Panorama...Sharia Councils and domestic violence

[JakeBullet]

....just

Women being advised not to involve the police etc

[JakeBullet]

Women actively being deterred from seeking support.

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

Very shocked. DH and I watching and can't believe what we are hearing.

[noisytoys]

Women being told to hand over their money and children

[infamouspoo]

appalling

[Itsjustafleshwound]

Just can't believe how the blame is squarely put at the door of the women.

Unbelievable!

[lyndie]

I didn't know about the difference between a civil marriage and a Sharia marriage, that is quite eye opening.

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

I'm a Muslim and am the first to admit that due to disgusting cultural attitudes and misinterpretation by so called Islamic 'leaders', women are suffering DV as a result.

In many communities, particularly asian/african in my experience, it is swept under the carpet and women are indeed advised against going to the police. The majority of men that I know would absolutely condemn this and laugh at the sad lack of education in the Shariah Courts. It's the Saudi extremism that is to blame for the influence of some IMO.

[infamouspoo]

given an islamic marriage has no legal binding why do women need an islamic divorce? Why dont they just leave?

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

Infamouspoo you may as well ask that question of a any woman in an abusive relationship. Many many reasons. Family shame, financial loss, breaking up the home to name but a few.

[SucksToBeMe]

On a positive note, these shocking facts are being exposed. I could not imagine living my life this way.

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

Many women have a severe lack of education as well as cultural norms to live up to, so staying in an abusive marriage seems the only option. I know of a woman who has put up with severe violence for years but won't leave the husband, presumably because of the kids she has with him and the fact she may lose face in the eyes of her community.

It's all very well to say "I can't imagine living my life like that" with a face, but it's the sad reality for many, and not just muslim women.

[fluffiphlox]

I saw the tale end of this and the so-called 'Leader' or 'Judge' or whatever he was, just seemd like an uneducated con artist. How an earth does someone like that reach a positon of any sort of influence?

[YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes]

My muslim friends are very embarrassed about the gumf that comes out of some of these 'leaders' mouths. It seems to be some of the bigger city mosques in areas with a large international turnover - the second or third generation are generally outraged at the narrow-mindedness that keeps surfacing.

The Saudi influence is concerning, because SA is prosperous and it can be linked to a message of high 'discipline' leading to prosperity. Many of these 'leaders' sound ignorant and backward to British Muslims. Sadly the internet has allowed backward and ignorant views (eg the 'women cause earthquakes' recently) to feel clear and decisive when there is so much information out there, and they feed into an 'underdog' idea, that the non-prevailing view is in fact a 'secret' view that has been suppressed because of its 'truth'. To people without education, but access to the internet, these messages are evidently quite compelling - education would mean that you are more likely to type 'are women really responsible for earthquakes' or 'what causes an earthquake' and take in the science.

An already culturally woman-hating listener would be more likely to take own-language and own-culture barrages from recognised 'leaders' that accelerate and justify women-hating is a compelling combination, sadly.

[YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes]

Not to forget that 'not going to the police' and stories of not trusting people outside the community and of 'don't get this news out as it will increase negative perceptions of our community' are all power plays for 'elders' to try to keep a grip on people to keep them under their (traditional) influence. These 'elders' were born in the 40s and 50s lets not forget.

[fluffiphlox]

Of course my post should read 'tail end' and 'seemed'.

[YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes]

But if you want to wonder how 'uneducated, ignorant' people can get to positions of influence, just listen to Christian Radio in the USA. I remember a full day's program 'diagnosing' people with schitzophrenia because 'when listening to the radio, I sometimes think I have heard the phone ring, but its on the radio not my phone' and 'If I wake up at night, sometimes I'm still dreaming when I think I'm awake'

Curious that none of them mentioned the devil, but then perhaps a lot of them had shared in large pharma companies.. :)

[fluffiphlox]

I was born in the fifties!

[YohedYoshoulderYonisandYotoes]

yes but probably not in Saudo or Iran

[fluffiphlox]

No South Wales. Practically the same. No you're quite right about all of the above. It just seems that an antediluvian shyster is being given too much credence and respect. I only saw the last 10 minutes or so and really didn't know if they were trying to expose this herbert specifically or making a more general point. From other comments it would seem to be the latter.