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Latest domestic violence fatality triggers protests in Lebanon

Calls for additional legislation to protect women after recent domestic violence fatality.
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May 26, 2015

This article originally appeared on The Media Line.

Sara al-Amin became a household name overnight after her husband shot her 17 times with an assault rifle, the latest fatality of domestic violence in Lebanon. Amin had left her husband after an alleged two decades of beatings and was finally pressing charges against him. Her murder prevented her from doing so, but it also galvanised Lebanese civil society groups to continue their fight against abuse in the home.

“Her killing was brutal,” says Maya Ammar a spokesperson for KAFA, a Lebanese non-governmental organisation campaigning to end violence against women. In Lebanon, an estimated 2,600 cases of domestic abuse are reported to KAFA each year. “She was tortured and killed. It was 17 bullets – not one. That’s just brutal,” she told The Media Line.

This time last year, a series of high-profile domestic violence cases pushed Lebanon’s parliament to pass a long-awaited law to protect women. Amin’s murder has stoked this anger again, and protests to demand even greater protection are organised for May 30.

Lebanon has come a long way since the law to protect spouses from domestic violence was first passed, in April 2014. The small, religiously diverse country had no law specifically protecting women against abuse from their husband. Since “personal status” matters, including marriage, divorce, and child custody, are decided by religious courts according to a person’s sect, Lebanon’s parliament had avoided ruling on this issue.

But the new law changed much of that, creating specific protection measures for women and children. Now, for example, an abusive partner is legally required to leave the home and partake in rehabilitation courses.

“The main thing we focused on with the [new] law is protection,” Leila Awada, KAFA co-founder and legal specialist, told The Media Line. “Before it even gets to murder, while it is (still) striking and violence, the woman can now take a decision to protect herself and her kids.”

Awada also highlighted a change in the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) in dealing with cases of domestic violence. While an increased awareness of best practise when dealing with abuse is needed from police officers, there is now the threat of jail time for ISF members who try to convince women not to press charges or who turn a blind eye when crimes are being committed.

There are a number of options now available for victims – both from NGO’s and from the government. KAFA runs a hotline for women, offers psychological support and can provide lawyers to help prosecute cases. Meanwhile the Lebanese Social Affairs ministry manages a taskforce of government agencies, NGOs and civil society groups and UN agencies to find ways to better protect women and recommend changes to the law. The Social affairs ministry has designed systems and training for councillors and medical staff who may come into contact with victims of domestic violence on how to provide assistance and what their obligations under the law are.

However, despite this progress there are still major gaps in the legislation and provision for victims. “There are some gaps in the law so the Social Affairs Ministry should provide some services and make recommendations for amendments for the law,” a senior official in the Social Affairs Ministry, told The Media Line. “For prevention we have to enhance the awareness of the issue in local communities. Many of our previous awareness campaigns have been through the media – which is crucial – but now we also have to really focus on rural areas too,” the official, who was not authorised to speak to the press and requested anonymity, said.

The official also highlighted the need for both a national referral system so that there was a standard national practice to dealing with cases and more shelters for victims to seek assistance at.

KAFA, who extensively lobbied for a tougher law, wanted the legislation to explicitly stipulate protection for women victims, while the legislation that was passed covers ‘violence against any member of the family by any other member.’

There is also a great deal of uncertainty if children are involved. If the child is above infancy then the father is likely to gain custody of the child – especially if the mother is not from the same religious sect as her children who take their sect from the father. Family matters, including divorce and custodial disputes are still decided in religious, not civil, courts.

“The text of the law is okay, but the prosecution is taking a long time — sometimes up to seven years. So this means that people are not following the case and people are not finding out what the verdict was. It makes it look like there aren't serious sentences,” said Awada. On top of this, the legal specialist added, “At times the men get charged with lighter offences  like being on drugs — or an excuse is made for them, like she was caught cheating.” This reduces public confidence in the implementation of the legislation.

There are few statistics to show what impact, if any, last year’s law has had on domestic violence in the country. But there has been a marked change in how the Lebanese public reacts to the death of yet another woman at the hands of her partner. With wider media coverage and regular public protests, civil society groups have been able to mobilize Lebanese society around their cause.

The May 30 protest, “is asking for justice for women killed,” Maya Ammar said. “It has stoked the debate again. I think people felt rage last year when three women were killed in one month. So we received a lot of calls for action from the public.”

Although the new law has addressed some major issues in Lebanon for victims of domestic abuse – and women generally – there is still a significant way to go before legislation is up to the challenge of dealing with murders in the home. Public pressure will make a difference, however the process is set to be a long one. 

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