Maltese Christian TV Show Offers Some Shocking Sexual Advice To Women
An obscure Christian TV programme has found itself in the line of fire of womens’ rights activists, after a clip of its presenter urging wives not to refuse their husbands sex went viral on Facebook.
The controversial programme was aired last July on Overcomers’ Voice, a Christian programme presented by Pauline Attard Abela and Pastor Jide Jetson from the Destiny International Christian Assembly in Gzira.
“Jesus doesn’t like it when people have sex outside of marriage, which is why it is so ugly to see married people commit adultery and why it is so important for husbands and wives to seek each other,” Attard Abela said at the end of the show. “I must here re-emphasise how important it is for women not to refuse their husbands [sex], so as to prevent them from looking at other women. Unfortunately, men need [sex] more than women do, but women must be there for their husbands so as to preserve the purity in their relationships.”
During the show, Attard Abela and Pastor Jide Jetson also state men have the absolute right to “help” their wives find clothes which suit their body type and which is of his preference more than hers.
Attard Abela also repeatedly claims the man rules the roost in the household and his wife should simply “help” him without stepping on his toes, using phrases such as “women should obey”, “the wife should know and keep her place” and “the woman should accept the fact that she is her husband’s helper.”
The Women for Women Facebook group, after obtaining over 1000 signatures in two days, reported the clip to the Broadcasting Authority, on grounds it breaches laws on gender equality and women’s rights.
“This episode breaches the rights of married women at a time when we are seeing a disturbing increase of domestic violence and sexual assault”
Women for Women
“You will, no doubt, be aware of the prevalent cases of marital rape, where the husband feels he is entitled to sexual intercourse, no matter what,” the complaint reads. “We therefore feel that what this particular episode of this programme is promoting is a breach of the rights of women within a marriage or relationship, at a time when we are seeing a disturbing increase of domestic violence and sexual assault.”
“While we obviously uphold the right for anyone to produce a religious programme and believe in the freedom of expression of one’s religious worship, when it comes to transmitting such messages, this goes diametrically opposite to the laws on gender equality and woman’s rights which are stipulated in Malta.”
The Network of Young Women Leaders is demanding action over the video clip
The Network of Young Women Leaders, a new local NGO, also came out strongly against the video clip.
“Not only is [Attard Abela’s statement on adultery] victim-blaming of the worst kind, but it is also extremely disrespectful towards the person of the males ending out the message the male is incapable of controlling his sexual urges and/or thinking reasonably,” they said. “The audience is brainwashed into thinking that sex is something a woman owes to a man, therefore inciting sexual assault, domestic violence and marital rape. It is absolutely disgraceful to promote such heinous crimes in a time when their occurrences have abominably escalated.”
“We cannot stress enough how much we need to put an end to victim-blaming and to the antiquated idea that sex is something men do to women, or something women do for men. Once society finally accepts the notion that women like sex, we can begin shattering the stigma surrounding female sexuality, and this cannot even start to be overcome if our teenagers and younger generation grow up listening to female submission, sexual assault incitements and victim-blaming on our national media.”
Should such advice to women be banned from airing on TV? Let us know what you think in the comments’ section
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