Domestic Violence

Physical violence was reported in 34% of families and psychological violence in 53%. Among university-educated women, 45% said they had been humiliated by husbands, 30% by being forced to have sexual intercourse against their will and 15% by being forced to engage in forms of sexual intercourse they did not enjoy. However in slums, 65% of women reported being humiliated by husbands in front of friends and relatives.
             The study also showed that 80% of women had been subjected at some point to physical violence by their husbands. Regarding the nature of the abuse, 60% involved the husband beating by hand while in 40% of cases a stick, hanger, scissors, or other implement was also used. It is also important to note that 90% of physical violence by husbands took place within the first three years of marriage. What is more interesting, in families living in slums, 30% of men who admitted using physical violence excused their actions as a response to inadequate housework or not finding wives in the house when they came home. While 15% of perpetrators cited jealousy, 55% blamed nervousness and being easily provoked for using physical violence.4.
             In our culture and other cultures with similar characteristics, attributes of leadership and dominance are reinforced in men, while the virtues of patience and servitude are expected of women and naturally the inevitable outcome is that men have a great deal of control over women's lives. Additionally, because of society tolerating family violence, the pressure coming from the society and women perceiving this kind of violence as a natural thing prevents them from insisting on their rights. They do not seek help because they believe that domestic violence should remain a private matter. Most of the time, it is expected from women not to voice their objections in the name of "protecting the institution of marriage".
             One has to think about what lies behind this "institution of marriage", because in all of the events we witness, if these words become real, the result is the degrading and despising of women.