Daily Star - MPs drafting domestic violence law: Moukheiber, October 20, 2011

BEIRUT: Metn MP Ghassan Moukheiber said Wednesday that religious figures who earlier opposed legislation that criminalizes domestic violence are beginning to change their stance.During a meeting with members of the Youth Shadow Government, Moukheiber said MPs were fine-tuning draft legislation that would outlaw domestic violence against women, “and have reached an agreement with religious figures who had initially opposed the draft law.”In June, Dar al-Fatwa rejected a draft law to protect women from domestic violence, calling it a Western norm that contradicted Islamic values.Moukheiber said MPs had agreed to establish a separate department and a hotline with the Internal Security Forces to reach out to women who report domestic violence.