{"id":20880,"date":"2023-03-21T08:00:38","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T05:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/christian-womens-status-in-syrian-law\/"},"modified":"2023-03-30T17:43:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T14:43:27","slug":"christian-womens-status-in-syrian-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/en\/christian-womens-status-in-syrian-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Christian Women\u2019s Status in Syrian Law"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cIt took me four years to get a divorce although there were compelling reasons. The prolonged proceedings required by the spiritual court made me suffer a lot; my life was disrupted. I am not the only one, there are many women who lost or are losing years of their lives in vain in courtrooms.\u201d, Said Angela (a pseudonym), a Catholic Christian woman in her thirties residing in Damascus.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Angela described her suffering saying:<\/p>\n

\u201cI got married to a widower with two children. He and his son, who was only 15, used to always beat and insult me. Shortly after my marriage, my mother-in-law fell ill and moved to live with us. She was always complaining that I was not looking after her properly and was derelict in the household chores. Her allegations prompted my ex-husband to intensify his violence against me; he even forbade me to go to work and even to step out the door of the house. Moreover, my ex-husband refused to have children with me, ignoring my willingness to maternity. I never had any kind of care or attention during my marriage even in times of sickness. Once alone and sick, I made my irreversible decision to separate.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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Divorce procedures in spiritual courts usually take many years. The court starts the proceedings by notifying the two parties. Then it holds periodic interrogation sessions for the parties in the presence of eyewitnesses. Afterward, the judge attempts to reconcile the couple. Finally, the judge decides desertion, annulment of the marriage, or divorce, according to his own discretion.<\/p>\n

Divorce in Christianity<\/a> is governed by multiple and complex laws which differ from one sect to another. However, all Christian divorce laws ban unilateral divorce by the husband. The marriage can only be terminated by a decision from the spiritual court, upon the judge\u2019s (priest) discretion.<\/p>\n

There are instances in which priests exploit<\/a> divorce cases to extort the disputed parties and others in which the priests make unjust decisions for financial or personal reasons.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

Divorce can be difficult if the husband refuses. This is why proceedings in the case of Angela took a long time; there were appeals and cassations and the court sessions were held once every two months. However, the Church granted Angela the divorce upon the reason of her husband\u2019s refusal to have kids with her.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe judge did not consider all the violence I was subjected to. I fled the marital home with nothing and could not recover my jewelry, trousseau, or anything from the furniture and stuff I or my family had bought\u201d, Angela lamented.<\/p>\n