One particular story of interest can be found at: http://middleeast.about.com/od/afghanistan/a/me0904150.htm
This story discusses how women in Afghanistan took to the streets to protest a new law that "turns wives into their husbands indentured servants, and conjugal rape and act protected by law". I am left speechless. I can not believe that any law would state that a women has to allow her husband to forcefully have sex with her! By law the wife is required to have sex with here husband every fourth day, unless she is sick. Another law states that a wife is not permitted to leave the home unless she has permission from her husband. I can not believe such treatment of women in permitted in a world so concerned with the human treatment of individuals.
Hello Ron,
ReplyDeleteI think you are talking about marital rape, when a woman is expected to do her "bedroom duty" whether or not she likes it, because it is assumed that a wife should not refuse her husband! By the way, it should be noted that some men don’t deny that sexual intercourse by force is possible , but they don't view it as rape. And women themselves are often unaware that marital rape is a crime which should be punished.
I think marital rape occurs because of general stereotypes declaring that marital rape is impossible – it is your bedroom duty. Very few women know that there is no concept like “bedroom duty” in Family Code and any coercion is violence. In fact, this problem is widespread, marital rape is much more common than we might think. Simply, many women either do not want to disclose such facts, or simply do not know that this incident is violence. I think, the root of the problem lies in the notorious stereotypes about the roles and status of men and women, marriage is often seen as granting men with unconditional rights to sexual relations with his wife under any circumstances and to use force in case of her unwillingness to engage in a sexual contact.
This post. combined with several others of the quarter all clearly exemplified the gender expectations that are sometimes hidden and sometimes overt (as in this case) throughout the world, regardless of whether or not the country is developed, developing, or under developed. As we continuously talked about developmental theories and our role in defining the cultural aspects of developmental issues, I think it is clear that an overall redefinition of gender roles needs to occur, even within our own society. In most of the literature we have read, it is has been left up to women developmental theorists or NGOS to address the problems other women have, as if to suggest that we as women are more inclined to a better solution because we share the same gender. If gender, and gender roles differ among societies, then the issues facing women shouldnt just be left up to women to address. In societies where the male opinion is dominate, it may be beneficial for other men, or "outside" men to at least attempt to make changes in how our cultural gender roles are negatively affecting women, and in some cases men. In this specific instance that Ron has posted about, women are not only confined in their roles as sexual objects but men on a general scale are confined in a role as sexual aggressors by the law being implemented. It not only impacts the health and safety of women, but the societal expectations on men, and how these men are viewed, regardless of whether or not they support the law.
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