As horrifying as this experience is, it’s important to pay attention to the kind men who protect Shauzia and Parvana, comfort them, and get them safely out of the stadium. Clearly, there are more friends in Kabul than the girls are aware of—and there are lots of people who don’t agree with what the Taliban is doing. This suggests that if the girls and their families were perhaps more willing to trust their neighbors, they may find that their community is much bigger than they thought—and that the community cares deeply about preserving the innocence of youth in any way possible.