In the past few weeks there has been an increase in the persecution of homosexuals in Iraq, due to an organised 'crackdown' based on a religious decree for their death, reports UAE based media network alarabiya.net.

Why is it that women are, on the one hand, viciously oppressed by cultural practices, and yet at the same time, are the preservers of cultures in most societies?

And then you meet people that have been through ultimate pain psychologically, sexually, spiritually, emotionally abused and not always, but often, they become some of the people that contribute the most to society.