Abu Dhabi: A Saudi woman, beaten by her husband for playing PUBG, an online multiplayer battle game, and failing to prepare coffee for his friends on the first day of Eid Al Adha, has sued him demanding a compensation, local media reported.
The Saudi man repeatedly hit his wife with an agal, a Gulf-style black headband, after she refused to stop playing video games and serve coffee to his friends, the woman told Al Watan newspaper.
The battered woman fled her marital house to live with her family, she said, adding she was determined to put an end to her suffering.
The woman explained that her husband always prevents her from playing video games on the pretext that it distracts her from the household chores, stressing that she does all the chores, looks after her husband, and does not play except in her free time.
Legal Adviser Saeed Al Harbi said wife beating is punishable by law with a fine of up to 50,000 riyals. “In the event that there was obvious injury, and the wife brought a medical report explaining the impact of the beating and the occurrence of harm to her, he shall be punished with imprisonment time as the court sees fit,” he said.
But usually such marital cases are referred to the Reconciliation Office before the case is referred to the judge, Al Harbi added.
Marital counsellor, Abdulrahman Al Ghamidi, said stress levels increase in your home when either one of you is unhappy about unfinished chores. “Couples fight over who does what around the house almost as much as they fight over money. However, surveys and studies consistently point out that even though many women work outside the home, they still tend to do most of the household chores,” he said.
Al Ghamidi advised marriage is a partnership that includes the practical business of running the household. “That means keeping financial records, home maintenance, shopping, planning, cleaning, cooking, childcare, transportation, etc. When the practical aspects run smoothly, there is more peace and harmony,” he said.
He added however, if friends drop in and the house is a mess, then irritations grow. Misunderstandings surface and a conflict can arise.
On how to share household chores, he advised couples to set their priorities. What is truly important to each of you? Many couples find they look at the division of chores differently. Domestic disorder simply doesn’t bother some people. But if you are comfortable with a messy home and it bothers your spouse, you both need to compromise. Compromise works best if you select priorities, rather than trying to completely satisfy both partners, he said.
