Saudi Arabian historian claims US women drive because 'they don't care about being raped'
A SAUDI Arabian historian trying to justify his nation's ban on female drivers has sparked fury by claiming women are allowed to drive in countries like America because "they don't care about getting raped".
Saudi Historian Says U.S. Women Drive Because They Don't Care If They're Raped
In a recent TV interview, Saleh al-Saadoom claimed that women can be raped when a car breaks down, but unlike his country, Saudia Arabia protects women from that risk by not allowing them to drive in the first place.
During the debate on Saudi Rotana Khalijiyaa TV, he said: "They [Americans] don't care if they are raped on the roadside, but we do."
The horrified female host of the TV show, who is not named in the translation posted online by the Middle East Media Research Institute, asked: "Hold on. Who told you they don’t care about getting raped on the roadside?"
To which, Al-Saadoom replied: "It’s no big deal for them beyond the damage to their morale.
“In our case, however, the problem is of a social and religious nature.”
They [Americans] don't care if they are raped on the roadside, but we do
Two other guests that appeared on the show, a man and a woman, appeared to be absolutely shocked by his comments - but Al-Saadoon argued they were out of touch.
He continued: "They should listen to me and get used to what society thinks."
As his argument didn't appear to convince anyone, Al-Saadoon then claimed women are treated "like queens" in Saudi Arabia because they are chauffeured around by men including their fathers, sons, uncles and nephews.
This prompted the female host to ask Al-Saadoon whether he feared that the male chauffeur could rape the woman, to which he agreed there was a legitimate threat.
He added: "There is a solution, but the government officials and the clerics refuse to hear of it.
"The solution is to bring in female foreign chauffeurs to drive our wives," he added.
"Female foreign chauffeurs?," the host replied while laughing and covering her face with her palm, adding: "Seriously?"
While there is no specific law to prevent women from driving in the ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia, women cannot apply for driving licences and they are arrested if found behind the wheel.
No such ban exists anywhere else in the world, even in other conservative Gulf countries.
Two Saudi women, who were detained for nearly a month after defying Saudi's driving laws, have recently been referred to a specialist terror court.
Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, was stopped by border guards and her passport confiscated for more than 24 hours when she attempted to cross the border last year with a UAE driver’s licence in an act of defiance.
And Maysa al-Amoudi, 33 a UAE-based Saudi journalist, was stopped when she went to deliver food and a blanket to Al-Hathloul at the border.
They were formally arrested on December 1.
Saudi Arabia's ultra-conservative society and human rights record has come under renewed scrutiny this week, as Prince Charles raised the issue of jailed blogger Raif Badawi during talks with the country's new King Salman.
Sources said the Prince of Wales' enquiries about Mr Badawi's plight – who was sentenced to ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up an online forum for public debate – encouraged a "not unfriendly" reaction from the Saudi regime.
Charles is currently on a six-day tour of the Middle East.
