Abused husbands fill up Tunisian shelter

Tunisia's first shelter for abused men has already proved to be a big success, with some 120 men currently seeking refuge from their abusive wives within its walls.The founder of the shelter, Al-Arabi Ben Ali Al-Faytouri, said he decided to open the centre after he found himself roaming the streets at 2:00 a.m. on a freezing winter night after a heated argument with his wife back in 1977.

The shelter, which is located in the north of the capital overlooking the sea, opened its doors in July 2002.

Its first inhabitant was a 53 year old man who, after a fight with his wife, tried to stay with a friend at first, but the friend's wife wouldn't allow it.

Al-Faytouri, a rights activist, said he found the man sleeping in a train station, according to a report in the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat.The man stayed in the shelter for a week until he made peace with his wife. "A man is not totally safe in the shelter though…some wives chase their husbands here," Al-Faytouri said. "I try to deal with these situations wisely and I have managed to solve many problems.

Al-Faytouri says it's easy for a woman to go to her family or to the police when her husband abuses her, but men – especially those in Eastern societies – do not like to show their weakness. Most of the shelter's inmates are over 50. Al-Faytouri says the physical frailty that starts around this age makes it harder for men to deal with stress."The shelter is the place to keep his secrets and get the help he needs," the rights activist said, adding that most of 120 abused husbands are now his friends.