Beyond the Bench: Exploring Divorced Women’s Emotional and Spiritual Journeys Through Custody Litigation in Islamic Courts
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Abstract
This study investigates the multifaceted emotional and spiritual experiences of divorced women undergoing child custody litigation in Indonesia’s Religious Courts. While prior legal scholarship has focused primarily on doctrinal interpretations and procedural justice, this research employs a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the human dimensions often overlooked by institutional systems.
Methodologically, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine divorced women, and data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).
The study reveals four key themes: (1) emotional marginalization within courtroom interactions, (2) asymmetric power dynamics that privilege male voices, (3) deep spiritual reliance as a source of psychological resilience, and (4) disillusionment with the disconnect between Islamic legal ideals and courtroom practices.
These findings demonstrate that custody litigation extends beyond legal procedures and becomes a deeply personal and transformative experience shaped by emotional hardship, spiritual strength, and struggles over maternal identity.
The study advocates for gender-sensitive reforms in Islamic family law that incorporate psychological insight and empathetic engagement. By centering women's lived experiences, it offers critical contributions to the discourse on justice, calling for a more holistic and humane adjudication framework within religious legal systems.
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