And exactly what was their alternative? Their own fathers, husbands, and brothers were too cowardly to protect them. It is easy to sit here and simplify this with generalizations, but in reality, with the options presented to them, they could only choose to live in compliance or die in the attempt to fight back, weaponless and alone.
Those lucky enough to have REAL options used them.
Nooria recalled, "I learned explosive techniques and began supervising and teaching the younger men...We would stick explosives and detonators under the Russians' tables and chairs." When asked what she would do if the women-hating Taliban captured her city of residence, Kabul, Nooria asked, "We will fight them as we fought the Russians."
That is what some women have done. In Newsday (November 12, 2001), journalists Matthew McAllester and Ilana Ozernoy quoted Malika, a mother whose family lived on the Taliban front line of Bagram just north of Kabul. Malika declared, "At night I go up on the roof with my Kalashnikov [a Russian assault rifle] and my hand grenades to protect my house."
The best defense against "guys with guns" is women with guns. This is especially true if the woman is alone in her home, protecting her daughter from rape or her young son from being kidnapped into the military.
Amen, sister. The other things I would give these women is about 3 months of Krav Maga training and a switchblade. My 105# ROTC daughter can drop a 6' man in about three seconds.