Syrian Conflict Leads to Rise in Domestic Violence

Daily pressures, exacerbated by the civil war, put women and children at risk.

(Kafr Nabel – Syria) “Divorce me, I can’t stand to live with you anymore,” Haifa screamed at her husband when she woke up in a hospital in Kafr Nabel, in northwestern Syria, on the morning of June 10.

With heavy gestures, a broken arm, and a bruised face, Haifa tearfully recounts her ordeal.

“He hit me. He insulted me in front of my children because he was fired from his job and the financial demands kept piling up.”

Haifa is not alone.

Amal has been living in a tent for two years since she was uprooted from her home town of Khan Shaykhoun in the west of the country. She left her home and all her possessions behind.

She has faced huge pressure since the social and economic situation changed drastically after the revolution.

“My husband’s demeanor changed. He became harsher and intolerant of any arguments. He hits me with no mercy,” she said.

Siham al-Qaddour, a local doctor, has handled many cases of domestic violence in Kafr Nabel’s hospitals.

“They range from bruises and breaks, to broken jaws,” she said.

She also described cases where blows to the head had caused temporary amnesia, as well as other injuries that have resulted in miscarriages and, in a few cases, permanent infertility.

Domestic violence is not limited to women, it also affects children. Dr. Bassam al-Hallaq, a pediatrician, has treated children who have been physically abused. Their injuries have ranged from bruises, breaks, and wounds, to permanent disabilities such as paralysis.

Besides physical symptoms, the psychological toll of victims’ injuries may lead to depression, incontinence, and feelings of isolation.

Amal and Haifa are victims of domestic violence and abuse that has increased since the start of the revolution. According to Jihad al-Khatib, a social worker, 30 per cent of women in Kfar Nabel have experienced some form of domestic violence since the start of the conflict.

Previously, only around 10 per cent of women reported such incidents.

Al-Khatib says that the prevalence of domestic violence varies according the social situation.

“It is less common in stable societies and increases the more unstable a society becomes,” she said.

“Cases of domestic violence increased after the revolution because of social and economic pressures, as well as the pressures of financial demands that have taken their toll on men. The most important cause of this phenomenon is the absence of the rule of law.”

The prevalence of weapons and armed militias also hinders the implementation of local council and court decisions, particularly in the absence of an authority capable of enforcing them.

Al-Khatib stresses the importance of economic pressures, such as the inability of husbands to adequately provide for their families.

The psychological pressures Syrians find themselves in within the context of an ongoing war leads to feelings of fear and confusion.

“They are the result of anxieties and repressions that are then channeled into violence that is often directed at wives and children,” explained al-Khatib. “The decrease in rates of education after the uprising is also a complicating factor.”

“The presence of organisations that are able to offer financial and technical support is crucially important, as is the promulgation of religious courts and religious awareness to improve people’s economic and psychological wellbeing,” said al-Khatib.

“Islam prohibits violence against women in all its forms,” said Sheikh Abdedghafour al-Khatib, an Imam at the large Kafr Nabel mosque. “She is the one who carries and raises children. The prophet, peace be upon him, said: I call on you to treat women well.”

“Domestic violence can be attributed to a lack of religious and cultural awareness, and in some cases to early marriage,” the Sheikh added. “Islam celebrated women, elevated their standing, and stopped them being a commodity, helping them to control their own destiny.”