‘Serious breach of human rights’: Experts condemn Islamic schools tracking girls’ periods
Female students have been forced to disclose their periods to teachers who keep a record of their menstrual cycles and send them to “period rooms”.
Female students at some Islamic schools in Victoria are being forced to reveal when they have their periods, with several colleges accused of monitoring or “tracking” students’ menstrual cycles, according to new claims.
Students from Muslim schools have alleged “invasive” practices, saying girls are sent to so-called “period” or “rag” rooms instead of attending prayers, and that teachers reportedly log how many days they are on their periods.
One student at Ilim College’s senior girls’ campus in Melbourne’s north said she had been coerced into disclosing her cycle with teachers since primary school, according to The Herald Sun.
“It’s really invasive and uncomfortable,” the teenager, who asked to remain anonymous, told the outlet.
“While prayers are on, if you are on your menstrual cycle you are forced to go to the Girls’ Room while other students are praying in the mosque.
“You’re not allowed to eat or drink [in there] and you have to watch religious videos.
“You get your name written down and if you attend for more than nine days or multiple times in a month you’re accused of lying and they call your parents.”
She alleges the practice has been occurring for at least 10 years.
Aynur Simsirel, the chief executive of Ilim College, confirmed that girls were taken to a “supervised space” called the Girls’ Room when excused from prayers for menstruation.
“It is well established within Islamic practice that women who are menstruating are religiously excused from performing the five daily prayers,” Ms Simsirel told The Herald Sun on Thursday morning.
“Attendance is recorded in the same way as any other supervised school activity, consistent with standard duty-of-care requirements.”
“Serious breach of human rights”
However, prominent human rights advocate Nesreen Bottriell, CEO of The Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, said that tracking menstrual cycles is not an Islamic practice.
“We are not aware of these practices occurring and we absolutely do not condone the tracking or monitoring of young women from any religious institution or school,” Ms Bottriell told news.com.au.
“Monitoring of young women’s menstrual cycles is not an Islamic practice and constitutes a serious breach of privacy and human rights that is not acceptable.”
Gross invasion of privacy”
Dr Sarah White, CEO of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, agreed the practice was deeply concerning.
“It’s a gross invasion of privacy for a school to be tracking girls’ periods,” Dr White told news.com.au.
“No school should be monitoring menstruation for any reason.”
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/serious-breach-of-human-... They're a bunch of disgusting barbarians.
Segregate & humiliate girls and radicalise young men.
All should be investigated.