What attracts women to ISIS?
A lot has been written about how even educated youth get lured into joining ISIS by their twisted propaganda. But why do women undertake this perilous trial? Trying to find an answer, a new report has found that women join ISIS after being "seduced by a twisted version of empowerment" and further elaborates on complex reasons that drive women to do this.
Women in ISIS: What do the numbers say?
The number of women living in ISIS-claimed territory is unknown. While a 2014 report estimated that women constituted 18% of European fighters, the absolute number is believed to be around 550 currently.
Are all female ISIS members 'Jihadi Brides'?
ISIS looks toward women to bear and nurture the next generation of terrorists. These women are reportedly raped and tortured in ISIS camps. The prevailing narrative on women in ISIS portrays them as passive 'Jihadi brides' who get lured by men into ISIS through social media and marriage. However, the researchers maintain that they are not always manipulated by men, but often act rationally.
How does ISIS view women?
ISIS propaganda slams modern-day feminism and indicates that women derive their worth from their roles as wives and mothers. A recent article published against the backdrop of the group's shrinking territory urged women to support and not demoralize their sons and husbands from Allah's path.
What draws women to ISIS then?
Despite torture and subjugation, women who wish to challenge western and traditional gender norms may find ISIS as a source of empowerment. Societal exclusion in countries including Netherlands and France which imposed the 'burqa ban' and Islamophobia can also be blamed for this. Some of the respondents surveyed noted that these women could have travelled to ISIS territory, simply to live as good Muslims.
How to spot a potential female ISIS recruit?
According to the report, women who are in the process of being radicalized display behavioural changes including new found interest in international affairs, chiding relatives for un-Islamic behaviour and justifying ISIS acts. Is this Islamophobia in a new form or a fact?
What does this mean?
Women were involved in the 2016 Paris attacks and various other foiled plots and are increasingly being involved in perpetrating domestic terror attacks. Their passivity in appearance, offers them an inherent advantage in these scenarios, making them unlikely to be apprehended. Finally, women like men have their own reasons for joining ISIS and should be viewed as likely dangerous elements by security officials.
