DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Violence against women – particularly
the Muslim community which believe
intimate partner violence and sexual
that spousal abuse is legitimized by the
violence - is a major public health
Quran under certain circumstances.
problem and a violation of women's human
rights.
Global
This perception arises from Verse 4:34
estimates
published by the WHO indicate that
in the Quran which can be translated as
about 35% of women worldwide have
follows:
experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because God has given the one more (strength) than the other and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard.
Most of this violence is intimate partner violence. Worldwide, almost one third (30%) of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical and/or
sexual
violence
by
their
intimate partner in their lifetime. Globally, around 38% of murders of
As from those whom you fear ill-conduct [first] advise them, [then] forsake their beds, and [finally] separate from them [‘idrabahunna’ - separate / shun / beat / bed them]; but if they return to obedience, then do not seek against them a way. Indeed, God is Most High, The Greatest” (4:34)
women are committed by a male intimate partner . In
the
Muslim
community,
the
consensus of scholars is that Islam condemns all forms of emotional and physical domestic abuse wherever it may occur. However, across the globe, there are many traditional sections of
3
WHO http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
11
