Some who dare to leave slip out quietly, traveling to the United States or elsewhere before applying for asylum — which is never a sure thing. Women who are repatriated can face criminal charges of parental disobedience or harming the kingdom’s reputation. “As Saudi women, we are still treated as property that belongs to the state,” said Moudi Aljohani, who moved to the United States as a student and has applied for asylum. They are going to go after her and forcibly return her.”The ways women choose to flee vary, but interviews with five who succeeded showed common themes. Many had discussed their plans in private chat groups with other women who had already fled or were also considering it.

Source: New York Times January 11, 2019 17:42 UTC