The UAE needs to engage in proactive, preemptive measures to curb domestic partner violence. According to recent statistics by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWC), domestic violence calls in the country have increased by 130 per cent in the first half of the year alone compared to 2013. While the rise is reflective of increased awareness of the issue, it nevertheless highlights its continued prevalence in the UAE.
A rising cost of living, changing cultural norms, and an increase in the number of women entering the workforce have all contributed to partner abuse in recent years, by renegotiating gender roles and aggravating tensions in the household. A study by the World Health Organisation last year found that over a third of ever-partnered women in the Mena region have experienced intimate partner physical or sexual violence.
However, partner violence in the UAE is not limited to physical and sexual abuse. In one case of financial violence, a man used his wife’s salary for everyday necessities while concealing information about his own income. In an act of spiritual violence, another man in the country forbade his wife from following any religion. A study of 640 victims of violence in the UAE last year found that 31 per cent suffered psychological abuse, while 29.5 per cent were abused verbally. Physical and sexual violence levels were comparatively lower, at 22.3 per cent and 17.5 per cent of the sample, respectively.
Women’s rights, culture, and religion have often interacted in the region to nurture a misconception that domestic partner violence is solely a private matter. However, cultural relativism arguments relegating violence to a sphere outside the purview of law-enforcement authorities loses credence when considering the UAE’s domestic laws. Article 53 of the country’s penal code allows chastisement “by a husband to his wife” only within narrow limits and in certain cases. Article 339 ascribes detention and a fine for an offender in cases where physical assault results in “illness or the inability to perform [one’s] personal work for a period of 20 days”.
Tackling partner violence
Any attempt to reduce the incidence of domestic partner violence should begin by criminalising the offence. A decade ago in 2004, Cedaw called for the UAE to enact legislation that would render domestic violence a crime and prosecute perpetrators. Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch reiterated this demand for the UAE to introduce a domestic violence law. Penalties for the crime could vary depending on the degree of violence, ranging from fines to imprisonment, or even visa cancellation for expatriate offenders.
Complementing this law could be the provision of orders of protection for victims of domestic partner violence. These would be documents issued by the court and signed by a judge that would set limits on a partner’s behaviour. A secure government-run database could further enhance this process by allowing authorities to efficiently crosscheck petitions, protection orders and criminal histories.
Other law enforcement authorities also have a role to play. Domestic violence units run by female officers could be established within the police system to facilitate the processing of complaints. Police officers in particular should be sensitised on responsibilities and means of victim protection. Without strict enforcement of regulations, women remain vulnerable and offenders’ actions go unchecked; thus, officers should also be held liable for failure to enforce the law.
Beyond legal action, there remains a pressing need for increased awareness of the issue. Ratification of Cedaw in 2004 officially requires the UAE to publish adequate statistics on domestic violence, including the nationality of victim and abuser, the number of complaints received, and the penalties issued. Adhering to its international commitments would provide an avenue for data-driven research on the issue to emerge, from which further policy recommendations could be formed.
The value of policy-driven research is undermined without concurrently empowering the victimised. Indeed, financial dependence, shame, and cultural taboos against separation often compel partners to remain in abusive relationships and not voice their complaints. Empowering women on an economic and a psychological level could go a long way in changing these norms. The rising number of calls to DFWC’s hotline is indicative of the strides already made, setting a precedent for yet others to come forth and speak out against violence. Ultimately, the fight against domestic violence should be integrated into a holistic approach that goes beyond reactive prescriptions to address root causes of violence. The time to react has passed; in the present lies the opportunity to pre-empt and to act.
Vidya Diwakar is a research analyst at The Delma Institute, specialising in socio-economic issues in the Mena region.
