Why Women Wear the Burqa
Charles Johnson
Mon May 29, 2006 at 7:36 pm PDT • Views: 427
Australian model Michelle Leslie, imprisoned in Bali on drug charges, was roundly criticized for showing up in Islamic dress. But her experience is a glimpse into what it’s like for women under Islam if they make one wrong move, and why they consent to wear restrictive clothing like the burqa: Burqa prevented rape: Leslie. (Hat tip: Terp Mole.)
MODEL Michelle Leslie wore Islamic dress during her stay in a Balinese prison on drugs charges to avoid being raped, she says.
In an interview with New Idea, Leslie said she wore the traditional Muslim headdress to protect herself from men inside the prison she feared would rape her.
Leslie said she awoke in the Kerobokan prison one night to find a man sitting on the end of her mattress, laughing and singing: “Jiggyjig Missa Leslie. Bali holiday. Jiggyjig”.
“I knew jiggyjig translated into having sex,” Leslie said.
“He was saying ‘Australian model’ and stroking my leg. I screamed: ‘Get out of here!’.”
Leslie said she was aware another woman was being taken from her cell regularly for sex, and realised her fate would be the same if she didn’t act.
“I decided to dress in the Muslim burqa. I chose to wear Muslim dress for one reason and one reason only, to protect myself,” she said.
“When I put on the burqa, people were more respectful and I’m sorry if anyone is offended by that. But over there, it’s a case of whatever gets you through. I think anyone else would have done the same.”
Frank says: