Investigate the suitors of young Saudi women

ALTHOUGH the majority of Saudi families get character references about the men who propose to marry their daughters before giving their final consent, our society still suffers from high divorce rates. Many young women get married to men who are supposed to be good citizens but turn into monsters. Those women end up suffering great injustices at the hands of the men who were recommended as righteous and good. When a suitor proposes to a young woman, her father usually goes to the workplace of the man and asks his colleagues about him. Unfortunately, some colleagues draw a beautiful picture of the man and make the father believe that he is very decent and God-fearing. I think these work colleagues should not be trusted. The same holds true for the suitor’s neighbors; their recommendations should not be taken at face value. Nowadays, most neighbors barely know one another. In European countries, there are private investigators that can be hired to find information about people. We should have such a service here in the Kingdom and set up offices certified by the authorities. The life and future of a young woman is important and precious and we should insure that a suitor is not a wolf in sheep’s clothing.