The First Story..
By: Ms. Samar Al-Jabra

We have always been accustomed to hearing conflicting opinions regarding the outcomes of marital disputes and their psychological, social, and moral impacts on the spouses and their families. However, perhaps the most controversial aspect of handling such cases is the perspective of society and its cultural system. Despite our serious and continuous efforts to reform this system in line with human rights, it unfortunately remains dominated by a patriarchal nature that still holds women accountable for the dissolution of marital life, leaving them as the weakest link.

This link has been honored by divine laws and legislations that affirm women's rights from childhood to old age. In Jordan, we possess a comprehensive legislative framework aimed at safeguarding women's dignity and lives, ensuring they obtain all their rights without injustice or abuse. However, the deeply entrenched beliefs in the minds of community members obstruct women from obtaining their rights and hinder their access to protection mechanisms. Consequently, we end up hearing about a domestic homicide where a woman falls victim simply because she was unable to defend herself—all due to the gap between the text of the law and its practical application.

Before you, I present a brief account of a sixty-year-old woman who suffered physical, psychological, and verbal abuse by her husband throughout her married life. Finding no support or backing from her family, she remained silent and endured until she exhausted all her energy. Fate then led her to seek our assistance, repeating in an exhausted voice: "I can no longer endure this. I loathe my married life, and there is no one to help me; my family has abandoned me, and no one supports me in taking any action."

After she explained her long-standing suffering, and following the necessary measures taken in cooperation with the Family Protection Department, a separation lawsuit (Tafreeq) was filed in the Sharia Court. The case dragged on for an entire year due to her husband's refusal to attend sessions and his repeated abuse in an attempt to deter her from pursuing the lawsuit.
Upon completion of all legal proceedings and when the verdict hearing date was scheduled, the woman was forced to give in under continuous pressure from her children, requesting to drop the lawsuit! Their justification was that her divorce from their father at an advanced age would bring shame upon them and create a stigma that would prevent them from facing society.

Their fear of stigma and social judgment was at the very top of their priorities, completely disregarding what their mother had endured throughout her marital life. Pressuring her deprived her of the right to end an impossible marriage and stripped her of the relief of achieving her goal after a year of struggle—a year she spent navigating court corridors out of a longing to live the remainder of her life in tranquility, stability, and peace. Yet, the final and decisive word belonged to custom and tradition!
And the stories continue...