"And God wishes to turn to you in mercy, but those who follow their low desires wish that you should incline wholly towards evil" (4:28)

INTRODUCTION

REFUTING M. ALI SINA

WOMEN IN ISLAM/OTHER RELIGIONS

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, STATISTICS.

-CANADA

-UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

-UNITED KINGDOM

INTRODUCTION

In the modern day and age, human beings possess more material desires, wants and needs than ever before. This is the result of constant exposure to a savage form of advertising, transforming most men and women into beings having no other goals but to fulfil these material desires quickly and to the greatest degree, thus becoming slaves to their own desires. This article will attempt to show how women are manipulated in the West to achieve this goal and how an increase in material desires in capitalist countries leads to mass scale starvation and poverty in the third world. The purpose of this article is also to examine the claims of Mr Sina regarding the Quran's view on women.

False needs are continuously revived by an atrocious but very common method of deceit, exaggeration and confusion. Picture the situation: "This TV has Nicam Dolby Pro-logic Stereo sound" and we assume that is something good! Indeed it is, after you've purchased the extra speakers, the corresponding VCR, the Dolby Pro-logic enabled movies etc. You can notice this exploitation of lack of knowledge in every day life. Sadly, many continue to live in denial as advertisers are winning the psychological war with youth. For this reason it is hardly any wonder that a great number of households and common people are in serious debt (Look here), working as slaves to pay of their debts, often without success. Credit card companies and other financial institutions have become the new owners of millions of indebted people, who work their entire lives feeding them. Throughout the ages men, tribes and often entire nations thrived upon the slave trade, buying and selling human beings, most taking away their opportunity to buy their way into freedom. We have a slave trade in this modern day and age too, only it is a lot more organised, professional and institutionalised.

We in the western world, lucky enough to own computers and have access to the Internet are enjoying this luxury simply because on this planet is a human being who is deprived of even the basic necessities - kept poor in order to maintain or widen the rich-poor divide (Yes people, someone needs to be poor for you to be rich!). 5 billion US dollars a year goes to Israel alone - a population of only 6.5 million. The total amount America pays out to the whole world in aid does not even come close to the amount Israel receives each year. America's military budget is approximately $300 Billion a year. This is three times as big as Russia's and China's put together and almost as big as the entire worlds' combined! Surely if this money was used to feed people, build homes, economies, schools and industries; war would never be an option. America, the worlds largest manufacturer and supplier of all types of weaponry sells the same weapons which are used against them. During the recent military campaign in Afghanistan a bigot soldier wrote on a missile the phrase: "Hi-jack this fags!", not knowing of course that the rifle used to target the Apache responsible for the missile's delivery would have written on it: "Made in America".  It is deplorable that the world's most powerful nations continue to regard war, and the threat of war, as an acceptable instrument of foreign policy. The American media now seldom show images of hunger stricken Ethiopians, this is a very clever ploy designed to maintain your material outlook.

Any system which intends to free-up humans from the worship of their own desires becomes a target to destroy by any means from the men who yearn nothing but material wealth. It is evident that if someone believes there is no life after death and that he is on Earth by pure accident or due to a Godless evolutional process, then satisfaction of his desires becomes the ultimate goal due to their fear of death taking them before their life comes to an end. Thus failing to acknowledge the existence of God or the after life is why many feel they can get away with being selfish, corrupt, committing murder, rape and looting entire villages.

Those, however, who believe in a justice delivering Creator should seriously question their purpose in life and the purpose of their creation. The reality which bore us out of nothingness (God, as we know it) created us for a purpose. The purpose of life these days seems to be to satisfy ones own desires in the most selfish way possible and not giving even the slightest thought to the millions each day who go without food and water. Misusing free will, sooner or later, will lead to harming oneself - in this life and in the hereafter, as well as harming others, and that's exactly what the Creator wants to avoid for us by setting limits for us - this remains a test of our free will.

The desire to look beautiful and please is natural, yet it should have limits, otherwise it will do more harm than good to both the individual and the society around them. Islam, as did Christianity and Judaism once upon a time, permits a woman to dress how she wishes within her house or for her husband and those whom she is not permitted to marry. She may beautify herself with jewellery, lipstick, mascara or whatever she wishes. Outside of her household she is asked to cover her bosoms and lengthen her garments - this serves two purposes. One is not to display her flesh unnecessarily (such as chest, legs and arms) and the other is to conceal the shape of her figure. Note: there is no request for full veiling in Islam. Veiling is an ancient cultural practice which has its roots with the rich Jewish communities of Arabia. Hijab or head covering is something Christian and Jewish women have always observed up until the 19th century in order to appear modest. Most Muslim women choose to adopt the Hijab for the very reasons that nuns do.

There is no contradiction here: If a woman is supposed to be faithful to her husband only, then in order to reduce any chances of evil doing she must act not to encourage strange men gazing at her in a sexual way, which is exactly the opposite of what young women do these days. Reluctantly, it must be said a great deal of these women are cross-bearing Christians. For both men and women unnecessarily displaying their legs, thighs, together with their chests almost certainly will entice sexual feelings amongst unmarried parties. This is the root of all immoral behaviour in our society. When women make a display of themselves in front of strange men, with immodest clothes, it serves to increase the sexual deviance of the overall society destroying entire households. The ever increasing abortion rate in the so-called "civilised" Western world is proof that the wisdom within the Bible and Quran was for our benefit only.

Women are kept under constant pressure to buy, buy and buy in order to keep up with the ever changing beauty standards imposed by the men, other women and their employers, which in the end is a form of oppression. Western attitudes of Middle Eastern women are that of such that are oppressed, surprisingly women in the Middle East also view Western women as oppressed in the sense that they are almost forced (by rules, regulations, uniform, style and fashion) to dress immodestly. Sex is very sacred in Islam and serves for both the pleasure of men and women, and procreation. The desire to have a sexual relationship is natural, yet it can be disastrous if done outside the legitimate limits. AIDS is on the increase all over the world - it has no cure. (Signs of the last days, by Prophet Mohammed: "God will send a disease to fornicators that will have no cure".) Large scale adultery is seen as something cool rather than frowned upon. Children from broken families (as a result of adultery) turn to crime, drugs and the never ending circle continues. The Creator has set limits for the above desires in order to test us in the free will he has given us. Failure to observe these limits will inevitably lead to our societies demise and it is happening in front of our very own eyes.

Women in our age are extensively misused - the public demands it.

It is very rear to see a commercial in which a woman is dressed modestly and not gesturing at the verge of sexual provocation. The most effective tool for selling any product on TV is a seemingly beautiful, half naked woman. Whether the good be a car, perfume, liquor, domestic cleaning products, shampoo, holidays or whatever it is always a semi-nude woman who puts on the show for men. Every single day, hundreds of new beauty products descend on to the market with the promise of giving you a "brand new look" or to help "erase all those these awful wrinkles" because you deserve to look young, don't you? This is supposed to be setting a new clothing and beauty standard. It is strengthened by: "If you don't have money, use your credit card, it's low on APR, so why hesitate?". Why do they do it? the answer is "sex sells", the reply should be "at the expense of what"? the answer to that is "the slow demise of our society, increasing rates of sexually related crimes, illegitimacy, parentless children and a never ending circle of misery". Women spend a great deal of money on make-up and clothing to look attractive and please to the extent that it becomes an obsession and a purpose in life for many whilst millions are in need of basic supplies such as water! Such selfish behaviour and waste of money is what God is trying to minimise. The beauty products industry is a multi-billion dollar industry which harms animals as well as the environment, and the earnings go where?

Islam wants to free-up women from these pressures and from the modern slavery and give them a sound purpose in life, but a few individuals are fast attempting to divert the attention of certain people, keeping them away from the teachings of Islam by spreading lies about it. Even so the ratio of female converts to male converts is 4:1 - quite bizarre for a religion which is supposed to be oppressing women don't you think?

REFUTING  MR SINA

On the homepage of his website, Mr Sina wrote the following:

• The Quran says that they (women) are inferior to men and their husbands have the right to scourge them if they are found disobedient. (Quran. 4:34)

• The Quran teaches that women will go to hell if they are disobedient to their husbands. (Quran. 66:10)

• It maintains that men have an advantage over the women. (Quran. 2:228)

• It denies the women's equal right to inheritance. (Quran. 4:11-12)

• It also regards them as imbeciles and decrees that their witness is not admissible in the court. (Quran. 2:282)

• Muhammad allowed the Muslims to marry up to four wives and gave them license to sleep with their slave maids and as many “captive” women as they may have (Quran. 4:3)

The above is a totally malicious representation of how the Quran views women. Mr Sina manufactures a sentence or two and then points people to a verse in the Quran hoping that they will find something which corresponds to his insane views. Most people would not even bother to check the references due to the position Mr Sina has given himself before he began the article. The claim of being a "Rational Thinker", the title of "Doctor" Ali Sina, his claim of being an ex-Muslim and his handsome but false challenges would have already served there purpose to give most of his readers (not aware of his techniques) the feeling that he is trustworthy, block their desire to investigate further, even prevent them from checking the links he provides. Those, however, that do click the links will read only the verse pointed to - half of those would cautiously frown upon Mr Sina's attempts, half would accept his views simply because they have not bothered to read the entire set of verses in the correct context.

First and foremost the above attacks are nothing new for Muslims to refute. Thanks to our agenda holding Christian missionary friends who often try desperately hard to defend the role of women within their modern Bible they have (in a desperate bid to avert attention) manufactured totally baseless claims of how women are to be treated in light of the Holy Quran, you will find hundred of sites regurgitating the same nonsense. Even so, Western converts (women who were once upon a time Christian) have prepared their own personal websites in which they expel the myths and seek to answer the sensationalist claims- see Converts. It is the way the attacks are laid down which is new with Mr Sina, as he tries to put new and wacky ideas into the minds of his readers, condensing the whole content of verses into few chocking words not even found in the verses referenced!

The wording used by Mr Sina is carefully selected in order to strike the mind of the reader and develop a feeling of repulsion in the quickest period of time. The use of words and phrases such as "inferior", "denies equal right to inheritance", "regards them as imbeciles" are in place to deter the reader from any more reading, thus expediting their coming to a conclusion. Women in the Abrahamic faiths.

Mr Sina wrote: The Quran says that they (women) are inferior to men and their husbands have the right to scourge them if they are found disobedient (4:34) 

The full English translation of the verse he is referring to is:

The verse is stating the obvious: that is the physiological and psychological differences between men and women (Click here to see the results of a recent study on the brain differences between men and women). God has made one of them excel the other in certain characteristics. In the case of men they excel women in both physical and emotional strength. The man supports his wife by his own means, he takes care of household expenditures - men willingly or unwillingly are in charge. What is wrong with this? Good women are therefore respectful to their husbands who do nothing but look out for them, they should not betray their husbands, they should not commit lewdness, they should guard their secrets.

In the verse, there is no mention of inferiority of women compared to men as stated by Mr Sina. No one can deny the physiological and psychological differences between men and women. Everyone of them have been gifted by the Creator with the necessary qualifications to achieve their goals properly. Both sexes are complementary and have the goal of raising future generations in the best way possible while everyone of them fulfils his own expectations and finds support in his/her partner. 

In Islam (as in other systems), the family cell is the nucleus of the society. As in any group of people big or small (nations, businesses, football teams) someone should be in charge and must be obeyed. A vacuum of leadership leads to tyranny. Islam is very strong on the family issue. The demise of any society begins with collapsing marriages and broken households.

We see once again that Mr Sina's choice of English translation (the one by Pickthall) was chosen very carefully. The word "secret" has been used to translate the Arabic word "Ghaib". This is not an incorrect translation but can have numerous meanings. The Arabic word "Ghaib" means "Unseen" in English. Here are some examples in the Holy Quran:

Who believe in the unseen (Ghaib) and observe prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them. (2:3)  

Say, "I do not say to you: I possess the treasures of God, nor do I know the unseen (Ghaib); nor do I say to you: I am an angel, I follow only that which is revealed to me." Say: "Can a blind man and one who sees be alike? will you not then reflect".  (6:50)  

He (God) is the Knower of the unseen (Ghaib) and the seen. And He is the Wise, the All-Aware (6:73)

Ghaib comes from the verb "Ghaaba" which means "he is absent" and you cannot see someone who is absent. In Urdu it is used in the context of something becoming hidden. What is this "unseen" thing that an obedient woman is requested to guard because God has requested? The answer is very simple: Her private parts - from other men. The punishment of an unrepentant continually unfaithful woman was first admonishment, if still no repentance and amendment, refusal to share beds, if still no repentance and amendment other measures were taken but within limits - to bring her back onto the path of righteousness: "but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance)". Thus the context of the above verse is quite simply marital unfaithfulness or an instance of it

The verse which follows gives another alternative: "And if ye fear a breach between them twain (the man and wife), appoint an arbiter from his folk and an arbiter from her folk. If they desire amendment God will make them of one mind. Lo! God is ever Knower, Aware" (4:35)
It is clear that the verse here is trying to avoid a very painful event for the husband and wife and their children: the divorce.

Recent statistics show that four among five marriages are a failure and children without their natural carers (mother and father) are less likely to succeed in life and more likely to turn to crime. Divorce is certainly allowed, but is not a wise decision if the couple have children.

And of His signs is that He has created wives for you from among yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them, and He has put love and tenderness between you. In that, surely, are signs for a people who reflect (30:21)

He it is who created you from a single soul and made there from its mate, that he might find comfort in her. (7:189)

They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them (2:187) 

The word raiment has been used to translate the Arabic word "Libass". Libass means clothing. Women are described as clothing for their husbands and the husbands are described as clothing for their wives, that is to say everyone of them is supposed to protect the other one and to be as close to him as the clothes are close to the person wearing them - to keep each other warm and protected. Is there any other thing close to a human than his clothes?

Take a look at these shocking statistics click here. Mr Sina is now free to claim that Americans, Canadians and British men, when beating their partners are influenced by verse 4:34 of the Quran. How outrageous a man he is!

Surely, men who submit themselves to God and women who submit themselves to Him, and believing men and believing women, and obedient men and obedient women, and truthful men and truthful women, and men steadfast in their faith and steadfast women, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their chastity and women who guard their chastity and men who remember God much and women who remember Him. God has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward (33:35)

"That He may cause the believing men and the believing women to enter the Gardens beneath which streams flow, wherein they will abide, and that He may remove their evils from them - and that, in the sight of God, is the supreme achievement" (48:5) 

Mr Sina also wrote: It maintains (the Quran) that men have an advantage over the women. (Quran. 2:228)

The verse referred to is as follow: 

And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses; and it is not lawful for them that they should conceal what God has created in their wombs, if they believe in God and the last day; and their husbands have a better right to take them back in the meanwhile if they wish for reconciliation; and they have rights similar to those against them in a just manner, and the men are a degree above them, and God is Mighty, Wise. (2:228)

This is a totally ignorant claim. One which we are not even going to bother refuting due to the share waste of time. We hope you see what we mean!

Mr Sina also wrote: The Quran teaches that women will go to hell if they are disobedient to their husbands. (Quran. 66:10)

The verse referred to is as follow: 

God citeth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of Our righteous slaves yet betrayed them so that they (the husbands) availed them naught against God and it was said (unto them): Enter the Fire along with those who enter.  (66:10)

"Women will go to hell if they are disobedient to their husbands" is what Ali Sina wrote and made a reference to the above verse. How criminally insane! Just where does it say above that disobedient wives will go to hell??? The verse is just one of many (in a context) which is telling part of the story of the wives of Noah and Lot. The wife of Lot, as we know engaged in and institutionalised (without repentance) sexually deviant acts - she was hell bound from this very moment!

This is just a silly little cover story for Mr Sina to use and give meaning to a series of verses which relate nothing whatsoever of his understanding.

Mr Sina also wrote: It denies the women's equal right to inheritance. (Quran. 4:11-12)

The verses referred to are as follow: 

God commands you concerning your children; a male shall have as much as the share of two females; but if their be females only, numbering more than two, then they shall have two-thirds of what the deceased leave; and if there be one, she shall have the half. And his parents each of them a sixth of the inheritance, if he have a child, but if he have no child and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have a third; and if he have brothers and sisters, then his mother shall have a sixth, after the payment of any bequests he may have bequeathed or of debts. Your fathers and your children; you know not which of them is more beneficent to you. This fixing of portions is from God. Surely, God is All-Knowing, Wise (4:12)

And you shall have half of that which your wives leave, if they have no child; but if they have a child, then you shall have a fourth of that which they leave, after the payment of any bequests they may have bequeathed or of debts. And they shall have a fourth of that which you leave, if you have no child; but if you have a child, then they shall have an eighth of that which you leave, after the payment of any bequests you may have bequeathed or of debt. And if there be a man or a woman whose heritage is to be divided and he or she has neither parent nor child, and he or she has a brother and a sister, then each one of them shall have a sixth. But if they be more than that, then they shall be equal sharers in one-third, after the payment of any bequests which may have been bequeathed or of debt. And all this shall be without intent to cause injury to anyone. This is an injunction from God and God is Wise, Forbearing" (4:13)

The above verses are relating the inheritance law within Islam. Inheritance has been always a subject of dispute and animosity between members of the same family, that is why God gave a detailed law for everyone to read and apply.

The reason why the female is given half of what the male is given is very simple: the female keeps her share for her own use and does not participate in the spending of the household, and no one, absolutely no one can take an ounce from it, unless she wills. What a husband earns is for himself, his wife and children. What a female earns is for herself only. The male is the bread winner, his share is used to maintain the family and provide for it. What is wrong with this?

In other systems, the inheritance is subject to the written will of the inherited person and therefore is subject to their desires and own evaluation of their own heirs, the criteria they use is not often the correct one - they may have approved of one son and not the other.

Mr Sina also wrote: It also regards them as imbeciles and decrees that their witness is not admissible in the court. (Quran. 2:282)

The verses referred to are as follow: 

"O ye who believe! When ye contract a debt for a fixed term, record it in writing. Let a scribe record it in writing between you in (terms of) equity. No scribe should refuse to write as God hath taught him, so let him write, and let him who incurreth the debt dictate, and let him observe his duty to God his Lord, and diminish naught thereof. But if he who oweth the debt is of low understanding, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the guardian of his interests dictate in (terms of) equity. And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not (at hand) then a man and two women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so that IF the one erreth (through forgetfulness) the other will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse when they are summoned. Be not averse to writing down (the contract) whether it be small or great, with (record of) the term thereof. That is more equitable in the sight of God and more sure for testimony, and the best way of avoiding doubt between you; save only in the case when it is actual merchandise which ye transfer among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it is no sin for you if ye write it not. And have witnesses when ye sell one to another, and let no harm be done to scribe or witness. If ye do (harm to them) lo! it is a sin in you. Observe your duty to God. God is teaching you. And God is Knower of all things" (2:282)  

This verse is the longest one in the whole Quran. It treats a sensitive subject: borrowing of money (debt). It should be noted that in Islam it is forbidden to borrow money with interest.

First of all, it should be pointed out that the main concern here is the satisfaction of everyone, the borrower and the one who borrowed from him, such as no one finds a good reason to doubt the operation and the numbers. The borrowing operation is successful if it is written and is witnessed by two men, if not, one man and two women (btw, why did Mohammed bother devising such a systematic method if he was a thief and a criminal as Mr Sina claims?). The Quran goes on to explain why two women: in the translation above, we read that if one of them should err, then the other one may remind her. 

Here Mr Sina says the Quran is treating the women as imbeciles because they may err and one of them may remind the other one. He goes on to say that the Quran decrees their witness is not admissible in the court! (Where?)

First of all, there is no mention of court here and the witness of one woman is indeed accepted, because in case of problem between the borrower and the one who borrowed from him (one of them questions the written amount for example) and the two women are called to witness, one of the two women will be talking while the other one is listening, if the one talking may err, then the one who is listening may remind her. There is a condition here and it is if she may err, if it is not the case then there is no problem, her witness is accepted, the other woman is therefore more assurance in the eyes of those in dispute.

We are not here to play the apologists and our purpose is not to satisfy the likes of Mr Sina. We believe the Holy Quran is from God, The Creator, he has asked us to take two women and a man as witnesses, if we cannot find two men. He knows his creation, their weaknesses and their biases - there is always wisdom behind everything he reveals. Certain people seem to elevate themselves denying their own natural flaws - they make themselves out to be more perfect in actions than God!

What are the reasons for requesting two women and one man if two men are not available?

• Women are subject to two events not experienced by men, the menstrual period and the pregnancy. These two events may have a psychological impact on the women if they are experiencing them during witness.

• With respect to the era and culture in which the Quran was revealed, how likely was it for a man to accept a woman witness when she could've easily been a wife of the other witness thus be biased? Two certainly would've done more for his cause.

• A dispute on the amount may not be a peaceful party, a woman may be intimidated by either one of the two protagonists, another woman with her will give her more confidence. This is probably true for a woman not experienced with dealing with men. And God knows best.

Mr Sina also wrote: Muhammad allowed the Muslims to marry up to four wives and gave them license to sleep with their slave maids and as many “captive” women as they may have (Quran. 4:3)

The verses referred to are as follow: 

O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you. (4:1)

Give unto orphans their wealth. Exchange not the good for the bad (in your management thereof) nor absorb their wealth into your own wealth. Lo! that would be a great sin. (4:2)

And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice. (4:3)

And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth). (4:4)

Give not unto the foolish (what is in) your (keeping of their) wealth, which Allah hath given you to maintain; but feed and clothe them from it, and speak kindly unto them. (4:5)

First of all, it was not Mohammed who gave the Muslims a "license" but it was God. We know that the instructions regarding the division of inheritance of the martyrs and for the safeguard of the rights of the orphans were sent down after the Battle of Uhud in which 70 Muslims were killed. Naturally the question of dividing the inheritance of the martyrs and the safeguard of the rights of their orphans arose in many families at Madeena. From this we conclude that verses #1 to #28 were revealed on that occasion.

Let us ask a vital question: Why are orphans mentioned in the same verse as wives? what is the relationship between orphans and the women to be married in this verse? It is very clear that in this verse the women are either or will serve the role of mothers for the orphans. God is concerned about Muslims not being able to deal justly with the orphans who lost their fathers during the battles, how could one man and wife look after a multitude of orphans all by themselves?

God gave Muslims the permission to marry the mothers of the orphans or women who fit the role, so both of them (i.e. the orphan and the mother) benefit from shelter and a maintainer. What is wrong with this? Isn't this a just and noble act in such circumstances? Women will not have to play two roles (the role of the mother and the father). Orphaned children will grow up in a stable atmosphere, but there is one condition: justice between the wives, because if one wife is dealt with unjustly so will her children.

Unfortunately the idea of having four wives continues to deeply tantalise the Western public and before you know it the sensationalism has reached new heights. The simple fact of the matter is: probably less than 0.001% of Muslims (worldwide) practice polygamy. The only country in which it takes place in abundance is Saudi Arabia. When put into this context we can see that it really is not something the average Muslim thinks about, discusses let alone indulges in.

WOMEN IN ISLAM COMPARED TO THEM IN OTHER RELIGIONS

Please take time to read this excellent article. Women in the Abrahamic faiths

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, STATISTICS.

The following statistics relate figures of domestic violence within three of the most developed countries in the world. The purpose they serve is to appeal to the minds of those who think wife abuse is by and large a problem in the East that they are seriously mistaken! It proves that violence against women in general is an increasing worldwide social phenomena. 

In most cases it has nothing to do with the level of education or the incomes of the families involved. Typing the phrase "Violence against woman" into any search engine returns some horrific accounts of abused women in Western countries.

CANADA

Women from the ten provinces of Canada were randomly surveyed. Based on findings from this study, it is estimated that 29% of Canadian women who have ever been married or lived with a man in a common-law relationship have been assaulted by a marital partner (marital partner includes common-law relationships throughout this report). Three percent of women were assaulted by their partner in the 12 months prior to the survey. Lifetime rates of wife assault were significantly higher in cases of previous marriages (48% of women with a previous marriage were assaulted by a previous marital partner) than in cases of current marriages (15% of currently married have been assaulted by their current partner). 

Rates of wife assault show no variation by educational level.

This survey indicates that alcohol is a prominent factor in wife assault. In one-half of all violent partnerships the perpetrator was usually drinking. 

The rate of wife assault for women currently living with men who drank regularly (at least four times per week) was triple the rate of those whose partners never drank. Women were at six times the risk of violence by partners who frequently consumed five or more drinks at one time, compared to women whose partners never drank. 

While men with university education had the lowest rates of violence against their female partners, employment status did not appear to have a strong effect on rates of offending

The most prevalent forms of wife assault were women being pushed, grabbed, and shoved, followed by threats of hitting, slapping, throwing objects, and kicking, biting, and hitting with fists. A significant number of women also reported being beaten up, sexually assaulted, choked, hit with an object, and having a gun or knife used against them.

Almost one-half (45%) of wife assault cases resulted in physical injury to the woman. The most frequent types of injuries reported were bruises (90%), followed by cuts, scratches, and burns (33%), broken bones (12%), and fractures (11%). Almost 10% of injured women also stated that they suffered internal injuries and miscarriages

In many cases, the injury was severe enough to require medical attention. Approximately four-in-ten women (543,000 women) injured by a marital partner saw a doctor or a nurse for medical attention. In almost one-third of wife assault cases the woman had to take time off from her everyday activities because of the abuse. An even greater percentage of women who were physically injured had to take time off (50%). 

Weapons were used by 44% of violent spouses: this included 38% of women with a current or previous partner who had something thrown at them that could hurt them, 19% who were hit with something that could hurt them, and 16% who had a gun or knife used against them

The psychological effects of wife assault can be far-reaching. Eighty-five percent of women who reported wife assault indicated that they experienced some type of negative emotional effect. The most commonly reported consequences were anger, fear, becoming more cautious or less trusting, and lowered self-esteem. A significant number of women also reported being depressed or anxious, feeling ashamed or guilty, and having problems relating to men.

Women may use a variety of ways to cope with their partners' abusive behaviour. Approximately one quarter of ever-married women who have lived with violence reported using alcohol, drugs or medication to help them cope with the situation. This included 12% who used alcohol, 9% who used drugs or medication, and 5% who used both alcohol and drugs or medication. Women who also endured emotional abuse more frequently reported the use of alcohol or drugs to cope (31%). In addition, women who sustained an injury were more likely to use alcohol or drugs (41%). Rates of alcohol or drug use were highest among women who reported violence by a previous partner. Alcohol use by women with a previous violent partner was almost twice the rate (15%) of women currently living with violence (8%), and women with a previous violent partner were three times (12%) more likely to have used drugs or medication than women with a current violent partner (4%). These different rates may reflect the fact that women who have left a violent relationship have suffered more frequent or ongoing abuse. 

The violence in some marriages continues even during pregnancy: 21% of women abused by a marital partner were assaulted during pregnancy. Forty percent of these women stated that the abuse began during their pregnancy. 

The violence decreased or stopped following police intervention in 45% of cases. In 40% of cases, there was no change in the men's behaviour following police intervention, and in 10% of cases the violence actually increased.

According to the Violence Against Women Survey, risk of wife assault is highest for young women and those married or living common-law for less than two years. Whereas rates of wife assault do not vary by education level, household income does have some effect. The majority of women who were assaulted also reported that they experienced emotional abuse.

To find out more please visit:  http://www.hcsc.gc.ca/hppb/familyviolence/html/1wifeassault.htm

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Findings by the U.S. Surgeon General C. Everette Koop revealed that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between ages 15 to 44, more common than automobile accidents, muggings and rapes combined.

Official estimates of domestic violence rely largely on FBI, police, and emergency room medical reports. Although many women also report domestic violence to friends, family, relatives, churches, synagogues, physicians, and nurses, these sources of information are not included in national crime surveys. In addition, most reports do not show the number of violent incidents experienced by individual battered women and their children. Hence, statistics do not accurately reflect the amount of violence experienced in intimate relationships and in the home.

However, what the statistics do reveal about domestic violence is alarming. For example:

• There are at least 4 million reported incidents of domestic violence against women every year. Almost 20 percent of these are aggravated assaults in the home. (Angela Brown, Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, December 1990.)
  

• In 1991, more then 90 women were murdered every week. Nine out of ten were murdered by men. (Senate Judiciary Committee Report, "Violence Against Women: A Week In the Life of America," October 1992.)
  

• Weapons are used in 30 percent of domestic violence incidents. (P. Claus & M. Ranel, "Special Report: Family Violence," Bureau of Justice Statistics, undated)
  

• 15 to 25 percent of pregnant women are battered. (Evan Stark & Anne Flitcraft, 1992.)
  

• In 95 percent of all domestic violence assaults, crimes are committed by men against women. ("Report to the Nation on Crime and Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics," 1983.)
  

• 22 to 35 percent of women who visit emergency rooms are there for injuries related to on-going abuse. (Journal of American Medical Association, 1990.)
  

• Medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $3 to $5 billion annually. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. ("Domestic Violence For Health Care Providers," 3rd Edition, Colorado Domestic Violence Coalition, 1991.)
  

• Abusive husbands and lovers harass 74 percent of employed battered women at work, either in person or over the telephone (Caroline Wolf Harlow, "Female Victims of Crime" Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1991), causing 20 percent to lose their jobs (Schecter & Gray, "A Framework for Understanding and Empowering Battered Women," 1998.)
  

• As violence against women becomes more severe and more frequent in the home, children experience a 300 percent increase in physical violence by the male batterer. (M. Strauss and R. Gelles, "Physical Violence in American Families," 1990.)
  

• Approximately 1 out of every 25 elderly persons are victimized annually (Candace Heisler, "Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect" 1991). Of those who experience domestic elder abuse, 37 percent are neglected and 26 percent are physically abused. Of those who perpetrate domestic elder abuse, 30 percent are the adult children of an abused person. ( National Aging Resource Center on Elder Abuse, 1990.)
  

• In 1991, only 17 states kept data on reported domestic violence offenses. These reports were limited to murder, rape, robbery, and serious bodily injury and no other form of domestic violence. (Senate Judiciary Committee Report, October 1992.)
  

• Injuries that battered women receive are at least as serious as injuries suffered in 90 percent of violent felony crimes, yet under state laws, they are almost always classified as misdemeanors. (Joan Zorza, "The Gender Bias Committee's Domestic Violence Study," 1989.)
  

• In nearly 31 of the states, under many circumstances, it is legal for a husband to rape his wife (National Clearinghouse on marital and Date Rape, 1993). In one study, 37 percent of the women who had been physically battered by their husbands were also raped by the husbands. (Diane E. Russell, "Rape in Marriage," Revised ED., 1990.)
  

• Women are 10 times more likely then men to be victims of violent crime in intimate relationships. (U.S. Dept. of Justice, "Violence Against Women," January 1994.)
  

• Until recently, few states collected enough information to indicate how many crimes reported to the police were committed against women and how many were committed against men. Crimes reported as aggravated assault by husband against wife were not distinguished from crimes reported as aggravated assault by an unknown assailant. (Domestic Crimes in the U.S. Survey, Senate Judiciary Committee, 1991.)
  

• Although more than one million women seek medical treatment each year for injuries caused by their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends, doctors correctly identify the injuries as resulting from battering only 4 percent of the time. (E. Stark & A. Flitcraft, "Medical Therapy as Repression: The Case of the Battered Woman," 1982.)

Source:  "Research & Statistics On Domestic Violence," National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

UNITED KINGDOM

Violence against women causes more deaths and disability among women aged 15 to 44 than cancer malaria, traffic accidents or war. 

• The British Crime Survey reported in 1996 that domestic violence accounted for one quarter of all the violent crimes reported in the survey.

• Domestic violence accounted for the largest increase in violent crime since 1981.

• In 1996, the British Medical Association stated that one in four women experience domestic violence at some stage during their lives. This was unchanged in 1998.

Between 1996 and 1997 the number of women reporting rape increased by over 500%. Yet convictions remained almost static, meaning that whilst in 1977, 1 in 3 women reporting rape saw their rapists convicted, in 1996 less than 1 in 10 did.

This gives rise to a lack of confidence, reflected in the failure of women to report abuse: on average, a woman will suffer serious abuse and assault around 35 times before she reports it to the police. 

In 1998, it was estimated that between one in eight and one in ten women had experienced domestic violence in the past year.

In 1999, Women’s Aid took 20,000 calls on its help-line

Every week, two women are killed by their current or former partners.

A National Children’s Homes (NCH) study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10% had witnessed sexual violence.

Child Line found that 38% of a sample of 116 children who talked about domestic violence also talked about themselves or their siblings being physically abused.

• 1 in 2 boys and 1 in 3 girls thought that there were some circumstances when it was acceptable to hit a woman or force her to have sex. 

• Over a third of the boys (36%) thought that they might personally force a woman to have sex. 

• 30% had suffered physical violence "more severe" than being grabbed, pushed or shaken from a current or former partner or boyfriend at some time during their adult lives.

• 27% had been injured (i.e. about 90% of those who had been attacked)

• 27% had been threatened with violence

• 23% had been raped

• 37% had suffered some form of mental cruelty

• 12% had suffered physical violence during the previous twelve months and 30% of these women had experienced six or more attacks during this time. 

The cost of domestic violence to health and social services in the UK is estimated to be over £1billion per year. In 1997-8, an estimated 19,910 women and 28,520 children stayed in refuges in England.

In a survey in Islington in 1993, 63% of men said they would be violent towards their female partners in certain circumstances. 19% said they had been violent in the past twelve months.

Source at this Site

It is estimated that only 1 among 10 cases of domestic violence is reported. And which fool will deny that alcohol is not a contributing factor? The above statistics show that violence against women is a wide social problem. Americans, Canadians and British in the above statistics are not reading the Quran and being influenced by it as Mr Sina is suggesting Muslims are!

Something to think about:

If the world were 100 people, there would be:

• 57 Asians
• 21 Europeans
• 14 from North and South America
• 8 Africans
• 52 would be female
• 48 would be male
• 70 would be non-white, 30 white
• 59% of the entire world's wealth would belong to only 6 people
• and all 6 would be citizens of the United States!!!
• 80 would live in substandard housing
• 70 would be unable to read
• 50 would suffer from malnutrition
• 1 would be near death
• 1 would be near birth
• Only 1 would have a college education
• 99 of them will not see this message, because only 1 would have a computer.

When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for both acceptance, and understanding becomes glaringly apparent.