A government minister in Poland has been reprimanded for making critical remarks about the relationship between the Catholic Church and domestic violence.
The PAP news agency said Gender Equality Minister Magdalena Sroda had been reprimanded by Prime Minister Marek Belka for suggesting the patriarchal teachings of the Catholic Church were part of the problem of domestic violence against women in Poland.
Right wing parties have demanded Sroda's dismissal saying her comments were deeply insulting to believers in Poland.
Sroda herself said her remarks had been taken out of context and their subtlety had been eroded in translation. She made the remarks in English in a visit to Stockholm last week.
The uproar over Sroda's remarks highlights the deeply religious nature of Polish society.
Poland made a failed attempt earlier this year for a reference to God to be included in the new European Union constitution and many Poles hold traditional Catholic views on issues such as abortion and the sanctity of marriage.