Societal culture and mental illness fuel domestic violence in Iraq

Shafaq News / Incidents of domestic violence in Iraq have witnessed a concerning increase recently, as reported by the Community Police. While experts blame various life pressures for the rise of this alarming phenomenon, they stress the urgent need for strict legislation, promoting a culture of family respect from an early age, and raising public awareness to stop these crimes that occasionally result in the death of victims.

According to Brigadier Galib al-Attiyah, the director of the Community Police under the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, women top the list of domestic violence cases in Iraq, followed by children, and then men.

Al-Attiyah disclosed that more than 160 child abuse cases have recently been reported across the Iraqi governorates. He pointed out that this statistic is solely from the Community Police, as there is also the Directorate of Family and Child Protection, and sometimes regular police stations are involved in handling abuse complaints.

He added that there are frequent reports of abuse that the directorate gets, some of which come from neighbors. Additionally, the directorate keeps an eye on every school, working with the administration to report any physical signs of abuse on children.

Al-Attiyah clarified that the Community Police work proactively and proactively, aiming to thwart crimes before they happen. They have prevented dozens of abuse cases and rescued many children from their families. The Directorate also takes commitments from the abusive parents or individuals and, in some cases of marital separation, assists in transferring custody to another person.

The director of the Community Police confirmed that incidents of violence persist. Just yesterday, a case of child abuse was observed, where a stepmother abused a child in Sadr City, Baghdad. The Community Police immediately responded by going to the hospital where the child was in critical condition. Swift measures were taken, including summoning the father to initiate legal proceedings, and an arrest warrant was issued against the stepmother.

Moreover, the Public Relations Department of the Supreme Judicial Council published statistics on rates of domestic violence concerning children, women, and the elderly during the years 2021 and 2022. The statistics revealed that the courts recorded 1,141 cases of domestic violence against children, with Baghdad Al-Karkh Appeal Court having the highest number of cases, accounting for 267 lawsuits.

Meanwhile, human rights activist Sara Jasim pointed out that "there are customs and traditions that undermine human dignity and fuel the rise in domestic violence in the country. Along with this, there are other factors such as husbands' inability to keep up with life's demands, unplanned pregnancies, a lack of proper concepts of upbringing and respect within the family, as well as the issue of disciplinary rights as stated in Article 41 of the Iraqi law, which can act as a catalyst for violence against women."

"In addition to the misuse of social media platforms and digital illiteracy leading to family issues, as well as drug abuse, which has also increased in recent years."

Cultural and social standards, as well as psychological factors, contribute to the escalation of violence. Social authority in Iraqi culture is based on kinship and age. Society typically gives fathers complete control over their children, and depending on family ties and relationships, adults might have different levels of authority over children.

The use of violence is justified, in this view, in order to protect young people from making mistakes that would make them societal burdens for adults and from violating values and traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the next. According to Jasim, "the majority views violence and abuse against women as legitimate as if they were subordinates with no rights and dignity. This is due in part to the paradigm of male authority over women."

Specialists Dr. Baraa al-Amili and Dr. Batoul Issa shed light on the reasons behind domestic violence, attributing it to the country's prevailing circumstances and the impact of news and media coverage on violent incidents, which may fuel aggression and imitation within individuals' subconscious.

Additionally, various life pressures, particularly economic hardships, play a significant role in channeling these stressors within the family setting.

Both al-Amili and Issa emphasized the relevance of psychological disorders, especially when individuals suffer from low self-esteem and lack the coping mechanisms to deal with life's challenges, leading to indirect manifestations of their struggles within the family context. Furthermore, the inheritance of such behaviors, wherein one's upbringing was in an abusive environment, can perpetuate violence.

The experts stressed the importance of implementing stringent laws against perpetrators who often attempt to justify their crimes through behavioral evaluation. They advocated for legislation to protect women and children, empowering victims to access justice and disclose abuse, thereby enabling appropriate intervention and assistance. They also emphasized raising awareness from an early age, teaching respect for families, and providing early marital education. Religious institutions can also play a vital role in promoting these values.

In a related context, activist Ruqayyah Salman pointed out that violence against children often arises from the feeling of competition between stepmothers and stepchildren, as they vie for affection, care, and financial resources from the father. Consequently, children may become victims of abuse, coerced to distance themselves from their fathers or encounter a similar situation with their mothers' new partners.

Recently, the Iraqi society was shocked by the tragic case of 7-year-old Musa Walaa, who was brutally tortured and killed by his stepmother in Baghdad. His lifeless body bore marks of deep wounds from knives and signs of electric shocks, sparking widespread demands for legal measures to curb such violations and safeguard children from domestic violence.

As the call for action intensifies, advocates stress the urgency of enacting laws that set boundaries to prevent such atrocities and protect children from the horrors of domestic abuse.

Article 41 of the Penal Code grants the right of discipline to spouses, parents, and teachers within the limits of Sharia and the law, according to legal expert Ali al-Tamimi. However, he pointed out that the loose wording of this article has been misused, limiting the accountability of offenders and leading to legal challenges. Although the Federal Court received appeals citing its inconsistency with Articles 14, 29, and 30 of the Constitution, the appeals were rejected.

Al-Tamimi emphasizes that individuals, particularly between the ages of five and 15, are significantly influenced during their early stages of life, as indicated by criminal psychology. Such crimes shatter these young minds, fueling feelings of resentment towards society and potentially leading them down a path of criminal behavior.

He asserted that these crimes defy the Child Convention, the International Covenant, and human rights, warranting an urgent need for legislation to protect against family violence, similar to the initiative taken by the Kurdistan Region, which successfully implemented such a law.

In 2020, the Iraqi Cabinet approved the draft "Anti-Family Violence Law" and forwarded it to Parliament, but it has yet to be passed due to opposition from various political entities, particularly those affiliated with religious parties. These groups argue that the law contradicts Islamic principles concerning the disciplining of wives and children. Notable opponents of the law include the Islamic Dawa Party and the Islamic Virtue Party.

It is noteworthy that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned of the grave consequences of escalating violence against Iraqi children, where reports indicate that four out of every five children in Iraq experience violence and physical abuse.

UNICEF emphasizes that violence against young children is unjustifiable, and this phenomenon must be prevented and halted. They called on the Iraqi government to establish mechanisms for monitoring and tracking perpetrators of violence and murder against children, ensuring their prosecution and trial.