In Bahrain, allegations have emerged of government forces attacking young schoolgirls in the ongoing crackdown against opposition protests. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Bahraini girls described raids on their school and threats of rape directed at girls as young as 12 years old. A 16-year-old student said she and three classmates were taken from school and severely beaten.

Student: “He hit and banged me against the wall to make me scream. Since we did not scream, we were beaten more and more, stronger and stronger. The beating was severe, but being afraid of what was coming next meant we were senseless to the pain. He pulled a hose out and started beating us. He hit me over the head. I started bleeding and fell down. He told them [the guards] to keep me in the restroom.”

The government of Bahrain has reportedly carried out at least 15 such raids targeting children. Bahrain is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, hosting the Navy’s Fifth Fleet.