A war started just over 20 years ago in Iraq. Although the country is now in its most stable period since then, it remains fragile. The impacts of conflict have left deep scars on society and the economy. Armed violence does still exist sporadically in the open, but war is still being fought on another, more hidden front. Inside the home.
In her report titled War Waged in the Home, Miriam Puttick (who works for Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights), talks about patterns of physical, emotional and sexual abuse against women and the dangers that grow exponentially within the house during and in the wake of violent conflicts outside of it.
It’s a devastating phenomenon that we see in many of the places where we work around the world as protracted situations of war normalise violence and help to strengthen traditional roles in society which often leave women more dependent on men and with fewer options for protection.
Puttick’s report references more than 33,000 cases of domestic violence* in Iraq in 2022 alone, but she suggests that the true number of cases is likely to be much higher as victims are unable to report the abuse or fear the consequences of doing so. In many instances, women who experience this type of abuse find themselves feeling isolated, forced to suffer in silence and afraid to seek help. In some cases it’s because none is available to them and in others because seeking the help marks them as a social outcast.
A local Tearfund partner in Iraq has been working to support women facing situations of domestic violence.
