‘I am one of the lucky ones,’ says Saudi teen granted asylum in Canada

By News staff and The Canadian Press

A Saudi teen, whose flight from her allegedly abusive family captured global attention, said she intends to fight for the freedom of women around the world.

Rahaf Mohammed said the fact that she was able to leave Saudi Arabia and settle in Canada makes her “one of the lucky ones.”

“I know that there are unlucky women who disappeared after trying to escape or who could not do anything to change their reality,” Mohammed said at a news conference organized by COSTI Corvetti Education Centre, which was held in Little Italy on Tuesday.

She delivered her statement through a translator.

“I was not treated respectfully by my family and I was not allowed to be myself or who I want to be. As you know, in Saudi Arabia this is the case for all Saudi women, except for those that are fortunate enough to have understanding parents,” Mohammed said.

She said many women in her home country are not independent and depend on permission from male guardians for most aspects of their life.

She said she hopes to lead an independent but private life now that she has settled in Toronto.

The 18-year-old ran from her family, who she alleged was abusive and trying to force her into an arranged marriage.

After barricading herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room and tweeting that she feared for her life if she returned home, Canada granted a request to give her asylum.

“Thank you to everyone for reaching out and making me feel welcome in my new home,” Mohammed said as she thanked the governments of Canada and Thailand and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“I will work in support of freedom for women around the world. The same freedom I (experienced) on the first day I arrived in Canada.”

Mohammed did not take any questions from the media after the news conference and said she will not be doing any more media interviews in the near future. She has asked for privacy moving forward.

Mario Calla, the executive director at COSTI, said Mohammed currently has private security with her at all times following the multiple death threats she has received on social media.

Acknowledging that a permanent security detail isn’t possible, settlement workers are looking for a Canadian family to take in Mohammed so she’s not alone.

Calla said Mohammed is in Canada as a government-assisted refugee, which means she will have financial support for up to 12 months.

COSTI is an immigrant settlement agency that is under contract with the federal government to provide resettlement service and support. She will also be enrolled in English classes.

Calla also said Rahaf is no longer using her family’s last name.


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