Face to Face With Former ISIS Sex Slaves: Stacey Dooley Investigates

BBC Three

16 Nov 201804:21

Summary

TLDRThis video script covers the emotional stories of two young women who were used as sex slaves by ISIS. Both women, from moderate Muslim backgrounds, bravely recount their traumatic experiences living under the control of ISIS militants. One woman, Leila, describes how she was forced into sexual servitude after her husband was killed. The script highlights the objectification of women by ISIS and the devastating impact on their lives, while also acknowledging their courage in escaping and sharing their stories. The speaker reflects on how these harrowing events are often reduced to statistics in the media.

Takeaways

😔 Two girls, around the speaker's age, bravely share their experiences as victims of ISIS's treatment of women.
😢 Both girls come from moderate Muslim families and were used as sex slaves by ISIS.
😟 Leila recently escaped ISIS, and Heba has been in Turkey for a few months, but it's too dangerous for them to be identified.
😔 Leila lived with her family before her husband was killed in an airstrike, which led to her being targeted by a jihadi soldier.
💔 Leila was forced into marriage and had to sexually please the jihadi soldier every night, treating her as an object.
😠 ISIS views women as objects for sexual gratification after long days of fighting.
😨 Even female children are vulnerable to being used as sexual objects by ISIS fighters.
😢 When a married fighter dies, the wife is passed on to other fighters, continuing the cycle of abuse.
😔 Leila was eventually able to flee across the border into Turkey, showing immense courage in telling her story.
😔 The speaker reflects on how these stories often become mere statistics in the media, but these are real human beings suffering.

Q & A

Who are the two girls mentioned in the transcript, and why are they sharing their stories?
-The two girls, Leila and Heba, are sharing their stories about being used as sex slaves by ISIS. They are from moderate Muslim families and have firsthand experience of the horrors women face under ISIS.
Why is it dangerous for the girls to be identified?
-It is too dangerous for the girls to be identified because speaking out against ISIS and sharing their personal stories of abuse could put them and their families at risk of retaliation.
What happened to Leila before she escaped ISIS?
-Before escaping, Leila lived with her family and got married, but her husband was killed in an airstrike. Despite being fully covered, she caught the attention of an ISIS soldier who forced her into sexual slavery.
What does the transcript suggest about the importance of sex for ISIS fighters?
-The transcript suggests that sex is extremely important for ISIS fighters, with women being treated as sexual objects. One of the girls explains that pleasing the men sexually is expected every night and that it is considered important for them after a day of fighting.
How does ISIS treat women whose fighter husbands have died?
-When a fighter dies, his wife is passed on to another fellow fighter, perpetuating a cycle of forced sexual slavery.
What was going on in the minds of the girls during their captivity?
-The girls describe feelings of helplessness and trauma, as they were mentally trapped and addicted to the fear and abuse imposed by their captors.
How did Leila manage to escape ISIS?
-Leila was able to flee from ISIS and cross the border into Turkey, where she hopes to rebuild her life.
What emotions does the interviewer express after hearing the girls' stories?
-The interviewer expresses shock and frustration, commenting on how stories like these are often reduced to mere statistics or numbers in the news, even though they represent real human suffering.
What broader message does the transcript convey about the impact of extremist beliefs on women?
-The transcript highlights the devastating impact that extremist beliefs, such as those held by ISIS, have on women, who are often treated as sexual objects and subjected to abuse, oppression, and violence.
Why is it important to share the stories of women like Leila and Heba?
-Sharing their stories is important to raise awareness about the horrors women endure under extremist groups like ISIS. It humanizes the victims, showing their courage and resilience while highlighting the need for action to prevent such atrocities.

Outlines

00:00

💬 Women Share Their Stories of Extremist Abuse

The narrator introduces two brave young women who have experienced life as sex slaves under ISIS. Both women come from moderate Muslim families and risk their safety by sharing their stories, ensuring they remain unidentified for security reasons.

💔 Life Before and After ISIS

Leila, one of the women, discusses how life changed drastically with the rise of ISIS. Before the extremist group’s influence, women like her dressed freely. Now, extreme restrictions and dangers, including forced marriages to jihadi soldiers, dominate their lives.

😢 Captured and Forced into Marriage

Leila recounts her tragic experience of being captured by a jihadi soldier after her husband was killed in an airstrike. Despite her full-body coverings, she caught the attention of an ISIS soldier who claimed her as his wife, initiating a harrowing ordeal.

🔒 Sexual Exploitation and Control

Leila explains the traumatic sexual relationship she was forced into with her captor. She describes how sex was seen as a reward for soldiers, and women were treated as objects for their pleasure, further dehumanizing them under ISIS rule.

😞 Women Passed Between Fighters

Leila details the grim practice of widowed women being passed from one fighter to another. She reflects on the mental toll of being continuously exploited and how women were expected to serve their captors.

🏃‍♀️ Escape and Survival

Despite the unimaginable hardships, Leila managed to escape and flee to Turkey. The narrator praises her courage and bravery, hoping that she can now rebuild her life after surviving such a terrifying ordeal.

📊 The Human Side of the Headlines

The narrator reflects on how stories like Leila’s often get lost in statistics when covered by the media. While the headlines might touch on these horrors, they tend to desensitize people to the human suffering behind the numbers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Extremist beliefs

Extremist beliefs refer to ideologies that are radical or extreme in nature, often leading to violent actions or the suppression of others. In the video, these beliefs are associated with ISIS, which enforces strict and oppressive rules, particularly on women, using religion as a justification.

💡ISIS

ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is a terrorist organization known for its brutal treatment of people under its control, especially women. The video discusses how ISIS uses women as sex slaves, imposing oppressive rules and exploiting them sexually under the guise of religious law.

💡Sex slaves

Sex slaves in this context refer to women who are forcibly taken by ISIS fighters and treated as property for sexual exploitation. The video highlights the trauma these women endure, being used by ISIS members to fulfill sexual desires under strict control.

💡Moderate Muslim families

The phrase 'moderate Muslim families' refers to families that follow Islam in a balanced, non-extremist manner, as opposed to the radical beliefs of groups like ISIS. The two girls in the video come from such families, contrasting with the extreme practices of ISIS.

💡Forced marriage

Forced marriage is the practice of coercing women into marriages without their consent. In the video, one of the girls is forced into marriage with an ISIS fighter after her husband is killed, illustrating how ISIS exploits women both sexually and through forced unions.

💡Airstrike

An airstrike refers to an attack delivered from the air, typically by military aircraft. In the video, one of the girls' husbands is killed in an airstrike, which sets the stage for her forced marriage to an ISIS fighter.

💡Sharia

Sharia is Islamic law derived from the Quran and Hadith. While it is used by some as a moral and legal framework, extremist groups like ISIS manipulate Sharia to justify their control over women and other oppressive actions, as described in the video.

💡Sexual exploitation

Sexual exploitation in the video refers to the systematic abuse of women by ISIS, who are forced to satisfy the sexual desires of fighters. This dehumanizing practice is shown through the experiences of the women who are treated as sexual objects rather than human beings.

💡Trauma

Trauma refers to the deep emotional and psychological wounds caused by extreme events. The women in the video experience trauma from being enslaved, sexually exploited, and controlled by ISIS fighters, as they share their personal stories of survival.

💡Escape

Escape is the act of fleeing from captivity or danger. In the video, one of the girls manages to escape from ISIS and crosses the border into Turkey, symbolizing hope and survival after enduring extreme hardships.

Highlights

Two girls share their experiences of being used as sex slaves by ISIS.

Both girls come from moderate Muslim families and face risks for sharing their stories.

Leila has recently escaped from ISIS, while Heba has been in Turkey for a few months.

Leila, despite being fully covered, caught the attention of a jihadi soldier and was forced into a marriage.

ISIS fighters use women as sexual objects, expecting them to provide sexual pleasure every night.

Leila describes how the fighters view women as their property, passed on to others if a husband dies.

Leila lived in constant fear and faced abuse until she managed to flee to Turkey.

Women are forced into repeated marriages if their jihadi husbands die in battle.

Leila recounts how the situation was mentally exhausting, constantly fearing for her safety.

Both girls show remarkable bravery by speaking out, despite the dangers involved.

The interviewer reflects on how these stories are often reduced to mere statistics in the media.

The girls' testimonies emphasize the human suffering behind the headlines about ISIS.

The sexual exploitation of women under ISIS is a form of systematic abuse.

Leila and Heba hope to rebuild their lives after escaping the horrors of life under ISIS.

The interviewer expresses deep respect for the courage of the girls in sharing their experiences.