Domestic Violence Bill good, but require review -Hajia Telly

Tamale, Dec. 5, GNA - Though the Domestic Violence Bill if passed into law could assist in reducing domestic violence, especially those that occur in marriages, the provision that deal with marital rape should be reviewed.

Without any such modification, such a legislation would be contrary to Islamic believes, and no Muslim woman would be capable or prepared to send her husband to court for marital rape.

Hajia Hajara Telly, President of the Northern Regional branch of the Muslim Women Association of Ghana (MOWAG), made the suggestion at a day's workshop on Domestic Violence in Tamale at the weekend. About 40 Muslim and Christian women from the city attended the workshop, which was organised on the theme: "Domestic Violence, Islamic Perspective".

Hajia Telly explained that Islam enjoined Muslim women to oblige to their husbands' demand for sex at anytime and that to take their husbands to court over marital rape would jeopardize their marriages. She, however, said the Bill could assist in addressing the problem of early marriage among some groups including Muslims, so that young girls could pursue higher education to eliminate ignorance and illiteracy among women.

Hajia Hajara Abubakari, Secretary of MOWAG, said the group was liasing with other NGOs in the Metropolis to embark on door-to-door education on the Bill and wife battering in Muslim communities.