Abu Dhabi: Saudi experts have called for including drug and psychological tests in the premarital medical screening, local media reported.
Both would-be bride and groom must undergo the drug and psychological check-up, experts polled by Okaz said.
The call for the drug and psychological tests has been made to reduce domestic violence resulting from a spouse being an addict or suffering mental illness, as several violence cases went viral on social media recently.
“The new requirement will help reduce drug addiction among young people and will limit the domestic issues impacting couples as they start their lives togetherand subsequently decrease the number of divorces,” Family Counselor Maha Al Adwani said.
A cross-sectional study conducted with 1,845 patients attending five Primary Health Care Centers in Jeddah from August 2017 to February 2018 showed the lifetime prevalence of domestic violence was 33.24%, with psychological abuse the most prevalent 48.47%, followed by physical abuse 34.77% and sexual abuse 16.75%.
A small proportion (4.1%) suffered from all three types of abuse. Risk factors for being a victim of abuse include being single or divorced, having a postgraduate level of education, employed, and being financially independent of the husband.
Family counselor Zakia Al Saqabi said: “Addiction to alcohol or drugs of any kind leads to the underestimation of the sanctity of marriage, and consequently to divorce.”
Al Saqabi suggested psychological tests will determine the extent to which the would-be spouses need rehabilitation.
Lawyer Ibtihal Daifallah Al Manjoumi said there are many reasons for divorce between spouses, the most important of which are drug abuse and mental illness.
“Drug abuse and mental illness are sufficient reasons divorce and a woman has the right to file for divorce if her husband is a drug addict or mentally ill,” Al Manjoumi said.
