MAKKAH — Two women have complained that a social protection home in Makkah treated them unjustly and sent them back to their abusive families. A 27-year-old resident of Al-Wafaa Protection Home said the shelter caused her expulsion from university. “I was admitted to the home because my brother used to physically assault me. I was put under the protection of the home twice. The first time I was admitted, my brother signed a written pledge but he started abusing me again as soon as I was sent back into my family,” said the woman, who was identified by her initials G.A. She said she had to seek treatment in hospital due to the injuries she sustained as a result of the assault. “I went back to the home but they refused to take me in claiming there is no space for me. I had no choice but to live with my married sister. My sister had to move cities shortly afterward and I had to stay at my neighbor's house,” said G.A. She said her brother then filed a complaint with the police, saying she had run away from her family. “The police arrested me and I was jailed for three months and a half. After my time in jail, the protection home took me in but the staff members were very hostile toward me. They robbed me of all my rights, which angered me,” said G.A. She eventually got into a fight with the staff members at the home which caused her to go to jail once again. “They accused me of cursing them and breaking the main computer at the shelter. I was jailed for another three months and a half. All this time, I missed classes and this caused my university to expel me,” said G.A. She said the protection home later dropped all charges against her but it refused to take her back. “I still had to do time in jail but afterward the court sent me to a protection home in Jeddah. I only stayed there a week before a filed a complaint against them because they wanted me to return to my brother after he signed another no-abuse pledge,” said G.A. She said she was sent back to Al-Wafaa Home in Makkah where she is currently struggling to cope with. “They claim that I have spent the maximum period of time allowed for inmates, which is three months, and I have to return to my family. I should be able to stay until my issue is solved. They did not correct my abusive and violent brother. Why would they send me back to him?” asked G.A. A.H. is 40 years old and a victim of domestic abuse. “I have been at Al-Wafaa Protection Home for seven months. The protection home tricked me and tried to send me back to my abusive brother without solving the problem or giving us professional counseling,” said A.H. She said the protection home had asked her to come into a room for a talk with her brother who was called by them. “I knew from a relative that my brother came down to the protection home so I refused to follow instructions," she said. "The protection home banned us from receiving visitors, which is unfair. We are being treated worse than prisoners. We are not criminals, we are victims,” said A.H. Al-Wafaa Director Obaidallah Al-Masoudi said they have banned inmates from receiving any visitors to protect them. “The Ministry of Social Affairs introduced the ban after several incidents of murder and abuse after inmates were temporarily released to their families away from the protection of the home. The home is not a hotel. Our inmates are not guests who will be receiving hospitality favors. They are there because of a problem and we are here to help them,” said Al-Masoudi.
