Saudi Gazette report ABHA — A hospital in Asir province has taken a woman into its care after medical examinations revealed that she was suffering severe domestic abuse. The examinations revealed that she had sustained a broken left hand and bruises all over her body. The woman claimed her brother beat her. The 27-year-old told Al-Watan daily from Mahayil Asir General Hospital: “After I reached a dead end with my husband, I filed for a divorce and demanded that my two children remain in my custody and went back to live in my family's house. “My family and brother treated me badly especially after my father died 11 years ago. “The treatment became very bad after I got divorced three years ago. They were cursing at me and beating me up almost every day. “I tried to commit suicide many times but every time I failed.” The woman said the only reason her family did not kick her out of the house was because they were benefiting from the social insurance income she received. She said her handicapped sister was also receiving abuse all the time because she was divorced and had one daughter. Her brothers are refusing to allow her to get married so they will not lose the income she receives from social insurance, she said. Her third sister, however, could not handle the bad treatment and committed suicide at the age of 17, she claimed, adding that her brothers kept the incident a secret. She added: “My father left us inheritance but my brothers took it from us.” She said she and her younger brother got involved in a verbal fight last week. "He then beat me up so bad in front of my children. I felt so much pain and called the driver to take me to hospital. My family tried to prevent me from going but I forced my way out. “At the hospital I contacted the social protection department and they responded and kept me in the hospital pending further investigations.” Mueed Asiri, general manager of Mahayil Asir General, said the woman arrived at the hospital last week. He said: “We contacted the social protection department at the hospital and the social protection department at Asir Health Affairs. “They advised us not to discharge her from hospital until they got approval from Health Affairs first. Police was also contacted to investigate the incident.” Muhammad Hamami, head of the social protection department at Asir Health Affairs, said the woman filed a complaint against her brother. He said that they contacted police to protect the woman and her children, especially as the younger brother allegedly threatened to take away her children and give them to the father. He added that the hospital ordered the discharge of the woman but Asir Health Affairs postponed it until a secure and safe environment was first provided for her.
