Pillar Centre and Wasit University Conducted an International Forum about Domestic Violence

Pillar Centre for Conflict Resolution, International Arbitration and Scientific Research – London held an international forum about: Domestic Violence, in cooperation with the Faculty of Education – Wasit University – Iraq. A huge number of researchers and people of interest, from many Arab and Western countries participated in the forum in order to shed light on the increasing of this societal phenomenon in many countries and regions worldwide and to search for solutions to reduce this spread phenomenon by benefiting from the experiences of many foreign and Arab countries.

Dr. Nermin Majid, the General Director of Pillar Centre, welcomed the attendance and spoke about the importance of raising this serious societal issue that has caused many societal crises. She pointed out that wars, poverty and unemployment are part of the causes of this phenomenon.

The chairperson of the session, Dr. Yasmine Eleyan, an expert in psychology, talked about the psychological aspects of the phenomenon of domestic violence. The expert in sociology Ms. Ghada Sabra indicated that women and children are the most vulnerable to the phenomenon of domestic violence, as they are the weakest category.

Dr. Ali Al-Khatib, Dean of the College of Basic Education at Wasit University, said that Domestic Violence has many causes, including customs, traditions, poverty and a misunderstanding of religion. He also thanked Pillar Centre for its interest in these psychological and social crises.

Irish human rights activist Susan Brin spoke about the phenomenon of domestic violence in Europe and the role of civil society institutions and the state in addressing this growing phenomenon in European countries. She indicated that this phenomenon, according to multiple studies, has increased in proportion after the spread of the Corona virus epidemic.

As for the Pakistani International Ambassador Ambreen Shah, she spoke about the multiple forms of domestic violence in Pakistan and that it is a dangerous phenomenon due to its widespread and lack of awareness and understanding of the nature and role of women, and that raising women’s awareness of their rights is a priority to address this phenomenon towards a state of education and awareness of women’s rights in Pakistan.

Dr. Ghassan Harb, Head of the Journalism Department at the Faculty of Mass Communication at Al-Aqsa University, pointed out about the beginnings of focusing on the term violence after the World War I and the development of this concept until it became a global phenomenon. He also talked about the role of visual media and video games in consolidating the idea of ​​violence in the human mind.

The forum was concluded by Professor Amal Al-Metwali from Mansoura University by clarifying the phenomenon of domestic violence and linking it to many scientific theories such as the theory of Circles of Silence and the views of the global thinker Charles Wright Mills. She also emphasised on the need to differentiate between limiting this phenomenon of violence and the concept of evaluation and guidance for members of society.