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Facts on Domestic Violence
Against South Asian Women
South Asian culture tends to be very traditional. Ideas of traditional gender roles, a patriarch, and strong family unit are extremely common (Natarajan, 304)
Statistics Canada reported that among visible minorities, South Asian women stand as one of the highest groups experiencing intimate partner violence since the age of 18, back in 2018 (Cotter, 2021).
“Intimate partner violence and intimate partner violence–related homicide disproportionately affect immigrant women. South Asian women residing in the United States appear to be at particularly high risk for intimate partner violence, with 40% reporting intimate partner violence in their current relationship,” (Raj & Silverman, 435)
Women are often fearful of coming forward about their abuse due to cultural stigma, and not being able to manage financially or support themselves on their own (Chaze & Medhekar, 2017).
The family unit in the South Asian community upholds great influence in dictating norms and appropriate behaviour, and often carry very close-minded views (Husain, 2019). Furthermore, physicians are not equipped to deal with such challenging circumstances and choose to treat cases medically, refraining from intervening in “family matters” (Niaz et al., 2017).
Why do South Asian women underreport domestic violence/underutilize resources?
Cultural attitudes
Traditional gender roles - the woman is expected to be comply to her husband
Lack of family and social support
Lack of education and awareness
Financial complications
Statistics & facts for Canada
Statistics Canada estimates that nearly 653,000 Canadian women have experienced some form of domestic violence (Alaggia & Maiter, 2006). Other estimates suggest that between one in ten to one in six women are abused each year, and that 60% of female homicides are a result of family violence (Agnew, 1998).
Many South Asian women who immigrate to Canada under the family class are perceived as economically unproductive, adding to the vulnerability these women experience in Canada (Thobani, 2000).
From a recent study in the GTA, a participant stated "“It’s a global insidious culture where patriarchal violence against women is seen as a norm… it’s almost seen as a part of life. This is a war on women; it is being made out to be a problem that just we have and nobody else has it.” (George & Rashidi, 2014)
Misconceptions of Women in Islam
Islamic Law has utilized as a general maxim the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ statement, “Women are the equal partners of men.” Abū Sulaymān Al-Khaṭṭābī (d. 386 AH) writes, “His saying that women are counterparts of men means their equals and their likeness in creation and nature, as if they split off from men
Many Muslim women combating the mistreatment of women within their own communities find strength and empowerment in the spiritual teachings of Islam and its code of values, and in a call for a return to the Prophetic exemplary moral character. Indeed, the Prophet’s ﷺ emphasis on women’s rights was so central to his call that he reiterated it in his famous farewell sermon, “My parting counsel (waṣīyya) to you is to treat women with kindness,”19 and throughout his life he emphasized, “The best of you are those who are best to your women.”20 He criticized the custom of gender bias in favor of sons and taught, “Treat your children equally when you give gifts. And if I were to favor anyone over another, I would favor women over men.
Myths Against Women in Islam
Men are permitted to beat women
Islam affirms that marriage must be based on love and mercy between spouses—“And amongst God’s signs is that He created for you spouses from amongst you and placed between you love and mercy” (Qur’an 30:21).
Islam unequivocally condemns all forms of cruelty and abuse; the Prophet ﷺ stated “there is to be no harm nor reciprocating of harm.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made a clear pronouncement against domestic violence stating, “Do not strike the female servants of God”28 and “Do not hit them and do not revile them.”29 The Prophet ﷺ encouraged all Muslims to follow his example and by the testimony of his wife, ʿĀʾisha, he was someone who “never once hit a servant, a woman, nor struck anything with his hand.”
Women are not allowed to be divorced
he words of the Prophet ﷺ serve to emphasize the significance of healthy marriages; that said, once a marriage is threatened by any number of factors (e.g., impotency, domestic abuse), Islamic law provides recourse for either spouse to seek a divorce.
Source: https://yaqeeninstitute.ca/read/paper/women-in-islamic-law-examining-five-prevalent-myths