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Last update - 06:43 07/11/2006 Report: 23 percent of Palestinian women endure domestic violence By The Associated Press A new report paints an alarming picture of the abuse of women in the Palestinian territories, with police, courts and government agencies failing to treat violence such as rape and beatings as a crime. According to a survey by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics of more than 4,000 households in December 2005 and January 2006, 23 percent of the women said they had experienced domestic violence, but just over 1 percent filed a complaint. Two-thirds said they were subjected to psychological abuse at home. The New York-based Human Rights Watch cited practices such as rape victims being forced to marry assailants and light sentences for men who kill female relatives suspected of adultery. It said families, tribal leaders and authorities, backed by tradition and discriminatory laws, often sacrifice victims' interests for "family honor." Advertisement The problem is only getting worse with growing poverty and lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza, the report said. Human Rights Watch called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, parliament and government ministries to make the protection of women a top priority. More can be done, the report said, despite the ongoing conflict with Israel and the cash crisis brought on by the rise to power of Hamas. Researcher Lucy Mair said Human Rights Watch singled out the Palestinian territories because of concern that the abuse will increase and because some Palestinian government officials have signaled they are ready for change. Commenting on the report, Adnan Amr, a legal adviser to Abbas, admitted that Palestinian authorities are "weak" in enforcing the law "because of the security and political situation. All Palestinians, not only women, are paying a heavy price for the chaos," referring to struggles between rival Palestinian groups. The report found that abusers are granted virtual immunity. Rapists who marry their victims are not prosecuted, and such deals are often arranged by the families, tribal leaders and local police chiefs. The law is lenient with men who kill female relatives because of adultery. Yet it bars rape and incest victims from having abortions. Rape within marriage is not considered a crime. Police and hospital doctors are not trained to handle abuse cases and often further humiliate victims, the report said. In one hospital in Nablus, a doctor announced to a crowded waiting room that his unmarried 16-year-old patient was pregnant. The girl's mother later cited this as the main reason for her decision to kill her daughter. A premium is placed on female virginity, with rapists facing a lesser punishment if the victim is not a virgin. Virginity tests are imposed on sexual abuse victims against their will. The women's fate is increasingly determined by tribal leaders or Palestinian Authority-appointed governors, rather than overloaded courts. The informal justice system is often arbitrary and biased against the victims. Victims are often afraid to come forward because of social stigma, the perceived futility of complaining and fear of inviting retribution by relatives. However, Manal Kleibo, a lawyer at the Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling in Ramallah, said she has detected a change in recent years, and that the authorities are increasingly willing to work with her group. Human Rights Watch made a series of recommendations. It said Abbas should launch a public awareness campaign and make it clear he does not tolerate violence against women. He should also demand that those currently settling abuse cases informally refer all cases to the proper authorities. Police should establish special units to deal with victims of abuse, and the legislature should repeal the most discriminatory provisions. Bookmark to del.icio.us   In the line of fire Rights Group: Over 50% of Gaza casualties weren't militants. Uncle Sam blames you U.S. blames Hamas for sparking violence in south Israel, Gaza.   1.   dont forget about using women as human shield 07:11  |  vik 07/11/06   2.   Human rights 07:13  |  Danite 07/11/06   3.   Domestic Violence 07:38  |  Terry 07/11/06   4.   Gosh, it must be because of the "occupation" 08:36  |  David Teich 07/11/06   5.   Where`s Clickfool when we need him? 09:07  |  Fickcool 07/11/06   6.   Where is/was the outcry from the Intenational sisterhood.? 09:11  |  PETER SM 07/11/06   7.   ...And the rest endure Jewish criminality 09:17  |  Israeli woman 07/11/06   8.   Dutch, Wahhib, Clickfool, Johnboy 09:22  |  Wired Jew 07/11/06   9.   IT`S THE OCCUPATION AND MASSACRES AND MASSACRES AND OCCUPATION 09:26  |  Buncha kooks 07/11/06   10.   DV in ISRAEL a HUGE problem 09:40  |  observer 07/11/06   11.   to PeterSM on intl sisterhood 10:17  |  Watcher 07/11/06   12.   Observe 10:40  |  Fickcool 07/11/06   13.   #9 10:55  |  pete 07/11/06   14.   Watcher, question 11:00  |  Fickcool 07/11/06   15.   vik 11:02  |  andrew 07/11/06   16.   David Teich 11:08  |  sharon 07/11/06   17.   What is the % in Israel? 11:11  |  Ralph 07/11/06   18.   OBSERVER.Thirst for blood? please explain.Are they drinking 11:11  |  PETER SM 07/11/06   19.   to #12 11:20  |  observer 07/11/06   20.   G`day to, Watcher, PeterSM, David Teich and Co. 11:57  |  Maureen Ann 07/11/06   21.   HOW ABOUT FIGURES IN ISRAEL? 12:03  |  Messaoud 07/11/06   22.   ENTIRE ARAB MUSLIM WORLD HAS HIGHER STATS THAN THE REST OF WORLD 12:13  |  Ben 07/11/06   23.   Idea for a national anthem 12:17  |  Paul Henzen 07/11/06   24.   I am much more worried about Israeli women !! 12:46  |  Swiss 07/11/06   25.   Danite 12:53  |  sh 07/11/06   26.   WHAT A SUPRISE 13:04  |  Dr David I.Gross 07/11/06   27.   It is more 13:08  |  From the Moon 07/11/06   28.   Forwarded the link to some friends 13:18  |  G.S. 07/11/06   29.   Our own % is not good either 13:20  |  Levi 07/11/06   30.   20% of US families experience domestic violence 13:23  |  Clickfool 07/11/06   31.   Palestine Women violence 13:52  |  Laura 07/11/06   32.   I am much more worried about Swiss people 13:59  |  Lasting peace 07/11/06   33.   Unemployment is the base cause ! 14:07  |  David James Vickery 07/11/06   34.   women 14:26  |  Paul 07/11/06   35.   to Fickcool on Maureen 14:31  |  Watcher 07/11/06   36.   a question to Maureen 14:33  |  Watcher 07/11/06   37.   How about figures in Messaoud`s home 14:37  |  Liberator 07/11/06   38.   Laura welcome to the loony toon university 14:39  |  Watcher 07/11/06   39.   The same problem has arisen in Europe 14:46  |  Jonathan S 07/11/06   40.   ISLAM FORBIDS DOMESTIK VIOLENCE 14:48  |  indrajaya 07/11/06   41.   Woman power! 15:04  |  Fred Drummer 07/11/06   42.   #1 Vik and so Israeli women, they work in IDF 15:05  |  Gaza Boy 07/11/06   43.   so... 15:08  |  ravi 07/11/06   44.   Liberator#34... DO NOT WORRY 15:11  |  Messaoud 07/11/06   45.   Indrajaya 15:11  |  Fred Drummer 07/11/06   46.   to Jonathan 15:13  |  Anubhav 07/11/06   47.   In the US it is 49% 15:15  |  Stephen Murray 07/11/06   48.   who cares? 15:19  |  mohammed al sahhaf 07/11/06   49.   #1: Women as human shields? 15:25  |  Stephen Murray 07/11/06   50.   HOW ABOUT FIGURES IN JORDAN,EGYPT,SYRIA,LEBANON? 15:42  |  Nina 07/11/06   51.   Amazing 15:43  |  Lynn 07/11/06   52.   laura and Maureen 15:43  |  bev 07/11/06   53.   swiss 15:48  |  bev 07/11/06   54.   dj vickery 15:53  |  bev 07/11/06   55.   gaza boy 16:01  |  bev 07/11/06   56.   ravi 16:07  |  bev 07/11/06   57.   To Anubhav about Europe 16:12  |  Jonathan S 07/11/06   58.   To Laura, 29 16:22  |  Jozef 07/11/06   59.   palestinian women 16:24  |  jerry 07/11/06   60.   sh 16:29  |  Danite 07/11/06   61.   ravi 16:34  |  Anubhav 07/11/06   62.   28: Now Clickfool`s lying about statistics 16:36  |  David Tech 07/11/06   63.   bev 16:50  |  Danite 07/11/06   64.   indrajaya....you don`t respect your women. 16:54  |  maria 07/11/06   65.   Weird follow on to statistics 16:57  |  David Teich 07/11/06   66.   jerry #59 are they wives to them(israeli armies) 16:58  |  maria 07/11/06   67.   Oy Danite! 17:09  |  sh 07/11/06   68.   Further Proof of the Utter Moral Bankruptcy of this Society 17:12  |  Bimmer 07/11/06   69.   # 53 Bev Sorry, but it`s clear to me now... 17:12  |  Swiss 07/11/06   70.   indraya 17:16  |  Danite 07/11/06   71.   Indonesian dude 17:17  |  Linichka 07/11/06   72.   to Jonathan S 17:30  |  Anubhav 07/11/06   73.   A Universal Phenomenon 17:35  |  Alicia 07/11/06   74.   Domestic violence 17:40  |  Sean Semple 07/11/06   75.   No Moslem/Arab democracies w/o equal treatment of women... 17:43  |  BouSameer 07/11/06   76.   And how many jewish orthodox women? 17:49  |  jean marie 07/11/06   77.   ?just over 1 percent filed a complaint? 17:51  |  KUTW 07/11/06   78.   Where are all the Arab commentators? 18:12  |  Raziel 07/11/06   79.   Katsav`s diversion... 18:18  |  judas 07/11/06   80.   Israel is the problem it makes Palestinians angry 18:19  |  Yaakov Sulliman 07/11/06   81.   1. vik: dont forget about using women as human shield 18:22  |  KUTW 07/11/06   82.   Israili crimes becouce they guildy 18:23  |  British 07/11/06   83.   Indrajaya said : Sharia laws are strict about rapes 18:23  |  Sharia Court 07/11/06   84.   to stephan murray Re:47 In the us its 49% 18:25  |  rick 07/11/06   85.   hyprocrisy 18:38  |  Blinky 07/11/06   86.   sh 18:41  |  danite 07/11/06   87.   Palestinian women 18:44  |  francesca 07/11/06   88.   swiss critisizm 19:08  |  TOMY 07/11/06   89.   40. indrajaya: ISLAM AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 19:10  |  KUTW 07/11/06   90.   YES 19:15  |  Adam 07/11/06   91.   Against violence... but not just the domestic 19:24  |  Marta 07/11/06   92.   This is not an Arab-Israeli issue ! 19:26  |  BouSameer 07/11/06   93.   TO INDRAYAJA 19:32  |  Alicia 07/11/06   94.   Stones and glasshouses 19:38  |  sh 07/11/06   95.   Must be Israel`s fault... 19:46  |  bat yam 07/11/06   96.   BouSameer, I agree 19:47  |  bev 07/11/06   97.   I really feel sorry for all the women meeting moslem men... 19:52  |  sympathetic 07/11/06   98.   IF THE WORLD ACKNOWLEDGED SIGMUND FREUD`S EARLY THEORY 20:11  |  Smadar 07/11/06   99.   Is violence against women endemic to Islamic society? 20:41  |  Shalom Freedman 07/11/06   100.   TO INDERAYA 20:44  |  Nicole 07/11/06   101.   Culture of violence w/o accountability 20:45  |  Polybios 07/11/06   102.   why the Arabs have the most violent culture in the world ? 20:47  |  debbie 07/11/06   103.   indrajaya #40 - laughable 21:12  |  natan 07/11/06   104.   87francesca: the ?occupation? explains everything 21:16  |  KUTW 07/11/06   105.   Religious extremism & abuse against women 21:51  |  Nathaniel 07/11/06   106.   bogus 22:14  |  Omar 07/11/06   107.   25% of UK families have spousal abuse 22:19  |  Jasmine Murphy 07/11/06   108.   The other 77 percent aspire to be suicide bombers or 22:24  |  British academic 07/11/06   109.   Danite, I figured you would flourish on this talkback... 22:25  |  Ibrahim 07/11/06   110.   #21 MESSAOUD`S Hypocrisy 22:32  |  * BEN JABO 07/11/06   111.   #105 Nathaniel`s abuse claim 22:51  |  * BEN JABO 07/11/06   112.   We need another report. 23:24  |  hollingsworth 07/11/06   113.   100% of Palestinians endure Israeli violence 23:33  |  John from Canada 07/11/06   114.   francesca # 87 Wrong! It Is the Will of Allah 23:41  |  Jeff Northridge 07/11/06   115.   John Of canada 23:45  |  Danite 07/11/06   116.   Shalom Freedman.....in left field 23:47  |  Ibrahim 07/11/06   117.   hollingsworth 23:57  |  danite 07/11/06   118.   Indrajaya 00:02  |  krystal 08/11/06   119.   Thats a hoot 00:03  |  Guy From NYC 08/11/06   120.   108 John - ur remark pointless in this context 00:05  |  krystal 08/11/06   121.   Danite..ignore the anti-semites 00:10  |  bev 08/11/06   122.   Swiss, Swiss is virtual planet on earth 00:14  |  Aby 08/11/06   123.   David James V. Unemployment? 00:14  |  krystal 08/11/06   124.   These people live under... 00:38  |  Edith 08/11/06   125.   what do you expect? 00:42  |  Michael N 08/11/06   126.   111. hollingsworth: another report 01:03  |  KUTW 08/11/06   127.   muslim girl..... 01:07  |  maria 08/11/06   128.   # 121 Aby Dear Aby, how many IDF-soldiers.... 01:26  |  Swiss 08/11/06   129.   maybe these men are not content with their wives. 01:35  |  maria 08/11/06   130.   116 Ibrahim: more than 1 out 5 women raped 01:37  |  Ed 08/11/06   131.   Let`s do a survey on rabbi molesters 02:09  |  hollingsworth 08/11/06   132.   to Bev, I say there is no different 02:12  |  Tamir Gaza 08/11/06   133.   What a farce this is.. 02:19  |  Marlene 08/11/06   134.   #112, howlingworth: I have not forgotten 02:29  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/11/06   135.   Women all over the world endure violence. 02:32  |  Pat 08/11/06   136.   indrajaya -- Don`t make an idiot of yourself. 02:45  |  Pat 08/11/06   137.   Stephen Murray -- It is about legal recourse 02:49  |  Pat 08/11/06   138.   Ibrahim 02:52  |  bev 08/11/06   139.   hollingsworth 03:04  |  danite 08/11/06   140.   Ibrahim WRONG! 03:07  |  danite 08/11/06   141.   23% abused? ...Ha! How about 98%??? 04:07  |  rp 08/11/06   142.   #35 Hi Watcher, have patience...... 05:29  |  Maureen Ann 08/11/06   143.   ISRAEL-BASHERS know the solution: Stop occupation, and Domestic.. 06:53  |  Vittorio 08/11/06   144.   Hollingsworth 07:36  |  Morals 08/11/06   145.   100% of Palestinians endure Israeli violence 07:54  |  Shalom 08/11/06   146.   #58 Jozef - great 08:27  |  sheri 08/11/06   147.   #75 Bousameer - it does require woman`s emancipation 08:40  |  sheri 08/11/06   148.   Rates in Israel 8%? 09:02  |  sheri 08/11/06   149.   to those who turn again against israel 09:07  |  saul a. readner 08/11/06   150.   #98 Smadar - it is a shame isn`t it, all the pain avoidable... 09:12  |  sheri 08/11/06   151.   Holling`s unworthy 10:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/11/06   152.   Holling`s unworthy 10:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/11/06   153.   Islam forbids domestic violence? 10:24  |  Guilherme Battista 08/11/06   154.   "31% of US women suffer from domestic violence" 14:15  |  Harry 08/11/06   155.   morals 17:19  |  hollingsworth 08/11/06   156.   Isareli domestic Violenvce?? 20:20  |  Joe 08/11/06   157.   Non Sequitur 15:07  |  K.C. 12/11/06   158.   indrajaya #40 ISLAM FORBIDS DOMESTIK ... 21:08  |  Michael 13/12/07   159.   test 05:05  |  test 04/03/08   160.   my experience with a Palestinian man 05:25  |  saw the light 04/03/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Immoral solutions for Gaza - a guide Responses: 3 Israel: Latest sanctions against Iran not enough Responses: 38 Obama says United States should not meet with Hamas Responses: 53 Nehemia Shtrasler: There is no way out but to talk to Hamas Responses: 18 Researcher: Moses was tripping at Mount Sinai Responses: 66 Rosner's Domain What to Read: What was Samantha Power thinking? Rosner: Obama, Clinton aides court hawkish Jews in Ohio Hillary Clinton comes out swinging as Ohio primary nears Obama`s top adviser says doesn't believe in imposing a peace settlement Politics with an elliptical soccer ball More Headlines 03:02 Israel: Latest sanctions against Iran not enough 11:10 IAF strike kills two Gaza militants; Qassam rocket damages Sderot home 04:15 Olmert: All military options for Gaza are on the table 09:41 Rice arrives in Egypt, urges Israel, PA to resume talks 11:48 UN's Ban: Israel says Hezbollah has 30,000 rockets in S. Lebanon 09:14 Young Russian Jews say 'Da' to Birthright, but 'Nyet' to aliyah 09:16 Researcher: Moses was tripping at Mount Sinai 09:36 Fatah man loses children in IDF raid, but Hamas won't let him bury them 00:00 Haaretz journalist Ehud Asheri dies of cancer at 57 04:56 Barak seeks legal okay to move Gazan civilians from homes 01:52 Berlin to start sealing cracks in Holocaust memorial slabs Previous Editions Select Day 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb

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