| Domestic violence occurs across the world in various cultures and harms countless women. It is a growing world-wide problem within households and in public spheres. It is experienced by wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters of abusive men. Many Egyptian women are experiencing domestic violence. In this thesis, I investigate causes and effects of domestic violence in Egypt by tracing its emergence in historical context and examine different laws regarding domestic violence. Domestic violence has many different names such as, family violence, battering, wife beating, and domestic abuse. These terms refer to abuse by marital, common law, and dating partners, parents or other household members against another member of the household. In Egypt, religion has played a major role in the community and it has influenced people's behaviors and actions in public and private spheres. Some Muslim and Coptic Christian men misinterpret the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible to justify their behavior of abusing the females in their households. Egyptian traditions also validate that Egyptian women must obey their fathers, brothers, and husbands. Despite decades of activism to address violence against women, some people remain uneducated about domestic violence. Nevertheless, activists and NGOs continue to raise awareness about domestic violence and make Egyptian women aware of the different options they have to try and leave their abusive situation. It will take time before violence against Egyptian women disappears but there is always a new found hope that one day it will completely vanish. |
