Deaf News Briefs: Rose Bowl princess; AFP report on Pakistani deaf rape victim
Deaf teen Salia Baligh is Rose Parade Princess
The Pasadena Star-News reported that a 17-year-old deaf teenager named Salia Baligh is one of the Rose Princesses that will be featured in the Rose Parade on January 2 in Pasadena, California. The parade is a New Year’s Day tradition and is usually broadcast on live television and the parade leads up to the Rose Bowl college football game.
The news report said Salia grew up in Pasadena and watched many Rose Parades and that her dad would tell her that she would be a princess one day. Salia is an Egyptian and a Muslim, is the captain of her high school basketball team at a private Catholic school, and is the first princess who is deaf.
The article said Salia wears a Cochlear Baha hearing aid, which uses bone conduction technology. She said she mostly uses lip reading and is learning ASL. So if you plan to watch the Rose Parade, you can try to find Salia.
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AFP: Pakistani rapist to marry deaf victim in deal
A news report from AFP said a Pakistan court agreed to release a convicted rapist from jail on the condition that he is to marry his victim, who is a deaf woman. Human rights activists have condemned the decision.
AFP explained that the rapist, Dawlat Khan, was sentenced to life imprisonment in May. The deaf victim is in the same extended family as Khan. The deaf woman gave birth to a baby and a paternity test proved Khan was the father and he was jailed.
The deal for Khan to get out of prison by marrying the victim was brokered by a council of elders and approved by the Peshawar High Court.
AFP said, “rape is… difficult to prosecute in Pakistan, where women are often treated as second-class citizens.” A human rights activist and a lawyer told AFP that this decision means the court effectively approves rape and rape mentality, which is against the basic principles of justice.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-rape-rapist-released-agreement-marry-victim/