Social and Cultural Structures Generating Violence Against Married Yemeni Women: Sociological Study on a Sample from the Capital Secretariat (Amanat Al-Asimah)

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the social and cultural structures generating violence against married Yemeni women. To achieve this aim, the descriptive analytical approach was utilized to analyze the data and describe the phenomena both quantitatively and qualitatively, as it is the most appropriate method for such studies. Data were collected using appropriate tools, specifically a questionnaire form. The study was limited to a purposive sample of married women who have experienced violence, consisting of 81 individuals. The study reached to a set of findings, the most notable of which are: at a high level, families' reticence and reluctance to report cases of violence, weak legal awareness of women's rights and protection, and economic pressures as a factor increasing women's exposure to violence were identified as the most significant social structures contributing to violence against married Yemeni women. There has been a growth in physical violence against married women, particularly in the context of social and economic crises, followed by social pressures that compel married women to endure violence, and finally, women being exposed to verbal threats and psychological abuse, also at a high level. The study recommended fostering religious awareness among community members to reject the culture of violence against women and raising awareness of the dangers of certain harmful cultural legacies. It emphasized the marital relationship should be based on affection and mercy. Furthermore, the study called for the effective implementation and enforcement of laws protecting women from discrimination and violence, as well as the provision of legal mechanisms that ensure their protection without exposing them to any form of assault or abuse.