Hitting wives is illegal, not ‘a beautiful blessing’ says top cop.
UPDATE: Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has joined a growing chorus of outrage over a radical Islamic group’s video showing how husbands should discipline their disobedient wives.
NSW
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NSW’s top cop has slammed claims by the Australian women’s branch of a radical Islamic political group that permission from Allah for Muslim men to hit their wives is “a beautiful blessing”.
Newly appointed Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the last thing men needed was any encouragement to behave violently in the home.
“The law doesn’t distinguish between race and religion, when it comes to violence against women it is not acceptable in any shape of form,” he said.
The video, posted on the radical Islamic political group Hizb ut-Tahrir’s Facebook page, captures two Sydney Muslim women telling a small audience of veiled women that Muslim husbands were in a position of leadership in marriage and “it goes hand-in-hand that he would have the right to undertake disciplinary measures”.
Speaking at the conference in wester Sydney held earlier this month, the two panellists, identified as Sydney primary school teacher Reem Allouche and Atika Latifi then go on to discuss the section of the Koran known as the Surah Nisa: 34 which states: “Men are (meant to be righteous and kind) guardians of women because God has favoured some more than others ... As for those (women) on whose part you fear ill-will and nasty conduct, admonish them (first), (next) leave them alone in beds (and last) beat or separate them (from you).”
A bizarre demonstration of how a husband may strike is wife then ensues, with Ms Latifi producing an object of similar size and shape to a pencil.
Ms Allouche then strikes Ms Latifi on the hand with the object, adding that the “hitting” must be done in a “managed way” with a short stick, a twisted scarf or a scrap of fabric. A twisted piece of fabric is then produced.
“It’s symbolic,” she says.
“And a beautiful blessing,” Ms Latifi adds.
“Striking should be done in such a way as not to cause harm or pain.”
The comments have drawn the ire of Commissioner Fuller, who headed NSW Police’s domestic violence unit before his promotion last month.
“At a time when police are determined to break the cycle of domestic violence, it is disturbing to think there are people who will condone it,” he said.
“Men need to take responsibility and not receive encouragement to behave violently.”
The women in the video go on to agree that physical discipline is sometimes necessary to “promote tranquillity” in the family home.
After first “counselling” his wife, then refusing to sleep with her if his advice is not taken, a husband may beat his wife is she continues to “commit sin”. Sins include disrespecting Allah by “disobedience to the husband, immoral acts or cheating, admitting anyone to the home that the husband doesn’t like”, Ms Latifi explains.
The video has also attracted criticism from Labor MP Ed Husic, the first Muslim member of federal parliament.
“It’s not acceptable in any form to strike anyone, either between husband and wife or anywhere,” Mr Husic told the Australian “Violence is not an answer or acceptable outcome whatsoever and I believe they are right to describe it as thus.”
Minister for Women Michaelia Cash took to Twitter, saying “Domestic violence is abuse, plain and simple, not “a beautiful blessing”.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tanya Plibersek, tweeted: “Violence and control – never okay.
No excuses. Always a crime.”
Violence and control – never okay.
— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) 12 April 2017
No excuses.
Always a crime.https://t.co/yxCQbdwlU2
Domestic violence is abuse, plain and simple, not “a beautiful blessingâ€. Govt condemns video of Women of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia #auspol
— Michaelia Cash (@SenatorCash) 13 April 2017
Labor MP Ed Husic has condemned the video. Picture: Mick Tsikas
In February prominent Muslim leader Keysar Trad was forced to apologise after he said in an ABC TV interview that Muslim husbands should only beat their wives as a “last resort”.
Flowers, chocolates or a dinner date should come first, he said.
Mr Trad, the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, later issued an apology, saying: “I categorically condemn all forms of violence, especially violence against women.”
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