Studies:Domestic Violence – iwjf – August 2016

Domestic Violence: It’s a pattern of violent behavior that includes harming family member and be accompanied by strong and harmful emotions, and cause damage to the psychological and physical for those subjected to censure, the phenomenon of domestic violence from dangerous phenomena encountered in family life and threatens future, according to the statistics of the judiciary, 90% of cases that the courts face are result of domestic violence crimes in which the victim was a woman.There is no precise definition of domestic violence crimes, but you can say that it all falls on the person of bodily harm and also include insults and verbal abuse and threats of crimes.

The structure of the court of domestic violence is made up of an investigative judge and deputy prosecutor and judge and Department of Family Ministry of the Interior and the protection of children, which includes a number of officers, but it lacked of places for detention for detainees to these crimes which is  prescribed until now, the fact that the project of reducing the domestic violence law did not pass up so far, the court decisions is based on the Penal Code and the Code of criminal Procedure.

Article 39 of the Civil Code, the parties to the family father, mother, children, grandma and grandpa identified only and does not require a law that the family living in the same house and therefore the girl, for example, while married interrupted between her people family ties and therefore if it came to violence by people entitled to lodge a complaint, but the situation is rarely achieved as a result of customs, traditions and tribal woman’s fear of filing a complaint in this regard.

According to the study carried out by the Iraqi Journalist Women Forum Iraqi on 900 samples randomly distributed on both sexes (males and females) in the three cities of Baquba and Baghdad and Diwaniyah, the 79% of respondents have experienced violence and the voice of 40% of the respondents, mostly women assert that the husband is the act of violence committed to 35% that the Father is in charge Underscoring the 23% from brothers, also voted 59% of the respondents were beaten by their families and were mostly women and 71% of the respondents assert the existence of a preference between males and females within the family, he said 63% of respondents diagnosed disabilities psychological and physical because of their exposure to violence, and the voice of 30% of the respondents that verbal violence is one of the methods of violence against children, and 24% think slapping on the face and 19% see the kicking foot and 19% of intimidation, threats and 8% think of methods of violence against children to the hands and body and intimidation and hands tied and beaten with all kinds .. through variable linking, who were beaten by their families with the environment turned out that those who answered yes more in the tribal environment by 37% followed by the religious environment of 25% also voted 68% were subjected to verbal abuse because of the demand for freedom to act and thought and material things.

8% of respondents who were beaten had filed complaints to police stations, while 92% did not submit complaints to the police station because of the fear of parents, family and maintain a reputation, and 84% of the respondents confirmed that over the exercise of violence is the man that women are subjected to beatings and humiliation and psychological abuse and 32% of respondents believe that domestic violence leads to insecurity and 22% loss of self and 21% believe the inability to integrate into the life and 16 percent lack proper education and 6% deviation and 3% trust other things, family mental illness and escape and suicide, the question respondents they had witnessed cases of rape or sexual harassment on a family member by a family member answered 44% by no, 22% yes, 34% by ( I do not know), and when asked respondents their opinion in finding safe places for victims of domestic violence are supporting the victims psychologically physically and 71% answered yes and 7% for both and 22% to( I do not know)

The reasons the stand behind phenomenon of domestic violence:

 

* Lack of deterrent protects against domestic violence law

* The lack of a prominent role for government institutions in the fight against the phenomenon of domestic violence

* There are many forms, mostly involving the deprivation of rights

* Preference and discrimination in dealing between males and females within the family

* The rule of male power in society has increased the cases of domestic violence

*Many of those who are subjected to attacks of cases complaints to police stations because maintaining the reputation and the fear of husband and parents

* High levels of poverty and unemployment as a result of the difficult living conditions and the spread of financial and administrative corruption

* Poor education and upbringing within the family, which generates a violent environment in their dealings with each other

* The spread of the drug phenomenon in the community and the high proportion of addicts

* The relationship between the couple disorder and lack of harmony in the various aspects of the educational, social, environmental and intellectual life, which leads to the absence of a culture of dialogue and consultation within the family

* Wrong understanding of religion, customs and traditions that focus on the leadership of a man of family violence and force

* The weakness of the role of media organizations in mobilizing public opinion in the process of reducing the phenomenon of domestic violence.

In order to reduce the phenomenon of domestic violence, we recommend the following:

*Speed up the approval of the reduction of domestic violence on the table the House Council

*Iraqi Penal Code in respect of articles those family-related social crimes

*Raising campaigns to educate and encourage abused not to remain silent on their rights to resort to the judiciary

*Work poverty reduction strategy approved by the Council of Ministers, which included finding jobs, especially for young people to improve the standard of living

*The contribution of the media and its means of various civil society organizations to educate and guide parents in how to properly deal with the children to earn their trust and co-opt them and guide them advice rather than the style of physical and psychological punishment

*Disseminate awareness of the importance of family harmony and understanding between the parents and the importance of their role in the family and integrity of leadership and the importance of using the correct methods of socialization and its implications in the growth of children growing healthy with the help of approaching governmental and non-governmental institutions

*Activation of some of the laws that deal with the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution

*Providing safe places for victims of domestic violence are supporting the victims psychologically and rehabilitation of coexistence in society naturally by qualified experts and trained at the highest levels to deal with women and children exposed to violence

*Family and Child Protection Department at police stations and a number of social researchers

*Change the curriculum to ensure that raise awareness of humanitarian law and the protection of human rights, particularly concerning the protection of women and children and gender equality for humanitarian workers

– *Use of the media to promote and disseminate the culture of gender at all levels and the intensification of television programs for the purpose of mobilizing public opinion for the purpose of reducing the phenomenon of domestic violence

*Make national laws, policies and practices are consistent with international obligations, and this requires repeal or amends legislation that discriminate against women and to ensure that national legislation in line with international human rights standards

*Training a number of staff on judicial, legal, medical and social affairs and police, armed forces and immigration officials on the rights of women affairs in particular and human rights in general and the subjects that have to do so to avoid the abuse of power leading to the violation of women’s rights.