I apologize for not having posted this earlier.  The shocking details of Aasiya’s death has left many community members in shock. As I read more and more about the horrific incident, I’m left apalled and deeply saddened as to how this could’ve happened.

Last Monday, February 16th, Muzzamil Hassan, who founded Bridges TV, a television station aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes, beheaded his wife, who had filed for divorce just a few weeks earlier.

 
The most shocking part of the story is this: “police had responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple’s home”.

If that was the case, why was no action taken?! Why did the police let things escalate to such extremes?

Aasiya was an amazing woman, who actually thought up the idea of Bridges TV because she “felt there should be an American Muslim media where her kids could grow up feeling really strong about their identity as an American Muslim”

I also wanted to remark on the fact that many media outlets are sensationalizing this sad incident as an honor killing, completely ignoring that the isues of domestic violence occur across all races and classes.

The Islamic Society of North America issued a strong statement regarding the case, pointing out that” Unfortunately, some of us ignore such problems in our community, wanting to think that it does not occur among Muslims or we downgrade its seriousness.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with Aasiya’s family.

*This post was requested by one of our readers. I encourage all of you to continue to send in your suggestions and posts and utilize this website as a community resource.

The following is a Public Service Announcement from the Family Violence Prevention Fund:

For those of you who have not heard details about the assault, here is a brief summary:

Rihanna was involved in a domestic dispute with boyfriend Chris Brown last week that resulted in his arrest and booking on charges of making criminal threats. A police statement said the woman who reported the incident was injured, and identified Brown as her attacker. Charges have not yet been filed, and neither Brown nor Rihanna has come forth to comment on the incident. - Associated Press.

This unfortunate incident highlights how the problem of teen dating violence continues to plague our community and how important it is to educate ourselves so we can prevent these situations from occurring in the first place.

Teen dating violence in the South Asian community has continued to increase, and often times neither victims nor their friends know where to turn to or what to do. According to Maitri, a South Asian anti-violence organization in California, one in every three teen dating relationships is abusive.

Kerry Washington, a Board member of  V-day.org, an organization that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations, stated:

“This is a problem that spreads from the Congo to Hollywood,” she said. “When it happens to someone famous, it’s a tragedy that it happened, but what I hope is that people become less and less afraid to talk about how truly devastating this social illness is.”

I urge all of you to share your experiences and post your comments and thoughts on how we as a community can start putting an end to teen dating violence, whether it be through asking questions or being able to recognize when you or your friends are in a abusive relationship.

After months of planning and programming, our new website is finally here!! We have a lot of exciting new features to help answer questions and connect you to the most appropriate resources.

One of our new features also allows us to share media on different domestic violence issues. Here is a great video depicting a women’s courage from the organization Breakthrough, which is an international human rights organization that uses media, education and pop culture to promote values of dignity, equality and justice.

 Website Features

Recent News:  Read new articles and blog posts on domestic violence issues and get involved in discussions by posting your comments and questions!

Discussion Board:  Post questions anonymously and get advice from other domestic violence agencies and activists

Acitivist Profile:  Read interviews with prominent scholars and activists who have deeply impacted the domestic violence movement

Calendar:  Post any upcoming events or read about exciting events you can attend

Resources: Find a strong list of resources to help address all your questions and needs

 We would love to hear all your feedback and answer any questions! Please email us at contactus@outagainstabuse.org.

 Enjoy! And remember, “Speak Out, Reach Out, Act Out”!