Smoking - Violence against Women
Smoking is considered to be among other forms of violence against women. That’s why a new anti-smoking legislation will be approved soon. The new legislation will provide a legal remedy that will force men or partners to quit smoking, because tobacco control advocates consider that second-hand smoke from cigarettes is a form of violence against women. The new law has two requirements: the first is that the partner intentionally exposed the woman to second-hand smoke, and the second is that the exposure caused her physical or psychological harm.
In extreme situations, if the partners refuse to stop the habit, the law provides a legal remedy that would threaten the partners with imprisonment of up to 12 years. Department of Social Welfare and Development Dulfie Shalim admitted that: "Often, domestic violence is attributed to excessive drinking or substance abuse, smoking hardly comes up as a factor in cases of violence against women."
Some women for only to avoid having fights with their partners who are addicted to smoking, some of them choose to endure second hand smoke even if they are aware of its ill effects, according to a study. Many women accept their partner who smoke only because they don’t know that second-hand smoking is harmful too. That’s why the tobacco control advocates said that they will inform the public of the hazards of smoking. Even the tobacco companies will be forced to print in the cigarette packages horrifying photos depicting the dangers of smoking on health.
The tobacco control advocates said they want women to be aware of the new legislation that allows them to seek legal remedies to stop their partners from smoking, even only during times that they are around.
