Middle Eastern Communities

Muslim communities

In Muslim communities, the family is central to society, and the individual is subordinate to both family and society. Family unity and harmony are of paramount importance and every effort is made to maintain this unity. Islamic law does not allow any form of partner abuse and husbands and wives have rights which must be respected. In Islamic law, women can leave their husbands if their rights are violated. However, social and cultural pressures mean that women who leave abusive partners may be socially ostracised and labelled ‘loose,’ ‘rebellious,’ ‘disrespectful’, ’selfish,’ and ‘uncaring’.

American Arab-Muslim women in a study of marital violence defined abuse as either physical abuse or as emotional abuse and control (Meguid, 2006).

Abusive behaviours such as preventing wives from going outside the home have no foundation in Islamic regulations although some men use this as a way to control their wives and isolate them from the community.

Islamic regulations do not condone sexual relations between husband and wife without the wife’s consent. Therefore, forcing a woman to have sexual intercourse against her will breaches Islamic codes of conduct.

However, perpetrators may misuse and misinterpret cultural or religious messages to threaten and coerce their wives.