Abused: Surviving Domestic Violence in Jordan
"Abused" hears about rape at the hands of family members; the struggle of a woman to escape the control of her father; and the fear of revenge when a woman leaves her husband.
Jordan has led the way in the Arab world in legislating to protect women from domestic abuse, but as this film shows, changing the law doesn't always change behaviour. With remarkable access to abused women, to those who work with them, and even to some of the men who continue to believe hitting women is acceptable, "Abused" goes behind the usually closed doors where domestic violence takes place. Rarely have Arab women spoken so openly about their terror and vulnerability in the face of what remains a deeply patriarchal culture and society.
With unique access to the Family Protection Department of the Jordanian police, the film questions whether public policy that makes a priority of keeping families together, doesn't leave many women trapped in abusive relationships. At the same time, 82% of Jordanian women are unemployed, so if they do escape such situations, what chances do they have of surviving on their own?
The film includes groups of women, and also a group of men, openly discussing the rights of women both under civil and sharia law, and whether violence is genetic or environmental. They're also asked to consider what levels of abuse they consider normal.
"Abused" hears about rape at the hands of family members; the struggle of a 30-year-old woman to escape the control of her father; and the fear of revenge as experienced by a woman when she manages to leave her husband. The stories are dark, but the bravery of the women who talk shines through.
