Others in the community did not view these incidents as the assaults they were, trivialized them as errors, or even justified them by implying that the ladies themselves were complicit. They were isolated and forbidden from telling anyone, and even blamed for their own assault, with implications that the assaults were justified in their spiritual interests. Those who tried to resist, question or protest, would be emotionally abused by him and other authorities in the group. Upon investigation, Ali discovered that the Shaykh regularly touched and kissed many women against their will, mostly in private so-called ruqya sessions. After ten years with his Shaykh, “Ali,” (not his real name) was approached by a fellow female student, who said that the Shaykh had sexually assaulted her.
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