Since we've been discussing the role of the United States in fostering women's sexual and reproductive rights worldwide, I'm curious as to what others think the US should do about the new Shia Personal Status law in Afghanistan. As most of you no doubt know, the new law appears to legalize spousal rape, to require women to get their husband’s permission to leave the house, work or visit the doctor, and to grant child custody to fathers and grandfathers, a provision that will further entrap women in abusive situations. On Thursday the Associated Press quoted one provision stating that a woman is “bound to preen for her husband as and when he desires,” and that a husband has the right to sex with his wife every four nights. “Unless the wife is ill or has any kind of illness that intercourse could aggravate, the wife is bound to give a positive response to the sexual desires of her husband."