Women like any other

They cannot be classified in the “modern feminist” or “conservative-retrograde” categories. Their situation is far more nuanced than is commonly thought. They are European citizens and are proud of being so. They are independent and determined. They say they are free to practice their faith, but they still have great difficulties, out of reticence and modesty, in denouncing the situations of hardship and discrimination they and other women experience within their families and communities. But above all they have the same “dreams” and the same aspirations as any other European women. This is the image that emerges from an interesting “qualitative” study of Muslim women in Europe, – “potential, problems and aspirations” – conducted by an Italian researcher, Sara Silvestri, on behalf of the studies and research centre of the King Baudouin Foundation. The research – presented in Brussels on 27 November – analysed the replies to a questionnaire by 49 Muslim women of various ethnic origins: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, Turkey and Chad. The women were interviewed in Brussels, London, Turin and Rome. They are aged between 20 and 40. SIR Europe has interviewed the researcher Sara Silvestri who conducted the survey. An expert on Islam in Europe, she is a lecturer on religion and politics at City University in London.First of all, who are Muslim women in Europe?“They are women. Only secondarily are they Muslims of various ethnic origins, religious traditions, and social and familial conditions. So the situation of Muslim women in Europe covers a very variegated panorama; it cannot be subsumed under a single type. Nor is it appropriate to categorise them in two compartments, as if often done: either as “modern” or as “backward”. It’s important that we begin to think of Muslim women as individuals exposed to the same problems, anxieties, aspirations and dreams as other inhabitants of Europe”.What rapport do they have with their religion?“Once again, there’s no standard way of being a practising Muslim. So thinking of those who wear a veil as “religious” and others as not is mistaken. What emerged from my research is that ever more Muslim women feel curiosity about their religion; they want to follow it in a more determined way and also to study it. In contrast to the stereotypes that label them as “subjected” to Islam, they have demonstrated they have a very “personalized” relation with their own faith. Many of them find in it a resource to express their self-affirmation as individuals. To my question “what do you like and what don’t you like about your religion?” all of them declared they “love it” and consider it an integral part of their life. On the other hand, they were far more critical about the communities to which they belong, of which they appreciate the spirit of solidarity and community celebrations, but don’t support some restrictive attitudes, prejudices, tittle-tattle, and excessive closure to outsiders. One curious aspect revealed by the research is that the prejudices go in two directions. Many of the women I interviewed complained of being exposed to prejudices on two fronts, that of the Europeans, who consider them backward, oppressed and uncivilized, and that of members of their own communities, who don’t respect the laws, and who cling to backward cultural attitudes to women, to other Muslim communities of different tradition, and to non-Muslims in general”. How widespread are the situations of violence and submission denounced by Muslim women?“It’s a very difficult question, and it’s extremely difficult to conduct a scientific study on violence in the family, beyond the fact that such violence can occur in Muslim or in non-Muslim contexts. There are various reasons for this. Some Europen countries have compiled statistics on acts of violence denounced according to ethnic or national group, but there’s no direct correlation. Outside the religious or ethnic community of origin, there’s also a tendency to obey an unwritten rule of silence, also by women themselves, who not only feel humiliated by what’s happened, but feel shame in coming into the open and fear of potential repercussions, perhaps on their children. Moreover, there are no data that would suggest that the phenomenon of violence happens more frequently in Muslim than in non-Muslim families. In general – and this goes not only for Muslims – women are reserved on such delicate issues; perhaps they don’t have the courage to speak of them, not even to their closest friends”. What do Muslim women hope for and what are their most frequent dreams?“In their dreams they are exceptionally… ordinary. They want to live well, in peace, in respect for the law and be respected by the law. They want to have a husband with whom they can establish a project for life, preferably in the light of Muslim values; they want to have united and happy families, and children who are well integrated at school and at work. These women feel themselves to be Europeans. They are proud of living in our countries. They appreciate their civil liberties and their laws, and they would like first and foremost to be considered as women”.