Maurer School of Law: Indiana University Digital Repository @ Maurer Law Theses and Dissertations Student Scholarship 10-2015 Domestic Violence in Saudi Arabia Sahar Alhabdan Indiana University Maurer School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/etd Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Commons, and the Family Law Commons Recommended Citation Alhabdan, Sahar, "Domestic Violence in Saudi Arabia" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 27. https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/etd/27 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SAUDI ARABIA Sahar Alhabdan Submitted to the faculty of the Maurer School of Law in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Juridical Science Indiana University October 2015 Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "The most perfect man in his faith among the believers is the one whose behavior is most excellent; and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives." [At- Tirmidhi] ii iii v Dedication I would like to dedicate this work to my loving mother and father. I also would like to dedicate this work to my beloved husband, Abdulrahman and my lovely child Beisan for their support and encouragement. iv v Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to thank God for his grace he gave me in my life and for advancing me in my academic career. Second, it is my pleasure to acknowledge my deep sense of gratitude to my Committee Chair, Prof. Joseph L. Hoffmann for his valuable comments, support, patience, motivation, and for always having the time to help. I would like also to thank my dissertation committee members, Prof. Christiana Ochoa and Prof. Donald H. Gjerdingen, who gave me great guidance and comments on my dissertation. I would like also to extend my thanks to Prof. Lisa Farnsworth, Director of the Gradate Legal Studies Department of the Maurer Law School; Lesley E. Davis, Assistance Dean for International Programs; and Lara Gose, Graduate Student Services Coordinator, for giving me guidance and encouragement throughout my Master’s and SJD study at the Maurer School of Law. Last, but most importantly, I would like to thank my loving parents for giving me their support and encouragement throughout my whole life. My very special thanks go to my loving husband, Abdulrahman, for being extremely supportive throughout my study and for his inspiration, patience and encouragement. v v Abstract Family violence is a serious issue that affects women in Saudi Arabia. In response to cultural acceptance of violence between spouses in Saudi Arabia, the government issued its first law criminalizing domestic violence in 2013. The Protection from Abuse Act was proposed to improve protection for women and to punish the abusers, but several articles in the Act may reduce its effectiveness. Issuing laws prohibiting domestic violence cannot by itself protect women. Women should be protected under family law by preserving their rights to marry, divorce, obtain custody of children, and receive alimony. This dissertation will study the issue of domestic violence in Saudi Arabia. It will provide a clear understanding of domestic violence, women’s rights under Islam, and the source of law in Saudi Arabia. This dissertation will shed light on several problems in the Protection From Abuse Act and under family law and will provide ways for how to effectively improve the law. vi Table of Contents v Dedication .............................................................................................................. ii v Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ iii v Abstract ............................................................................................................... vi v Table of Contents ...................................................................................................v v Chapter one: o Introduction ................................................................................................1 o Goals ............................................................................................................3 o Research Roadmap ....................................................................................4 v Chapter two: What is Domestic Violence? ..........................................................6 o Introduction ...............................................................................................6 o Section One: Definition of Domestic Violence ........................................7 o Section Two: Types of Abuse ..................................................................11 • Other Forms of Abuse .............................................................12 o Section Three: Theory of Violence .........................................................14 o Conclusion ................................................................................................20 v Chapter Three: Domestic Violence and Women Rights in Islam ....................21 o Introduction ..............................................................................................21 o Section One: Women in pre-Islam .........................................................23 o Section Two: Women in Islam ................................................................27 • First: Women Rights Under Islam ..........................................27 • Second: Women and Marriage in Islam .................................33 § The Purpose of Marriage .................................33 § Marriage Requirements ....................................34 § Husband and Wife Rights ................................36 § Divorce .............................................................38 o Section Three: Islamic Perspective on Spousal Violence .....................40 vii • First: Common Conception .....................................................40 § The Concept of the Husband Authority ...........40 § The Concept of Wife Disobedience .................43 § Why Does Domestic Violence Still Prevail Despite Women Rights in Islam? ...................54 o Conclusion ................................................................................................57 v Chapter Four: The Legal System in Saudi Arabia ...........................................58 o Introduction ..............................................................................................58 o Section One: The Legal System in Saudi Arabia ..................................59 • The Source of Law ...................................................................59 § The Quran ........................................................60 § Sunnah (Tradition) ..........................................62 § Ijma (Consensus) ............................................63 § Qiyas (Analogy) ..............................................65 • Other Sources of Law in Saudi Arabia ....................................66 o Section Two: Judicial Authority .............................................................67 • Share’a Court ...........................................................................67 • The Board of Grievances .........................................................68 • Judicial Principle ......................................................................69 o Section Three: The Criminal Justice System in Saudi Arabia ............71 • The Individual Rights Under The Saudi Law of Criminal Procedure .................................................................................71 • The Crime Category .................................................................73 § The Concept of The Crime ..............................73 § Hodod Crime ....................................................74 § Qisas Crime ......................................................79 § Tazear Crime ....................................................81 • Tazear Crimes That have no Criminal Code ....................................................................82 • The Codified Tazear Crime .......................84 viii § The Protection From Abuse Act 2013 .............................84 o Section Four: Family Law .......................................................................86 o Conclusion ................................................................................................89 v Chapter Five: The Protection From Abuse Act ................................................90 o Introduction ..............................................................................................90 o Section One: How Court Were Dealing With Domestic Violence Cases Before The Issuance of the Protection from Abuse Act .......................92 o Section Two: The Issuance of Protection From Abuse Act 2013 .........95 § First: International and Local Calls ................95 § Second: The Law regarding Sexual Harassment ..........................................................................98 o Section Three: The Protection from Abuse Act 2013 .........................101 § First Problem: Title and Definition ..............101 § Second Problem: The Punishment ...............107