Woman treated for PTSD after soldier gropes her

Description

An activist named Rana Alnabky told WMC's Women Under Siege about a woman named Reham, 27, who participated in a protest in the Atareb area of Aleppo. During the protest, a green security force bus arrived; Reham was arrested and put on the bus. Alnabky said a soldier beat her while saying: “You want freedom you bitch? You want freedom? This your freedom. By God, I will teach you.”

Reham responded, “Go teach your sister, bitch," according to Alnabky.

He continued to beat her and pulled her toward him, saying, “I’ll teach you freedom.” He then tried to kiss her. Reham described his breath as foul and smelling of chicken.

“It has been a year and still I cannot stand the smell of chicken,” she told Alnabky.

At the security branch, Reham signed a contract that pledge she would no longer protest and was then released.

She currently see a psychiatrist for treatment of PTSD.

The date and location of the reported assault are unknown. Because Syrian government officials currently refuse to allow access to journalists, researchers, and aid workers, WMC's Women Under Siege cannot independently verify this report of sexualized violence in Syria.