Viewpoint: Saudi women should not drive
The vast majority of women do not drive in the kingdom and there remains much opposition to female drivers. A 25-year-old Saudi man, Nawwaf, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme why he does not want to see women driving in Saudi Arabia.
“I think women driving is the key to a lot of things. In Western countries, 100 years ago women’s clothes were different but now you can see they are a little bit naked.
“If you start now to let women drive, let them go wherever they want, let them do whatever they want, we will be in the same position some day. Then Saudi Arabia will be like New York.
“It’s not good for some girl to show her body, wear very short skirts. This is not about Saudi Arabia, it’s about Islam. We’ve got a generation who were raised watching Gossip Girls and other [similar] series. They only want to be like that, dress like that, drive like that. It’s not about need.
“Now it’s driving [women want]. After five years it will be taking off the abaya [all-covering veil and gown], after 10 years they will ask to be allowed to wear short skirts. This is how it’s going, that is how I feel.
“I did agree with the sentence [of 10 lashes]. There are hundreds and thousands of guys and they get the same or more if they do bad things, so I’m OK with it. If I am in the mall and I bother some girl, I will get more than [10 lashes] from the court.