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| Violence Against Women -
Innocent Victims of Violence
Violence against women, whether it is
verbal or physical, is increasing worldwide. The UAE is no exception.
There are no official figures on the level of domestic violence in the UAE,
but experts agree that the number of reported cases does not reflect the
true picture. Head of Special Reports Duraid Al Baik talks to social
experts, doctors and police officials about the problem and what needs to
be done to stem the violence. Just like any other couple they quarreled
intermittently. Then one day he struck her. Then he mauled her arm until
she bled - the teeth marks were imprinted like tattoos. Z.D.'s husband was
nonchalant. He calmed down after the attack and asked her to be kind to
him. He is a Jekyll and Hyde character. She is just one more woman who
suffers in silence. Violence against women is a scourge that
does not know caste or creed, religion or colour. It stalks the East and
the West. It raises its ugly head as frequently in mud huts as it does in
luxury villas. For Z.D., a 32-year-old Arab expatriate
living in the UAE, violence has become a part of daily life.
"Whenever my husband returns home he picks a fight about something.
He insults me, my family, and then beats me up. "I have never been treated like this,
and my husband says it's normal for couples to fight. What is frightening
is that he calms down quickly and then asks for a favour. "I suffer
in silence because if I decide to divorce him, I'll never see my children
again." For Z.D. each passing day is a living hell.
"Two weeks ago we had a row, and my husband bit me all over my arm. A
few hours later, it started to swell and there was severe pain. "I
decided to go to Khalifa Hospital in Ajman where I was admitted to the
Emergency Section. Doctors gave me an anti-infection injection and
prescribed painkillers. They told nurses to clean the wounds and called
police. "I couldn't hide anything from police
officers because there were teeth marks on my arm. I was referred to the
police headquarters in Ajman where an officer told me that he can't summon
my husband. "He told me that if I wanted to pursue
the case, then there would have to be an order from the court summoning my
husband. "I was shocked to hear that the police will not interfere if
a man beats up a woman unless ordered to do so by the court." There are no official figures to show how
big the problem is in the UAE, but there are strong indications that it is
increasing. "The problem is less serious compared to other countries
thanks to strong social values and religious ethics," said Raja Al
Midfaa, Director of Family and Child Care Department at the Ministry of
Labour and Social Affairs. * She said that in the UAE, there were more
cases of child abuse than violence against women and this is what is
extremely disturbing as both the problems are linked. "Children who
are abused, especially boys, will grow up to be hostile. They could turn
violent and abuse their spouses," Raja said. * She explained that some men are nervous by
nature. "This reduces their ability to control themselves when they
get angry or feel irritated. Women, especially UAE nationals, choose to
keep the peace at home and do not take up the issue with the authorities.
They forgive their husbands and life goes on." Dubai-based legal consultant Abdullah Al
Sabiri said there is a rise in the number of incidents because the
authorities are hesitant to weed the menace out. "Violence against
women is a crime under UAE Penal Law. In the past, however, there was
little effort to curb it, which resulted in the rise in the number of
incidents." He maintained that women must be educated
on how to cope with violence and their awareness must be raised. Police
believe women suffer in silence and do not report cases. "Figures do
not portray the true picture," said Lt. Abdullah Rashid Al Mazroei of
the Criminal Investigation Department in Ras Al Khaimah. He said official statistics are inaccurate
because women choose not to file complaints with the police. "Cases
of abuse which are reported to the police represent just the tip of the
iceberg." He said many people still live in tribal-oriented
communities, and women do not unveil their lives. They bear the torment
quietly, accepting it as a way of life. Some women do not file cases because they
fear that they will lose their families. Still others are wary of the
stigma and the disgrace. Al Mazroei said a woman is often not only beaten
by her husband, but also by his father, mother, siblings and other
relatives. The police official pointed out that even
rape is on the rise. "We must tackle this heinous crime. Women are
being raped even by relatives." Al Mazroei said his observations are
based on field experience. He pointed out that the UAE does not have
centres to treat and rehabilitate women who have been abused. He urged the authorities to set up
specialised counselling centres and called for tougher punishment for
offenders. He also appealed to women not to hesitate to report physical
and sexual abuse, and added that police would also investigate cases of
psychological abuse. Dr Maithaa Al Shamsi, Adviser to Her
Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Wife of the President and
Chairperson of the UAE Women's Federation, said the community has
traditional views about the role of women in society. "This
stereotyped view has added to the problem," she said. She stressed the need to change this
attitude through awareness programmes in the community, including schools.
Maithaa called on women's associations to explain problems and obstacles
facing women and establish working groups. "The associations can also play a
major role in promoting awareness about the rights of women in addition to
coordinating efforts with other organisations to offer training and job
opportunities to women." Maithaa emphasised the need for equal
opportunities for both men and women in job recruitment and promotions in
the government sector. "This equality will enhance the understanding
and respect of men towards women," she stressed. Dr Adnan Abbas Fadhli of the Dubai-based
Counselling and Development Clinic warned that violence against women has
been increasing in the UAE due to a variety of reasons. Broken families,
and youngsters becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, are responsible for
violence spreading. Fadhli pointed out that an aggressive
streak can also run in a person's genes. A person who seeks immediate
satisfaction, is easily provoked and does not understand others can turn
violent. "These tendencies surface after the age of 20, and if not
kept in check, the person can become a threat even to society." He said women should take this issue
seriously. People with violent streaks need help and treatment. No one
must put up with violence because the situation can snowball and have
severe consequences. "Women who have been victims of abuse
are plagued by various disorders. They may suffer from rapid or pounding
heartbeat, tension headaches, nausea, back pain, allergies, skin
disorders, menstrual trouble and sudden weight changes." Fadhli said that the victims also suffer
from severe stress and anxiety. The way people live their lives will
determine their health. "Women are no exception to this logic, and
those who are victims of abuse will pay with their health. Chronic concern
can also make the person stop exercising and take too much caffeine. The
victim may take to smoking and drinking," Fadhli explained. Researchers, he said, had found that women
who are victims of domestic violence are five times more prone to become
addicted to alcohol and other intoxicants compared to people who live
normal lives. He said this could affect a person's
ability to function in everyday activities like maintaining relationships.
"It has been found that victims spend more days in bed and generally
withdraw into a shell. They stay away from normal activities." Fadhli added that 'diminished functioning'
is a serious psychiatric problem because it prevents the patient from
maintaining gainful employment, reaching academic goals and fulfilling
potential. Fadhli said his patients differ in age,
social class, and occupation and come from different ethnic groups, but
all display some form of self-destructive conduct. They suffer from
obesity, anorexia and bulimia, and are addicted to drugs or alcohol. They
sometimes attempt suicide, self-mutilation and are prone to depression and
fits of rage. "They come here because they suffer
from these symptoms and want to be treated. But until violence is
eradicated from their lives, they will not recover and nor will they able
to be a part of mainstream society. "Emotional violence is designed to
reduce a person's self-confidence to the point when the victim considers
herself unworthy - unworthy of respect, unworthy of friendship, unworthy
of rights. A husband telling his wife that she is fat, she is stupid, she
is ugly or she is a failure in everything she does can act like a
gunshot."
Source: http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/print.asp?ArticleID=5016 My note: *Both statements are unreliable as there are no figures to support either claim. |