Enforcing the domestic violence law in Lebanon is challenged by religious authorities

In its edition of today, Al Hayat daily brought to light the law for the Protection of Women and Family Members Against Domestic Violence approved in April 2014 by the Lebanese Parliament. Two years after its promulgation, Al Hayat wrote, the law still faces challenges and its enforcement remains incomplete in terms of guarantying protection to battered women. For more insight into the subject, the newspaper spoke to the head of the Women’s Committee at the Beirut Bar Association, Asmaa Dagher Hamadeh, who criticized the overwhelming powers given to various religious authorities in the country who, inopportunely, still retain the exclusive power in family issues by virtue of the Constitution. This, Hamadeh explained, despite the fact that the said law is stringent in penalizing the crimes specified in the Penal Code which occur between family members, prohibits acts of beating and abuse and endorses protection from the violent husband at the wife’s request. But the patriarchal mindset coupled with outdated social traditions still justify violence and condone it, obstructing the reporting of incidences of domestic violence, she lamented. Hamadeh disclosed to Al Hayat that the concerned authorities have not acted or responded fully to setting up a security apparatus specialized for cases of violence against women. Meanwhile, the judge for matters of special urgency in Mount Lebanon, Elias Risha, pointed out to some legal hindrances in the application of the above law. He mentioned for example, the need to identify or clarify the notions of domestic violence which, legally and judicially, raise a lot of questions. Nevertheless, the head of the Research and Studies Department, colonel Elie Asmar, underlined the significant role his institution plays in protecting women subjected to domestic violence, but which, he said, still lacks a referral system to properly manage the cases of violence. Besides, he added, it is in need of judicial detachment facilities and social support for members of security forces commissioned with the task. (Al Hayat, October 20, 2016)