The God who hates women

Oppression of women under religious regimes.

By Ophelia Benson

Eve after the fall by Alexandre Cabanel.

T his summer more than a hundred

women in the Maldives were
sentenced to public flogging for
extramarital sex while about fifty men
received the same sentence. On July 5, an
eyewitnesses, for a successful conviction
to take place. This means that if a victim
reports sexual abuse but the perpetrator
denies it and there are no eyewitnesses,
the court can find the child guilty of
Mohammed Nasheed, is a liberal, but is
inhibited by his dependence on Islamist
coalition allies and by opponents who are
using a debate over sharia as a political
tool.
eighteen-year-old girl received hundred having consented to the sex. The state In April, Afghanistan’s president,
lashes in front of a jeering crowd of would then wait for the girl to turn Hamid Karzai, signed a new Shia
men. Local journalists reported that eighteen and then carry out the sentence Personal Status Law which regulates
the woman fainted after receiving the of public flogging, in effect, punishing marriage, divorce, and inheritance
lashes and required hospitalisation. She her for reporting the crime.” for the country’s Shia population. The
was pregnant at the time of sentencing, After a British journalist, Maryam law includes provisions that require a
and her punishment was deferred until Omidi, reported the incident in Minivan woman to ask permission to leave the
her child was born. The court ruled that News, there were demonstrations in house except on urgent business, a duty
the woman’s pregnancy was proof of her support of flogging. A letter to Minivan to make herself up or dress up for her
guilt, while the men involved in the case News accused it of trying “to tarnish sharia husband on demand, and a duty not to
were acquitted. law tirelessly in various indirect forms.” refuse sex when her husband wants it.
Maldives Dissent reported that the The letter writer explained, “Women Women in the Afghan parliament
woman was actually under-age when get pregnant and that’s the reality of complained that the law was rushed
the sex took place: “Sadly, this is not life. Women who fornicate are seen by through with the help of several
an isolated case. At least twenty-two the public, unlike men. Two parties are prominent Shia leaders. Many women’s
girls under eighteen years of age were involved, but women should know that rights activists who protested the
sentenced to public flogging, in 2006, naturally they are created differently. law received threats while their fears
for fornication or giving birth out of They get pregnant and consequently the were compounded by the killing of a
wedlock. Under Maldivian law child chances of receiving the due punishment prominent women’s rights campaigner
sexual abuse requires a confession by are higher.” and local councillor, Sitara Achakzai, the
the alleged abuser or testimony by four The president of the Maldives, week the law was signed.

36 September/october 2009 Independent World report

 In July, the law was amended and sent the crime committed, the irreparable
back to the parliament, with an added harm done to the innocent who is put to Religion dresses up power
clause allowing husbands to starve their death, as well as to the parents and the in robes and mitres, it
wives if they refuse to have sex. On July whole of society.”
27, it came into force through an official Religious journalist Karen Armstrong disguises force majeure as
gazette. “Karzai has made an unthinkable has written many books and articles the will of a male God.
deal to sell Afghan women out in return insisting that religion is centrally about
for the support of fundamentalists in compassion, but this is not the case. is no longer available for amendment
the August 20 election,” Human Rights Perhaps she means it ought to be, and or appeal. From that point of view, it
Watch noted in a statement. that certainly seems right. If you are does not matter whether contemporary
In Dublin, on May 20, the Ryan going to have religion, it ought to put human beings think the codes are good
Commission released its report on abuse compassion first. But wishing does not for human beings or not: it is not their
of children in industrial schools run by make it so, in the real world, religion affair, and they have no right and no
religious orders in Ireland, focusing on is centrally concerned with control, power to change things.
the period from 1936 to 1970. The report discipline, following rules – and harsh The God of the monotheistic religions
runs to thousands of pages in five volumes punishment. is male, which is not surprising, since it
and tells of systematic deprivation The usual response to that claim was males who created those religions.
and abuse – physical, intellectual and is that real religion, religion properly But the result is that even now, when it
emotional – that shocked Ireland to its understood, is about compassion, has finally dawned on much of humanity
core. and all the rule-enforcing and brutal that women are not naturally inferior
To take just one example, chapter chastisement is the product of or subordinate, many devout believers
seven in volume two, running more misunderstanding. But that won’t do – it continue to believe that women are and
than hundred pages, covers just is no good pretending the ideal is the real should be subject to a myriad of unequal
one institution, largely for girls: while the real is just confusion. Reality laws.
Saint Vincent’s Industrial School, is what real people really do, not what Religion dresses up power in robes
Goldenbridge. It has headings on physical they might do if only everyone were and mitres, it disguises force majeure as
abuse, corporal punishment, formal better and kinder. Some religions and the will of a male God. Men are doing
beatings on the landing (page after page denominations do put compassion first, what God wants them to do, and so are
of horror), punishment for bedwetting, and so do many believers, but that is not women. Women have narrow confined
climate of fear, discrimination, emotional enough to justify the claim that religion restricted lives and no right to their own
abuse, sexual abuse, neglect of children’s as such is primarily about compassion. will because that is what God ordained.
basic needs, making rosary beads for sale In any case, even if religion is partly The pill is sugared – and the door is
to a factory (arduous forced labour with or potentially about compassion, it has slammed shut.
harsh punishments for failure to meet a other features which make it dangerous This is interesting because religion
demanding quota) and much more. for subordinated groups. We are often is widely supposed to be centrally about
In other words, the report paints a reminded of Wilberforce and Martin compassion, justice, mercy – qualities
hideous, blood-chilling picture of settled, Luther King and Desmond Tutu – but not usually attributed to enforcing
official, routine cruelty endured by they came after many centuries of the subordination of the underdog.
already unhappy, lonely and traumatised Christian support for slavery and other It can be tempting to conclude that
children, mostly girls. forms of subordination. compassion and justice are simply labels
In March, news broke that a nine-year- The problem is that religious law attached to whatever religion does, to
old Brazilian girl had an abortion after is sacred law and as such is above mere make its votaries feel good, rather than
she had been raped and impregnated human needs and wishes. Attempts descriptions of reality.
with twins by her stepfather. The local to change laws and customs are often However that may be, the reality is
archbishop, José Cardoso Sobrinho, countered by claims that they were that religion is very often somewhere
declared that the girl’s mother and the ordained by God and that it is human on the scene when women are being
doctors who performed the abortion impertinence and blasphemy to attempt regulated, or punished, or deprived, or
were automatically excommunicated. to improve them. coerced. What would otherwise look
In July, the Vatican produced a That is the great difference between like stark bullying is very often made
document, published on page seven of secular law and religious commands. respectable and holy by a putative
L’Osservatore Romano which unequivocally Even secular legal instruments that religious law or aphorism or scriptural
confirmed automatic excommunication are designed to be partly immune quotation. �
for anyone involved in an abortion: from majority will, such as written
“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutions and universal declarations
constitutes a grave offence. The church of rights, are still known to be human
Ophelia Benson is an editorial advisor to
attaches the canonical penalty of agreements rather than donations from
Independent World Report and Editor of
excommunication to this crime against a deity. They are backed by reasons,
human life. The church does not thereby not revelations. Religious codes and butterfliesandwheels.com. Her latest book,
intend to restrict the scope of mercy. holy books, by contrast, are taken to coauthored with Jeremy Stangroom: Does
Rather, she makes clear the gravity of have been handed down by a deity who God Hate Women? (Continuum, 2009)

Independent World report September/october 2009 37