Angelina Jolie Visits Syria

Angelina Jolie is spending her free time far from red carpets and film sets this weekend, instead speaking out on behalf of the nearly 4.2 million Iraqi refugees displaced by the violence in their home country. Jolie, who is a goodwill ambassador for The U.N. Refugee Agency, visited the homes of two Iraqi families in southern Damascus, one of which fled to Iraq after their son was abducted and they were forced to pay a ransom. The mother of the family said, "I was assaulted every day for 13 days by up to 10 men…I wanted to kill myself and the only reason I decided not to go ahead is because of my children.” The U.N. agency helps refugees in neighboring countries, including Syria and Jordan. "Most Iraqi refugees cannot return to Iraq in view of the severe trauma they experienced there, the uncertainty linked to the coming Iraqi elections, the security issues and the lack of basic services,” said Jolie.