Domestic violence is more common in Muslim households because men think they have a “God-given right” to beat up their wives, according to a leading female Muslim medic.
Fatima Husain, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, has told how she sees Muslim women coming for treatment with strangle marks around their necks and bruises on their pregnant bumps.
She also claimed that problems develop because many followers of Islam are fearful of discussing sex, contraception and infertility.
Dr Husain, who works at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals in Berkshire, told the Muslim News that many women ask to be referred to her specialist clinics because she is a hijab-wearing Muslim, allowing her to discover the true scale of domestic violence in her religious community.
She said: “I’ve seen injuries on some of my patients that I wouldn’t dream would happen to pregnant women.
“I’ve seen strangle marks, finger marks on their necks and bruises on their pregnant abdomens.
“Domestic violence is supposedly equally divided amongst the various groups but I get the impression it is more common in Muslims.
“Some Muslim men think they have a God-given right to be physically violent to their spouses. I see the result of all this when they are admitted as my patients.”
Dr Husain went on: “I feel that it is important to talk about issues that are often avoided, especially by Muslims. These often cover areas to do with advanced fertility treatments, contraception issues and psychosexual problems.
“Unfortunately, many misconceptions have developed as a result of a lack of accurate medical information as well as the religious perspective.”
The mother-of-two grew up in Brighton before studying at King’s College London, and her career took off when she got a job at the IVF clinic at Guy’s Hospital.
She said that she is finally starting to see an increase in the number of Muslim couples seeking fertility treatment, despite the stigma it has had among the devout, and added: “I always say a small prayer before I carry out the treatment.”