Sharia courts in Britain lock women into 'marital captivity'

[josephpalazzo]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sharia-courts-in-britain-lock-women-into-marital-captivity-study-says-a6761141.html

Sharia courts in Britain are locking women into “marital captivity” and doing nothing to officially report domestic violence, according to an academic who gained unprecedented access to Islamic divorce hearings.
Judges at the courts “uphold the theory and practice of the strong hold men have over women”, and set out to frustrate women whose husbands do not want them to leave, according to the study seen by The Independent.
The findings, which are to be unveiled in the Houses of Parliament next month, are based on the most detailed and informed analysis of the workings of British sharia courts ever undertaken by an independent researcher.
Machteld Zee, a legal scholar at Leiden University in the Netherlands, secured extraordinary access to the secretive courts, attending 15 hours of hearings at the Islamic Sharia Council in Leyton, east London, and the Birmingham Central Mosque Sharia. She was able to scrutinise more than a dozen cases, and interview an array of sharia experts including nine qadis â€" Islamic judges.
“There are, in fact, two separate legal orders functioning [in the UK], of which one currently operates in the ‘shadow of the law’,” she concludes.
During research for her book Choosing Sharia? Multiculturalism, Islamic Fundamentalism and British Sharia Councils, she reportedly saw:

   
• A case where a woman who claimed to be married to a physically and verbally abusive man is told by a “laughing” judge: “Why did you marry such a person?”
• A woman “ready to burst into tears” is sent away without an answer after saying that her husband took out a loan in her name on the day they married and is denying her a divorce until she gives him £10,000.
• A married couple asking for advice on whether the woman had been religiously divorced from her former husband were told “the secular divorce counts as nothing”.

The Islamic Sharia Council in London strongly disputes the findings in the book.
But the findings will reignite the debate about the rise of sharia in the UK. Sharia courts â€" or councils as they are known â€" cannot overrule regular courts, but are responsible for issuing Islamic divorce certificates and giving advice on other aspects of religious law. Research has suggested there are around 30 such councils active in the UK.

[Munch]

I just can't make sense of the system going on here, why sharia is allowed to carry on in this country, allowed to dodge the laws set in place in this land and having these barbaric laws overriding what it should not be allowed to do.

According to several articles, the sharia councils are only allowed to govern people of their religion, but are not allowed to bypass the laws set here. Yet cases like the ones mentioned here are clearly a direct violation of those laws.

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5512/sharia-courts-muslim-women

[Baruch]

Captive divorcees occur in Judaism.  A civil court grants the divorce, but the religious court does not ... the husband has to agree to make it legit.  So civilly divorced Jewish women are unable to remarry to Jewish men.

[aitm]

So civilly divorced Jewish women are unable to remarry to Jewish men.

Then I guess jewish women like muslim, deserve the shit hole they allow themselves to be in eh?

[Hijiri Byakuren]

Then I guess jewish women like muslim, deserve the shit hole they allow themselves to be in eh?

If you're raised in a certain environment, you may not think to question it until you're already in too deep. You are essentially blaming the victim.

[aitm]

If you're raised in a certain environment, you may not think to question it until you're already in too deep. You are essentially blaming the victim.

Then indeed, all humanity deserves their just deserts eh?

[Baruch]

Then I guess jewish women like muslim, deserve the shit hole they allow themselves to be in eh?

Most people regret their marriage part of the time.  Is your marriage perfect?

[Baruch]

Then indeed, all humanity deserves their just deserts eh?

But we deserve damnation of some sort ... so you can enter the mouth of Hell first, and call back to me to tell me how hot it is ;-)

[aitm]

Even slaves have a choice. To continue as a slave or to be free in death. A bit dramatic indeed, so I guess life as a slave must still hold some hope for the future. But even slaves given a chance to escape would most likely try. But to say, "I will stay because I have no choice" is not a choice, it is apathy. If one has to marry whacky jews or crazy muslims in order to be taken care of, I would think one makes the decision that no other choice is available. Perhaps there isn't but I suggest there is always at least one more alternative.

[CloneKai]

Even slaves have a choice. To continue as a slave or to be free in death. A bit dramatic indeed, so I guess life as a slave must still hold some hope for the future. But even slaves given a chance to escape would most likely try. But to say, "I will stay because I have no choice" is not a choice, it is apathy. If one has to marry whacky jews or crazy muslims in order to be taken care of, I would think one makes the decision that no other choice is available. Perhaps there isn't but I suggest there is always at least one more alternative.

gambling isn't strong suite for many.
people feel secure in what they know rather than the unknown.
running from a stupid marriage and ending in a gutter isn't an option for many people.

[Baruch]

gambling isn't strong suite for many.
people feel secure in what they know rather than the unknown.
running from a stupid marriage and ending in a gutter isn't an option for many people.

The problems from ending a marriage, usually are gender specific, particularly in non-Western countries.  In Western countries the ex-wife usually has the advantage ... though it isn't a piece of cake for her.  The ability of an ex-wife to sustain herself outside the West, is minimal.  Sometimes not even her birth family will take her in.

[josephpalazzo]

I just can't make sense of the system going on here, why sharia is allowed to carry on in this country, allowed to dodge the laws set in place in this land and having these barbaric laws overriding what it should not be allowed to do.

According to several articles, the sharia councils are only allowed to govern people of their religion, but are not allowed to bypass the laws set here. Yet cases like the ones mentioned here are clearly a direct violation of those laws.

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5512/sharia-courts-muslim-women

What these women need are woman's shelters where they can be protected from the abuse of their husbands. Otherwise, they are defenseless and nowhere to go, hence they will end up with no choice but to stay in an abused relationship. Now  why aren't the British politicians stepping up to provide the money and incentives to build these shelters is for someone in the UK to answer.

[Baruch]

What these women need are woman's shelters where they can be protected from the abuse of their husbands. Otherwise, they are defenseless and nowhere to go, hence they will end up with no choice but to stay in an abused relationship. Now  why aren't the British politicians stepping up to provide the money and incentives to build these shelters is for someone in the UK to answer.

Taking care of the peasants ... in the UK ... is communism ... and communism must be dismantled!  I listen to British commentary all the time.  So don't expect shelters for displaced women anywhere in Five Eye territory.  But as far as the Third World, this won't be available anyway.  Actually what we need is genetically modified Amazon women, who will kill their husbands, if they step out of line ... bwahaha.

[Baruch]

Even slaves have a choice. To continue as a slave or to be free in death. A bit dramatic indeed, so I guess life as a slave must still hold some hope for the future. But even slaves given a chance to escape would most likely try. But to say, "I will stay because I have no choice" is not a choice, it is apathy. If one has to marry whacky jews or crazy muslims in order to be taken care of, I would think one makes the decision that no other choice is available. Perhaps there isn't but I suggest there is always at least one more alternative.

Slave mastering much?  You need some enslavement perhaps?