Spousal Violence against Women in the Context of Marital Inequality: Perspectives of Pakistani Religious Leaders

Abstract

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Spousal violence against women is a controversial issue in Pakistan. Some religious leaders argue that &ldquo;mild wife-beating&rdquo; is permissible in exceptional circumstances&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">to discipline the wife and protect the institution of the family. Some conservative religious leaders also argue that the husband has a superior and&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">authoritative position in marital relations. This highly contested and sensitive issue acquires religious overtones and the scientific community seems reluctant&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">to investigate it. Based on fourteen in-depth interviews, this article documents the views and opinions of religious leaders in Lahore, Pakistan, concerning&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">spousal violence within the context of marital inequality. Rather than debating the position of Islam on spousal violence, the paper explores the minds of religious&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">leaders who greatly influence the views of the general public.</span></p></p>

Keywords

• Spousal violence
• Marital Inequality
• Pakistan