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B**N
A Challenge to the Leaders of Europe
Through statistical analysis and interviews with clergy members, social workers, writers, politicians, police men, immigrants, and crime victims, Ayaan Hirisi Ali seeks to show that European woman are facing a crisis of sexual assault at the hands of some migrants from Islamic majority countries and that Europe’s criminal, immigration, social, and political systems have not responded adequately.It is truly heartbreaking to read about young boys and girls, mothers, and grandmothers being raped or sexually assaulted—and infuriating to read that the perpetrators were handed light sentences, or in some cases, no prison time at all, because they “come from a different culture”. Offenders are almost never deported.Ms. Ali’s book is at its most powerful when she focuses on well researched instances of rise in sexual assault cases, the rising atmosphere of fear in cities, and the failures of the immigration and criminal justice system to curtail violent offenders with no interest in conforming to western norms. Particularly timely is her argument that, even if women’s rights are not legally curtailed, the rights of women are effectively eroded if women do not feel safe in their bodily integrity in public, and if the law does not punish violations of that integrity.This, she claims is the current state of affairs in many European cities, and it is predominantly the result, however unpopular it may be to claim, of young male migrants from conservative Islamic majority countries.Prey becomes somewhat less powerful as it confronts Muslim communities more broadly in Europe. It is Ms. Ali’s belief that the rise of sexual assault in European communities is related not just to an influx of young men from countries who see so called “immodest women” as fair game, but to the existence of what she calls “parallel societies” of Muslim immigrants who do not have much desire to integrate themselves into European society, which would require that they support the equality of women, and instead resort to welfare support and crime.It is not so much that Ms. Ali’s arguments about certain communities of Muslim immigrants and their failure to integrate are entirely unpersuasive or unimportant for understanding how some Muslim migrants view and treat women, however, they lack the focus and urgency of her chapters focused on sexual assault. Perhaps as an American, I see urban ethnic enclaves as inevitable, and as a socially conservative Catholic, see people living according to more family-oriented norms as more desirable than does Ms. Ali.Of course, it is also true that a just society cannot turn a blind eye to injustices against women, such as forced marriages of children, domestic violence, and FGM (female genital mutilation) that occur in such neighborhoods.On the whole, Ms. Ali’s book is a strong challenge to the leaders of Europe to reform their criminal justice, immigration, and educational systems in order to protect the rights of their female citizens and better integrate newcomers to society. They ignore her at their peril.
A**S
Prey is a reality check for all Americans & western cultures.
“PREY (is a reality check) Immigration, Islam & the The Erosion of Women’s Rights”, by an abhorrent author Ayana Hirsi Ali. A wake up call to all (protesters) Americans who value freedom. This book deals with the of western culture, & the clash of a regressive culture. Think…Afghanistan after the Americans left and the effects on the women; this scenario is now playing out in seemingly enlightened European cities. PREY gives clarity to the true meaning of our freedoms and the need to protect it.A must read.
D**N
Relevant and real
I read this book at the recommendation of Ben Shapiro when he interviewed Ali on one of his shows. Ali's sincere intensity intrigued me, along with her back story of having been raised in Islam but leaving the religion as an adult when she fled from Somalia.On a surface level, what I appreciated right off was Ali's conversational tone, which was much more accessible than books I have read by Shapiro and or Michael Knowles.I read the book because my understanding of Islamic culture is superficial at best. I know people who believe that Islamic culture poses no threat to Western ideals and to claim so is racist. I also know people who believe that there is an Islamic effort to take over all Western culture and subject Christians to sharia law. In reading Ali's book I was looking to gain a greater understanding of the true relationship between Islam and Western culture, especially as it relates to women. While I won't claim to be an expert after reading one book, I appreciate the perspective Ali offers.The complexity of Ali's topic makes it difficult to summarize, but she combines immigration and crime statistics and trends with a broad view of Islamic culture, especially as it relates to women, and juxtaposes that view with the values of Western culture. She addresses the many ways this juxtaposition creates conflicts between Muslim immigrants and European nationals, again with specific details regarding how growing conflicts are causing the deterioration for ALL women, not only Muslim women. She also addresses how such conflicts can be better addressed if they are openly addressed by government officials and makes multiple recommendations for immigration reforms that she believes would help Muslim immigrants more effectively integrate into Western Society.
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