Jeddah, May 28: Many women in the Kingdom feel the single status is a curse and that getting married or having a male companion like a son makes life much easier.
They believe tying the knot is the best step forward to get rid of the dependency on their families and to make daily chores easy.
Sarah Akeel, 24, told: “Most Saudi families are large, and we cannot have a driver and a car for each girl in the house. We have to wait for our turn or just not go out most days because schedules collide. If we could take a cab, metro or a bus then maybe the driving issue would be resolved. It is really frustrating. I just want to get married for the sake of getting out there.”
Maha Sayeed, 31, says a woman in Saudi Arabia needs a man for virtually every work she needs to do. “It is a hard life if you do not have a mahram (male guardian) to escort you through daily rituals.”
Lamenting on the insecurity single women feel, Bayan Shakeel, 28, said: “You get followed while walking down a bazaar. We always have to keep male relatives to protect us. This is clasping my freedom and cutting off my wings. I wish people would view us in higher regard, because all this leaves us disappointed. It builds up frustration and renders us hopeless.”
According to some women, what makes the difference is your status. Rich women do their day-to-day task more easily than those from middle class and poor families who cannot afford drivers. “I can’t afford a driver,” said Farah Al Khateeb, 26. “We have one that takes us to work, but if I want to go out, it is a crazy adventure in a taxi, being harassed by shabab (young men) and older men. The fact that I cannot step out of my house, walk down to the local store, which is such a mundane chore, really frustrates me.”
She believes there is a stigma attached to single women trying to do things on their own in Saudi society.
“A woman walking alone in the street would definitely be harassed or feel alarmed because it is still unusual for us to do things by ourselves. I have to wait for my driver so he can get our groceries or I can go with him. Is it such a novelty to go to a store? I think it is absurd. If I need something late at night there is no way I can just hop into my car because, firstly, we can’t drive and, secondly, people deem it unsafe for us to go out at night. They even judge us for being out late in the evening. Do I have an option other than looking for a husband who can take me around and look after me? Not really.”
-Agencies