Turning religion around in defense of violence victims
Turning religion around in defense of violence victims
By Ati Nurbaiti
JAKARTA (JP): "Ibu Ana" was often abused by her husband. One
day she decided to share her suffering with her priest, who told
her to pray to God that He forgive her husband and give her
strength.
This continued until one day she came to the priest with a
bleeding face. Ana was taken aback when the priest said, "You
must have done something wrong to make him do that."
This story was told by Nunuk Murniati, a Catholic theologian
and chairwoman of Women's Solidarity, during a one-day seminar
last month on religion and violence.
Nunuk had handled Ana's case and told the forum that she, in
anger, "had asked one question of God."
"Why does a priest, assigned to lead his people ... do that?
Would the loving God also blame Ibu Ana for her husband beating
her?"
Ana's experience, Nunuk said, was just one of many similar
cases handled by a crisis center where she works.
Nunuk, a long-time activist based in Yogyakarta, along with
other speakers, discussed the phenomenon of misogyny in the
teachings of various religions: the hatred toward women as if
they were the source of the world's sin.
This, said Nunuk, "has become theological 'fact' and the basis
of (religious) teachings".
She gave several descriptions of religious texts portraying
biased attitudes against women.
Such discussions may be common among women activists, but this
was a "national seminar" featuring speakers of different faiths,
held by a new organization cofounded by First Lady Sinta Nuriyah
Rahman.
This new organization deals with a similar theme as that
reflected in the talks -- the determination to turn religious
institutions into sanctuaries for victims of violence.
Called the Puan Amal Hayati Association, it is a network of
women's Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren.
Although many pesantren disseminate a view of women in a
"subordinate" position, Sinta Nuriyah said they are nevertheless
the most strategic places to help victims of violence.
Trying to ensure women do not have to go through the same
experience as Ana has long been a concern among activists -- some
of whom have long questioned the seemingly quiet acceptance among
their mothers or other close female relatives who experienced
abuse at the hands of men.
The constraints of religious and cultural interpretations
remain; but the discourse is increasingly unpopular in the face
of the dangerous trend consuming so many embroiled in warfare
pitting "us" against "them" in the name of religion or any other
cause.
And domestic violence, one excess of religious and cultural
misinterpretations, continues.
Breaking through barriers, even religious taboos, has become a
necessity among those helping victims of violence.
In the case of domestic violence taboos include the
questioning of ingrained, dominant perceptions formed by culture
and religious interpretations. These dominant views also prevail
to the effect of silencing victims; therefore maintaining
different standards among the public in reacting to different
situations involving violence.
More men and women are now involved in efforts to reinterpret
culture and religion.
Husein Muhammad, another speaker at the seminar, urged a
critical look at statements in the Koran regarding discriminative
aspects of Arabic tradition, which he said existed before the
Prophet received the scriptures.
Although religious texts aim for "cultural transformation", he
said, "such goals cannot materialize instantly, given the
established religious, social, economic and political space" in
which the texts are introduced.
Such observation, he said, "should be the basis of our
methodology in realizing the aims of the Koran itself; equality
for humans and their freedom to make decisions free of threats".
Therefore attempts at change take the form of "evolutionary
reform" in Islam, Husein said.
Questioning culture and religion not only means speaking out
against authorities inside and outside the home who are mostly
men -- the father, husband, brothers, teachers, the kyai and
priests -- but also against mothers, aunts, grandmothers,
sisters, friends and neighbors.
State Minister of Women's Empowerment Khofifah Indar Parawansa
has introduced a program which addresses violence in the home, at
the work place and state violence. It addresses these problems
through a legal approach, public awareness and setting up the
necessary infrastructure.
A system of "one-stop" crisis centers with sensitive people at
all levels, from social workers, medical practitioners to the
police receiving complaints, is supposed to provide a friendlier
alternative to victims of domestic violence, who are often viewed
as being responsible for the violence.
The pattern of women being blamed for violence against them
was described by the representative of the United Nations Fund
for Population Activities, Nesim Tumkaya.
He said women were blamed for "not obeying the husband,
talking back, refusing sex, not having food ready on time,
failing to care for children or the home, questioning the man
about money or girlfriends or going somewhere without his
permission".
Only the conviction that their religions do not condone
violence has kept some women engaged for years in the examination
of religious teachings. They hope their daughters and
granddaughters will grow up in a safer, far less hostile
environment.