Denying husbands sex is abuse – Malaysian Lawmaker

A Malaysian lawmaker came under fire Wednesday for saying that
women who deny their husbands sex were subjecting them to
“psychological and emotional abuse”.

Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh, a Muslim MP from the ruling
coalition, said during a parliamentary debate on domestic violence
that husbands often suffer emotional attacks rather than physical
abuse.

“Even though men are said to be physically stronger than women,
there are cases where wives hurt or abuse their husbands in an
extreme manner,” said the lawmaker, a member of the United Malays
National Organisation.

“Usually, it involves wives cursing their husbands — this is
emotional abuse. They insult their husbands and refuse his sexual
needs.

“All these are types of psychological and emotional abuse.”

Marina Mahathir, a prominent women’s rights activist, said the
lawmaker’s view was “based on ignorance”.

“Women have a right to say no to sex — this is an old notion
that when you marry a woman you own her body,” she told AFP. “It
does not work that way. It is ridiculous to say men are abused if
women say no to sex.”

The 58-year-old lawmaker, from Terengganu state in Malaysia’s
Muslim heartland, also said that denying a Muslim man the chance to
marry a second wife amounted to abuse.

It is legal for Muslim men in Malaysia to have many as four
wives. But they must obtain permission from an Islamic, or shariah,
court to marry more than one.

More than 60 percent of Malaysia’s population of over 30 million
are Muslim.

The MP made the comments Tuesday during a debate on amendments
to domestic violence legislation.

It is not the first time a lawmaker has sparked controversy with
comments about women — a member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition said
in April that girls as young as nine were “physically and
spiritually” ready for marriage.

A Malaysian lawmaker came under fire Wednesday for saying that
women who deny their husbands sex were subjecting them to
“psychological and emotional abuse”.

Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh, a Muslim MP from the ruling
coalition, said during a parliamentary debate on domestic violence
that husbands often suffer emotional attacks rather than physical
abuse.

“Even though men are said to be physically stronger than women,
there are cases where wives hurt or abuse their husbands in an
extreme manner,” said the lawmaker, a member of the United Malays
National Organisation.

“Usually, it involves wives cursing their husbands — this is
emotional abuse. They insult their husbands and refuse his sexual
needs.

“All these are types of psychological and emotional abuse.”

Marina Mahathir, a prominent women’s rights activist, said the
lawmaker’s view was “based on ignorance”.

“Women have a right to say no to sex — this is an old notion
that when you marry a woman you own her body,” she told AFP. “It
does not work that way. It is ridiculous to say men are abused if
women say no to sex.”

The 58-year-old lawmaker, from Terengganu state in Malaysia’s
Muslim heartland, also said that denying a Muslim man the chance to
marry a second wife amounted to abuse.

It is legal for Muslim men in Malaysia to have many as four
wives. But they must obtain permission from an Islamic, or shariah,
court to marry more than one.

More than 60 percent of Malaysia’s population of over 30 million
are Muslim.

The MP made the comments Tuesday during a debate on amendments
to domestic violence legislation.

It is not the first time a lawmaker has sparked controversy with
comments about women — a member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition said
in April that girls as young as nine were “physically and
spiritually” ready for marriage.