4th Annual Religious Peace Conference

international | miscellaneous | event notice Sunday April 20, 2008 03:39 by Sheikh Prof. Shaheed Satardien - Interfaith Roundtable

Violence Against Women - Responses and Responsibilities

It is self-evident, both in historical and contemporary times that human beings sometimes resort to violence as a solution
to a problem, perceived or otherwise. This stretches from the macro to the micro. The violence of international conflict
over a border dispute with civilian collateral damage could be regarded as a severely amplified version of a domestic dispute
with a bruised woman outcome.

It is self-evident, both in historical and contemporary times that human beings sometimes resort to violence as a solution
to a problem, perceived or otherwise. This stretches from the macro to the micro. The violence of international conflict
over a border dispute with civilian collateral damage could be regarded as a severely amplified version of a domestic dispute
with a bruised woman outcome.

In both hypothetical cases there was a problem, and the "solution" to that problem was violence, whether the solution was
analysed at length or as a split-second reaction.

On a macro level men are far more likely to be subject to "extreme prejudice" violence than women. The "might is right"
doctrine is most visible at this level. The enemy is a problem and the problem can be removed by catastrophic force.
However it is at the micro level of personal relationships that the balance shifts completely; women inevitably wear the body
-bag and toe-tag in "extreme prejudice" family conflict.

Whilst there is some evidence to suggest that within a domestic relationship women may commit violence as often as men, the intensity of male violence in a relationship is generally far higher. The "might is right" solution when applied to women can usually only have one outcome. Recent high profile court cases make this abundantly clear.

The role that religion plays, and has played, in the perpetuation or facilitation of violence against women can be overplayed.
In many instances cultural norms exist, without scriptural sanction, which tolerate male violence against women. But there is
evidence of religious support for the subjugation of women, from which it is just a short step to the solution of violence as the maintenance of that subjugation.

From Witch burning to Widow immolation, from the Magdelene Laundries to Genital Mutilation, the role call of violence against women in which religion was a participant is not a short one.

The Inter-Faith Roundtable's 4th Annual Conference will address this issue from a secular and a religious perspective.

The conference will take place at The Castleknock Hotel, Dublin 15 on Saturday 7th June from 9.30am to 4.15pm.

Just some of the issues to be addressed will include:
In what ways are women deemed a problem to which violence is a solution?
In what ways are cultural mores weighted to facilitate force as a remedial action?
Are there ways in which women are complicit as targets for violence?
What part does religion play in facilitating female oppression?
What role does faith play in justifying violence against women?
The decline of the Alpha Male, the rise of retaliatory action.
Culture, faith and gender strait-jackets
Does religion propagate misogyny? And much, much more.

Sheikh Shaheed Satardien for the Inter-Faith Roundtable