The Druze Sheikh Akl, Sami Abi el-Mona. Photo ANI
BEIRUT — About ten days after controversial statements by Druze leader Sheikh Akl Sami Abi al-Mona, claiming that domestic violence could in some cases have a "positive" impact, his press office attempted Friday to defuse the situation, clarifying that he was referring to "positive violence" that can produce "educational results" when it takes the form of a "reasonable pedagogical sanction."
"Positive violence can lead to educational results when it takes the form of a reasonable pedagogical sanction. This was in no way an endorsement of physical violence or humiliation, but rather a reference to an effective educational sanction, entirely opposed to the concept of 'negative violence,' which produces harmful and catastrophic results and which we reject," explained the press office of the highest religious authority in Lebanon's Druze community in a statement.
"The expression 'positive violence' may be understood differently than its intended meaning ... which led some to dwell on this point without putting it in the context of the idea presented, which rejects violence itself and in general, whether positive or negative," the statement continued.
During a conference dedicated to family affairs courts in the Arab world, Mona had stated that "in general, domestic violence is discussed only from the perspective of physical and moral violence, which, in some cases, could sometimes be positive." His position quickly sparked outraged reactions on social media at the start of the week.
The Druze religious dignitary also addressed the issue of equality within couples, questioning whether "logic and family duty do not require us to be wary of the dangers of absolute freedom, which demands that we establish a balance between the mission of motherhood and the professional life" of women.
"How far can women's demands for rights and equality in the workplace or politics go, as well as for equality of rights and duties between the sexes?" he asked. The press office also recalled that Mona had subsequently clarified his position by reaffirming "his respect for the role of women and their value in society."
