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Women subjected to abuse secretly seek aid from nearby clinics -- specialist

 By Maha Al-Barjas

KUWAIT, Nov 24 (KUNA) -- Many women suffering from abuse and trauma have been seeking aid and solace from medical clinics located in residential districts, favoring them for main medical centers and hospitals, a specialist revealed.
These clinics, located within proximity of residential districts, "have become a haven for women subjected to various types of abuse," said Dr. Aseel Omran Al-Sabri, a family medicine specialist who serves at Abdullah and Sharifa Al-Mehri medical center in Al-Assima (the capital), in an interview with KUNA.
Many women in distress seek help at these close clinics "for sake of secrecy," favoring them for the main medical centers, she said, also indicating that such treatment at these clinics are largely affordable. Some of them are admitted at pretext of suffering from fatigue or cold, but in fact, they confide in the doctors that they actually need solace, guidance aid to cope with psychological trauma and distress.
A large number of these women carry scars and bruises indicating that they have been victims of domestic violence, she said, noting that the trauma caused by verbal abuse is equally painful.
Such recurring, injurious rhetoric "renders the woman overwhelmed with sentiments of defeat and distress, and with time such suffering affects their academic performance, professional or social duties," Dr. Al-Sabri added, disclosing a situation that has long been kept behind curtains.
Records show that number of women seeking such psychological aid at these clinics in the residential districts is mounting. These clinics provide various forms of treatment and support, including anti-depressants for free.
Some women suffer from other forms of maltreatment, such as being deprived of job promotion, she said, also protesting that the political rights, attained by the Kuwaiti women, have actually remained largely insufficient.
Colonel Badr Al-Ghdouri of the Ministry of Interior's criminal department, said in remarks to KUNA that anti-women violence is a spreading global humanitarian phenomenon.
Judging from the cases he has been facing in his service, the colonel indicated that he had seen first hand great injustice inflicted upon wives due to polygamy, particularly in cases where the husband is short on financial resources. He cited other roots of parents' problems, such as deep gap in educational and social status as well women ignorance of their rights. He urged the media to seek to discourage promoting distorted images of relationships and called for more action to protect the women against violence. (end) mb.rk