Shafaq News/The Kurdistan Men’s Union (KMU) reported a decrease in domestic violence casesagainst men in the Kurdistan Region in the first nine months of 2024, comparedto the same period last year, despite an uptick in family-related homicides.
Burhan AliFaraj, the union’s secretary, told Shafaq News Agency that this decline indomestic violence “reflects a growing awareness and willingness to report suchincidents.”
“FromJanuary to September 2024, we recorded 409 cases of domestic violence againstmen in Kurdistan, down from 470 cases during the same period last year,” Farajsaid.
However,Faraj noted a surge in family-related homicides, with 13 men killed this yearin connection with domestic disputes, up from six men last year.
On Friday,KMU also revealed that more than 120,000 divorce cases have been registeredover the past 13 years in the Kurdistan Region (KRI), warning that the risingdivorce rates threaten the "collapse" of society.
Faraj, toldShafaq News, "The Region has recorded 129,000 divorce cases between 2010and 2023,” highlighting “significant challenges to family stability.”
“Thissituation puts the Kurdish family at risk of collapse, exposing society togrowing challenges," he clarified.
Faraj alsocalled for the amendment of the Iraqi Personal Status Law that seeks to addressissues related to marriage, divorce, and child custody, “to reflect currentsocial changes,” expressing his “strong opposition to child marriages.”
About KMU
Headquarteredin Al-Sulaymaniyah, the Kurdistan Men’s Union operates as a civil societyorganization focused on men’s rights, providing legal and psychological supportfor men facing family issues.
The unionalso monitors the status of men in central and southern Iraq, where domesticviolence rates against men reportedly remain higher than in Kurdistan.