POLICE are being advised to treat Muslim domestic violence cases differently out of respect for Islamic traditions and habits. Officers are also being urged to work with Muslim leaders, who will try to keep the families together.  Women's groups are concerned the politically correct policing could give comfort to wife bashers and keep their victims in a cycle of violence.
| Thank you for that statement of the obvious... |
The instructions come in a religious diversity handbook given to Victorian police officers that also recommends special treatment for suspects of Aboriginal, Hindu and Buddhist background.
| At least Hindoos get special treatment, too. Suttee is back, I take it? |
Some police officers have claimed the directives hinder enforcing the law equally.
| Government of laws=equal enforcement; government of men=everybody gets different enforcement. Government of laws works, government of men doesn't work. Period. |
Police are told: "In incidents such as domestic violence, police need to have an understanding of the traditions, ways of life and habits of Muslims."
| "Traditions might include the old man throwing acid in the woman's face, lopping off her nose and/or upper lip, or simply killing her. No concern of ours. They don't feel pain like we do." |
They are told it would be appreciated in cases of domestic violence if police consult the local Muslim religious leader who will work against "fragmenting the family unit".
"I'm leaving you, Mahmoud! You're a brute!"
"The imam sez you ain't leaving and that I'm just devout! Now, where the hell's my acid?" |
Islamic Women's Welfare Council head Joumanah El Matrah called the guidelines appalling and dangerous.
| She also could have called them stoopid, patronizing, and several other things that are accurate if not complimentary... |
"The implication is one needs to be more tolerant of violence against Muslim women but they should be entitled to the same protection," Ms El Matrah said.
| Maybe more, since the men of the house seem to be incapable of controlling their violent impulses... |
"Police should not be advising other officers to follow those sorts of protocols. It can only lead to harm."
| The Injun part of my background has a tradition of trading ponies for a bride. So I guess it's okay if I steal Mr. Police Chief's car to court Patti Ann Browne? |
Ms El Matrah said Muslim leaders should be brought into domestic violence investigations only if requested by the abused woman.
| In other words, don't start from the assumption the holy man's in charge. |
The guide also advises officers not to hold interviews with Aboriginal suspects or set court hearings during Aboriginal ceremonies involving "initiation, birth, death, burials, mourning periods, women's meetings and cultural ceremonies in general".
| All that involves is minor rearrangement of the calendar. What if the Aboriginal's beating up on the old lady, though? Does the local medicine man or whatever get invited in? |
They are told to interview Baha'i suspects only after sunset in the fasting month. And they are cautioned that when a Sikh is reading the Sikh Holy Script -- a process that normally takes 50 hours -- "he should not be disturbed". The 50,000 handbooks instruct police to take shoes off before entering Buddhist and Hindu houses and mosques, and remove hats before entering or searching churches. They are warned that taking photos or samples from Aboriginal suspects could raise fears they could be used for sorcery and spiritual mischief.
| Everybody seems to get a niggling little nod and reminders of good manners, except for the Moose limbs, who get to be ruled by their local caliphate. |
Australasian Police Multicultural Advisory Bureau head Gerard Daniells, who created the 82-page full-colour handbook, said common sense would prevail over the guide in an emergency. Mr Daniells said the next edition would include Maori spiritual beliefs and practices.
| But what about the Esquimeaux? Don't they get a chapter? And Samoans. And the Frenchies. What happens when the Aussie cops need to break up a dispute among Apache dancers? And who the hell knows what rules should apply to Lapplanders in their interminable disputes over reindeer ownership? And I don't see anything about Veps or Mongols or Kazakhs... |
The glossy guides would have cost at least $300,000 to produce, a printing industry expert said.
| Money well spent. Otherwise, it could have bought 30,000 cases of beer, and you know how the Moose limbs feel about that... |
Police Association secretary Paul Mullet said members had an appreciation of different cultures but their overriding concern was for safety of the community. |