percent—unchanged from last month and still the lowest 12-month average unemployment rate since 2009”(www.blogs.va.gov). Derek Bennett, Chief of Staff of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) states that, “Today’s report shows an increase in the number of unemployed new veterans. This increase comes after months of sustained progress for veterans. These men and women represent a group of the population that has been vetted and trained by the military; their capabilities and leadership skills make them an asset to any employer”(www.IAVA.org). These people went through hell and back, they get no appreciation, no jobs, and half come back with mental disorder. Why are our heroes treated like bums on the street, or just another insane person in this world? Don’t forget to help those who made your freedom possible instead of taking advantage and being selfless. Military Vets with PTSD Secondly, have you ever heard of PTSD? Did you know that PTSD is a mental disorder? Most veterans come home with psychological problems such as PTSD the common disorder, (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). PTSD is a mental disorder that some soldiers come back home with after war and is commonly found in many. PTSD leads to drugs, alcohol, suicide, or homelessness and much other life-threaten situation. Soldiers that are diagnosed with this disorder often abuse their spouse; this disorder can tear a family apart and destroy lives. The Rand corporation...

Words: 1986 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Character Analysis: Laila

...to war. When they are told that they had been killed in the war, her mother, Mammi, just wasn’t the same anymore. She lies in bed all day grieving for her sons and Laila sees her sadness. One evening, Laila asks Mammi if she ever contemplated suicide although she says no, it isn’t for the reason she wanted to hear. Mammi decides not to because she’s waiting for the...

Words: 597 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Al Qaeda Profile

...Al Qaeda’s Profile Al Qaeda is a world wide network of Islam based militant movement. It is a stateless organization which has been outlawed and branded as terrorists by key global security organizations including the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, NATO, the United States and many different countries. The organization is believed to have originated from Afghanistan towards the end of the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan; that is, between 1988 and 1989. Some analysts of the origins of the network believe that it was nurtured by the Taliban regime which took over power from the previous mujahedeen regime following a long civil war that ensued in Afghanistan after the war against the Soviet Union was over. They believe that since the Taliban did not want any external involvements with other governments, it nurtured the al Qaeda to act as a threat to other nations which were not friendly to the regime. Many other analysts are of the opinion that the network was started by its long time leader Osama bin Laden. They believe that Osama started the movement in Afghanistan taking advantage of the call by Islamist extremists for young Muslims to volunteer as fighters alongside the Mujahedeen regime in the war against the Soviets. He is on record for providing funds for what he referred to as “Jihad” against the Soviet Union and actively participating in the same (Atwan, 2013). It is his generosity and charisma that attracted the volunteer fighters to him and he...

Words: 1533 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Suicides in the Military

...Suicides in the Military Over the Past 10 Years The most common myths about suicide in the military have changed since the events of September 11, 2001. Previously, it was a white male, between the age of 18-25, with one or more of the following factors: relationship issues, money problems, and job satisfaction. Since the war in Afghanistan stared on Sep 13, 2001, the age has increased from 25 to 44, race does not necessarily matter anymore, and add the pressures of not knowing what is going to happen and always wondering when/if “your time is up”. Along with this, add in the stress of preparing for your deployment, the stress of leaving your family, the stress of ensuring everyone is properly taken care of if the inevitable happens, and the stress of possibly, or actually, losing subordinates or friends to enemy gunfire or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), just to name a few. More males over the age of 30, who have had at least one deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq and have seen some heavy fighting or have lost friends to enemy mortars/rockets on main operating bases, have committed or attempted to commit suicide in the past five years, then ever before. After all the stress of combat, coming home to a life of no danger of snipers or IEDs, mortar/rocket attacks to your base, causes even more stress then people can even imagine. “Flashbacks”, hyper-vigilance, suspicion, and the fear of loud noises are also a major concern and cause undue stress to the sevicemember...

Words: 888 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mistreatment of Soldiers

...in Iraq and/or Afghanistan and instead of the providing them with proper treatment they are dismissed from service for misconduct. The story focused on SSG Eric James, an Army sniper who served two tours in Iraq. In 2013 the Army tried dismissing him for misconduct after an incident of drunk driving. To protect himself, SSG James began to secretly record his session with the mental health provider. His recordings sparked an investigation into how providers at Fort Carson are treating soldiers with mental illness and also the accusations that the Army is so quick to dismiss soldiers with mental health problem for misconduct instead of providing them with proper treatment. The investigation also brought to light the insensitivity of these providers whose purpose is to sympathize with soldiers and provide support and understanding; instead they undermined the significance of soldier’s traumatic experiences and mental illness. SSG James was told by health care providers that he was exaggerating his condition and because he is able to come to work and perform his soldierly duties meant that his condition is not as detrimental as he proclaimed. Investigation conducted by NPR (national Public radio) and CPR (Colorado Public Radio) revealed that the Army has been pushing out soldiers diagnosed with mental illness across the country. According to the article since 2009 the Army had separated 22,000 soldiers for “misconduct” after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed...

Words: 684 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

War in Afghanistan

...War in Afghanistan Definition of conflict A conflict may be defined as the state of discord that is caused by perceived or actual opposition of values, needs or interests. It is a broad term that encompasses revolutions, invasions, wars or other struggles (for territory, resources or power) and essentially involves the use of force for the achievement of objective. A conflict arises as a result of mutual incompatibility and subsequent expression of disagreement between the parties in the dispute over an important resource or agenda (Nicholson, 1992). The nature of the conflict is determined by the perspective of the people involved in the conflict. Though these perspectives may or may not be supported by independent evidence. It also depends to a large extend on the behaviour of the parties involved in the dispute that can potentially lead to war. Violence is one such behaviour of the parties. The definition of a war or conflict can easily be extended from specific individuals, to groups (which may be tribal, racial, ethnic or religious) or nation states as such. A conflict may involve two or more than two parties to the dispute. However, the principles of the conflict irrespective of the number of the parties to it remain the same. Causes and conditions of the conflicts The process or structure of conflicts or wars is effectively the same, whether it occurs between groups, individuals or nation states. The root causes of the conflict include among other aspects the...

Words: 5695 - Pages: 23

Free Essay

The Unseen Wound

...Traumatic Brain Injury, also known as TBI. It is an injury that is not found on the outside of the body but rather internal, therefore it is called the Unseen Wound. Even though it’s unseen, TBI is real and affects a large percentage of veterans returning from war and test results show that an average of 46 percent of soldiers have TBI. Traumatic brain injury, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is doubly cruel: it leaves many victims emotionally shattered and cognitively crippled. But because mild and moderate brain injuries do not show up on CT or other imaging devices, doctors and even family members are often skeptical that any real damage exists. TBI is real and affects a large percentage of veterans returning from war. “Consistent with the designation of TBI as one of the signature injuries of the war theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan, 46% of the returning veterans recruited for this project screened positive for a deployment-related TBI” (Morissette, Woodward, & Kimbrel, Meyer, Kruse, 2011, p. 346). I have deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and have sustained injuries in result of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) and mortar attacks. Shortly after returning home, my family and close friends noticed that I was no longer the same person. Even though my family and friends asked me to go see a doctor, I refused to go, I felt like there was nothing wrong with me. A few years after being discharged from the military, I started to notice...

Words: 3162 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Suicide Attacks

...United States launched a war in Afghanistan to destroy al-Qaeda's bases there and overthrow the Taliban, the country's Muslim fundamentalist rulers who harbored bin Laden and his followers. Like his predecessor George W. Bush, President Barack Obama has committed U.S. strategy to destroying al-Qaeda’s safe haven in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, and limiting the group's ability to strike U.S. targets. What are al-Qaeda's origins? Al-Qaeda grew out of the Services Office, a clearinghouse for the international Muslim brigade opposed to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In the 1980s, the Services Office--run by bin Laden and the Palestinian religious scholar Abdullah Assam--recruited, trained, and financed thousands of foreign mujahedeen, or holy warriors, from more than fifty countries. Bin Laden wanted these fighters to continue the "holy war" beyond Afghanistan. He formed al-Qaeda around 1988. Where does al-Qaeda operate? There is no single headquarters. From 1991 to 1996, al-Qaeda worked out of Pakistan along the Afghan border, or inside Pakistani cities. During the Taliban's reign al-Qaeda shifted its base of operations into Afghanistan. To escape the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, al-Qaeda's leadership once again sought refuge in Pakistan's tribal areas after September 11, 2001. Analysts also believe bin Laden's group is training or has trained most of the terrorist groups in Pakistan's tribal areas; it has introduced its practice of suicide bombings to both the Afghan...

Words: 1542 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Pakistan’s Internal Conflict Between Secularism and Islamic Militancy and the Effect on the Insurgency in Afghanistan

...If the Central Asian Society exists and is meeting in fifty or a hundred years hence, Afghanistan will be as vital and important a question as it is now1 Lord Cuzon, speaking at the annual dinner of society, London, 1908 Governance of Pakistan is to God alone, it is up to Pakistan to carry out God’s commands2 Qazi Hussain Amhed, leader of Jamiat-e-Islami, Islamic political party in Pakistan INTRODUCTION 1. The rise of Islamic militancy or the jihad culture in Pakistan was directly sponsored by the security forces of Pakistan and is a legacy of Pakistan’s creation as an Islamic state and Pakistan’s involvement in the creation of the Taliban and its rise to power in Afghanistan. Since the arrival of the United States in the region post-9/11 and its support for Pakistan in its fight against Islamic extremism, Pakistan’s home-grown insurgent forces have turned its fight against the state itself in its resistance against a stable and democratic government. This conflict has led to a growth in Islamic extremism in Pakistan’s border regions which have turned into safe-havens for fighters in Afghanistan in their war against the US and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA). Evidence shows that these fighters still receive covert support from Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and elements of the Pakistani military. 2. Scope. This essay will first explain the roots of Islamic militancy in Pakistan including Pakistan’s involvement in the rise...

Words: 3102 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Isis

...transformed from a political and religious ideal into a death cult. The group began over two decades ago with a Jordanian named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He arrived in Afghanistan wanting to be a mujahideen in 1989, but was too late to fight. He left back home and remained a figure in international terror for the next decade. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi returned to Afghanistan and set up terrorist training camps. In 2001, he fled to Iraq after the fall of Talaban. In 2004, his campaign of suicide bombings across Iraq had made him a superstar of the jihadi movement and even won the endorsement of bin Laden, whom he joined forces with forming al-Qaeda in Iraq, or AQI. Zarqawi's ambitions were cut short in June 2006 when US Air Force dropped a pair of 500 pound bombs on his hideout, killing him. In 2011, when US troop withdrawals was complete, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was running the group, he took Zarqawi's tactics and supercharged them. He sent suicide bombers to police officers, military offices, checkpoints, and recruiting stations. Soon after, Baghdadi renamed the group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to reflect his greater ambitions. In early 2014, ISIS planned a bolder strike by taking of Mosul which marked a new phase in ISIS' evolution. It was now willing and able to seize and control land, not simply sending suicide bombers. The group also widened their targets. In August 2014, ISIS beheaded a U.S journalist, James Foley and threatened the life of another U.S journalist. In...

Words: 333 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Spss

...CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ------------------------------------------------- POLICY BRIEF VETERAN TREATMENT COURT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO THE COMMON PLEAS COURT OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY TONY D. MORRIS PREPARED FOR: Honorable John J. Russo Administrative and Presiding Judge Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court July 1, 2014 SWK 300: SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. DOVER SPRING 2014 GOAL STATEMENT The sole purpose of this policy brief is to deliver concrete and measurement evidences that Veteran Treatment Courts (VTC) promotes public safety by diverting veterans with addictions and/or mental illness into a voluntary specialized court as oppose to the traditional criminal justice system. At present the Cleveland Veteran Treatment docket is only available to veterans that reside in the City of Cleveland. By expanded the court to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, veterans would have access to the resources available, especially at the county level. There are 38 cities and 19 villages in Cuyahoga County. According to the United States Census Bureau and there are 90,753 veterans residing in Cuyahoga County and increasing as service members from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation New Dawn (OEF,OIF,OND) begin to return and reintegrate back to civilian life. The VTC has proven to be smart, cost effective ventures that assist veterans on the road to recovery, effectively and successfully reducing recidivism...

Words: 959 - Pages: 4