Iraqi Divorce Rates, Social Problems On Rise
Divorce rates have risen sharply in Iraq amid fears of violence and abuse against women, writes Ali Abel Sadah.
Official statistics on divorce rates in Iraq reveal the extent of social problems that undercut marriage ties, where women are often the main victims.
In 2012, Iraqi courts recorded an increase in divorce rates. The official website of the judicial council revealed that “the number of divorce cases had reached 5,380 by September.”
Some incidents of divorce go unrecorded in Iraqi courts, however, since some Iraqis opt to register their divorces with religious clerics through what are known as “Sharia” offices. Those who organize “Sharia” marriage contracts outside civil courts attest to having organized a large number of divorce papers over the past two years.
According to a cleric in the Shiite city of al-Kadhimiya in the center of Baghdad who spoke on condition of anonymity, divorce cases in 2012 have shot up by 40% compared to previous years.
