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Women and violence

Violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide, in all socioeconomic classes and educational. Cutting across cultural and religious barriers, impeding the right of women to participate fully in society. Violence against women takes various ways disappointing, domestic violence and rape to child marriages and female circumcision. All are violations of basic human rights.

In a statement to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995, UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali said Violence against women is a universal problem that must be universally condemned. However, says the problem is growing.

The Secretary General noted that domestic violence is the only crop. Studies in 10 countries, he said, found that between 17 percent and 38 percent of women were physically assaulted by their partner.

The Programme of Action, the basic document of the Beijing Conference, the Governments have said "Violence against women constitutes a violation of human rights and an obstacle to achieving the goals of equality, development and peace. "

The work of the Special Commission Report

The issue of promoting the rights of women is linked to the United Nations since the founding of the Organization. However, the alarming dimensions overall female violence aimed not explicitly recognized by the international community until December 1993 when the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Until then, most governments tend to consider violence against women as essentially a private matter between individuals and not as a widespread problem of human rights requires intervention of the state. Given the alarming increase in the number of cases of violence against women in the world, the Human Rights Commission of Rights adopted resolution 1994/45 of 4 March 1994, which decided to appoint Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and its consequences.

Following these steps, the problem of violence against women has been drawing increasing political attention. The Special Rapporteur is mandated to collect and analyze comprehensive data and recommend measures to eliminate violence in all international, national and regional levels. The mandate is threefold:? To collect information on violence against women, its causes and consequences of such sources the governments of the treaty bodies, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, and to respond effectively to these information, to recommend measures and means, at national regional and international levels to eliminate violence against women, its causes and remedy its consequences; Work closely with other special rapporteurs, special representatives, working groups and independent experts Commission on Human Rights.

Incest, rape and domestic violence

Some women are victims violence before birth, when parents who are expecting a baby to abort their unborn daughters, hoping for the son instead. In other societies, girls are subjected to practices such as circumcision, leaving maimed and traumatized. In others, are forced to marry at an early age, before being physically, mentally or emotionally mature.

Women are victims of incest, rape and domestic violence that often lead to injury, disability or death. And rape is still used as a weapon of war, a strategy used to enslave and terrorize entire communities. Soldiers deliberately impregnate women from different ethnic groups and when it is too late for an abortion. The Programme of Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women declared that rape in armed conflict is a war crime – and could, in certain circumstances, be considered a genocide. Secretary General Boutros-Ghali told the Beijing Conference that women who are suffering today more directly the effects of war and conflict than ever before in history.

"There is a regrettable tendency to humiliation of woman organized, including the crime of mass rape," the Secretary General. "We will pressure for international action against the perpetrators legally organized violence against women in times of conflict. "

Report Preliminary in 1994 by the Special Rapporteur, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, has focused on three areas of interest where women are particularly Vulnerable
1. in the family (including domestic violence, traditional practices, infanticide);
2. in the community (including rape, sexual assault, violence is marketed as women, labor exploitation, migrant workers, etc.);
3. and State (Including violence against women in detention and violence against women in situations of armed conflict and against women refugees.)

The Programme of Action adopted at the Beijing Conference, violence against women and human rights of women are two of 12 areas of concern identified as the main obstacles to the advancement of women.

Commitments by Governments

Governments agreed to adopt and implement national legislation to end violence against women and to work actively to ratify all international agreements related to violence against women. They agreed that there should be shelters, legal services and other support for girls and women at risk and counseling and rehabilitation for perpetrators. Governments are also committed to take appropriate action on education to modify social and cultural patterns of men and women. And the platform calls on journalists to self-regulatory guidelines to identify materials violent, degrading or pornographic, while promoting non-stereotyped, balanced and diverse images of women.

Definition based on abuse of sex

The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women is the first international instrument on human rights exclusively and explicitly on violence against women. Affirms that the phenomenon violates and impairs or nullifies women's human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Declaration contains a definition of abuse based on sex, describing it as "any act of gender-based violence that results or is likely to cause physical, sexual or psychological suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. "

The definition is extended to Article 2 of the Declaration, which identifies three areas where violence often takes place:

1.Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of girls at home, violence associated with rape dowry, marriage, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;

2. Physical, sexual and psychological violence within the community, including rape, sexual abuse, harassment and sexual intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution;

3. The Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Action Foundation was held in Vienna

The importance of the issue of violence against women is stressed in the last decade by exploiting several meetings of experts sponsored by the United Nations to call attention the extent and severity of the problem.

In September 1992, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women created a group work force and has the mandate to elaborate a draft declaration on violence against women.

The following year, United Nations Commission for Human Rights in resolution 1993/46 of 3 March condemns all forms of violence and violations of human rights specifically target women. The World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in June 1993, paved the way to eliminate extensive violence against women. In the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Governments stated that the United Nations system and Member States should work to eliminate violence against women in public life and private, and all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation trafficking of women and gender bias in the administration of justice, and conflicts that arise between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain practices prejudices traditional or customary, cultural and religious extremism.

The document also states that "violations of human rights women in situations of armed conflict are violations of fundamental principles of human rights and humanitarian law "and that all violations of this type – including murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy – "need a very efficient
response. "

Forms of violence against women

Domestic violence

Violence against women in the family occurs in developed countries and developing countries. It has long been considered as a private matter by pedestrians – Including neighbors, community and government. But these private matters tend to become public tragedies.
In the U.S., a woman is beaten every 18 minutes. In fact, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury among women of childbearing age in the United States. Between 22 and 35 percent of women visiting emergency rooms are there for that reason. The highly publicized trial of OJ Simpson, the football player acquitted U.S. of murdering his ex-wife and a friend, helped to draw international media attention on the issue of domestic violence and domestic. In Peru, 70 percent of all crimes reported to police participation of women battered by their husbands. In Pakistan, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto defended a 35-year, two years who suffered severe burns on her husband in a domestic dispute.

"There is no excuse for this behavior, Prime Minister said after visiting victims in hospital. "My presence here is to send a message to all those who violate the teachings of Islam and challenge the country's laws with their inhumane treatment of women. It will not be tolerated. "According to the Commission on Human Rights Pakistan, in 400 cases of domestic violence reported in 1993 in the province of Punjab, nearly half ended with the death of his wife.

According to the report of the Special Rapporteur, many governments now recognize the importance of protecting victims of domestic violence and take measures to punish the guilty. The establishment of structures that enable staff to process cases of domestic violence and its consequences is an important step towards the elimination of violence against women in the family.

The report of the Special Rapporteur stresses the importance of adopting legislation which provides for the prosecution of offenders. He also stressed the importance of training and specialized law enforcement and medical legal professionals, and the creation of community support services for victims, including access to information and shelter.

Traditional practices

In many countries, women are victims of practices which violate their fundamental rights. Persistence the problem has much to do with the fact that most of these physically and psychologically harmful customs are deeply rooted in tradition and culture society.

FGM

According to the World Health, 85 million to 115 million girls and women in the population have experienced some form of female genital mutilation and suffer from its adverse effects health. Each year approximately two million girls undergo this procedure. Most live in Africa and Asia – but a growing number among immigrant families and refugees in Western Europe and North America. In fact, the practice was banned in some European countries. In France, a Malian was sentenced by a criminal court after her baby died of an infection related to circumcision. The procedure was done on the baby at home.

In Canada, the fear of being forced to undergo circumcision may be a ground for asylum. A woman has been Nigeria granted refugee status because she felt she could be prosecuted in their country of origin because of their refusal to impose genital mutilation of his daughter. It is now accepted that the best way to eliminate these practices through education campaigns that focus their dangerous health consequences. Several governments have been actively promoting such campaigns in their countries.

preference for boys

son preference affects women in many countries, particularly in Asia. Their consequences can be any of the fetal female infanticide or neglect of the girl of his brother in terms of basic needs such as nutrition, basic health and education. In China and India, some women choose to terminate their pregnancies when the girls are waiting, but their lead pregnancy to term while waiting children.

According to reports from India, genetic testing for the selection of Sex has become a booming business, especially in northern regions. Clinical detection of sex-Indian drew protests from women's groups after the appearance of advertisements that suggest it is better to spend $ 38 for terminating a female fetus to $ 3,800 later, her dowry. A study of amniocentesis procedures performed in a large Bombay hospital found that 95.5 percent of female fetuses identified as aborted, compared to a much smaller percentage of male fetuses. The issue of son preference is present in many other countries too. Ask how many children they had fathered, the United States the former boxing champion Muhammad Ali said in an interview: "A child and seven errors.

Violence linked to dowry and early marriage

In some countries, marriages are preceded by the payment of a dowry to those adopted by the family of the bride. The non-payment of dowry can lead violence.

In Bangladesh, a young bride whose dowry was considered too small has been disfigured after her husband threw acid on her face. In India, an average of five women a day are burned in dowry-related disputes – and many other cases are unreported. Early marriage, especially without the consent of the girl, is another form of violation of human rights. Early marriage followed multiple pregnancy can affect the health of women in life. The Special Rapporteur's report documented the destructive effects of marriage for girls under 18 years and urged governments to adopt the relevant legislation.

The violence in the community

Violation

The violation can occur anywhere, including in the family, where you can take the form of marital rape or incest. It occurs in the community, where a woman can fall prey to drug addicts. It also occurs in situations of conflict armed and in refugee camps.

In the U.S., national statistics indicate that a woman is raped every six minutes. In 1995, the case of a Brazilian runner raped and murdered in New York City Central Park has attracted international attention once again the problem. The incident occurred a few years after the assault of a corridor on the sensational case last victim – an American assault in the same area of the park – barely survived after her attackers left her for dead.

The relationship between the inhabitants of the island Okinawa Japanese and U.S. troops have been thrown into turmoil in 1995 after two Marines and a sailor was allegedly abducted and raped a girl of 12 years. The Special Rapporteur? S report highlights the importance of education to educate the public about the horrors of special rape, and sensitivity training for police and hospital staff who work with victims.

Sexual assault in marriage

In many countries, sexual assault by a husband his wife is not considered a crime: a wife should submit. It is therefore very difficult in practice for a woman to prove that sexual assault has occurred within that can demonstrate an injury serious. The report of the Special Rapporteur noted that the judgments of light on the sexual behavior
Assault send a wrong message to perpetrators and general public: that the sexual victimization of women is not important.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a growing concern for women. Employers abuse their power to demand sexual favors from colleagues wife or his subordinates, sometimes promising promotions and other forms of promotion or simply creating a work environment intolerable and hostile. Women who refuse to yield to sexual advances more often at risk of redundancy no degradation. But among women in recent years have been presented to denounce these practices – some have their cases before the courts.

In its report, the Special Rapporteur emphasized that the harassment sex is a form of sex discrimination. "Not only demeans women," says the report, but reinforces and reflects the idea of non-professionalism of the share of women workers, therefore, be regarded as less able to exercise their duties as their male colleagues. "

Prostitution and Traffic

Many women are forced into prostitution by their parents, husbands or boyfriends – or because of difficult economic and social conditions in which they occur. They are also lured into prostitution, sometimes by "brides" The agencies that promise to find a husband or a job in a foreign country. Consequently, they are often confined illegally in brothels in similar conditions of slavery in those who are physically abused and their passports withheld.

The Most trafficked women first have sex little indication what to expect. Usually get a very small percentage what the customer pays the pimp or brothel owner. Once you're trapped in the system there is virtually no way out, and are in a very vulnerable position. Since prostitution is illegal in many countries, it is difficult for prostitutes to come forward and seek protection if they are victims of rape or if you want to escape prostitution. Customers also are rarely the subject of criminal law.

In Thailand, prostitutes are complaining that the police often arrested and sent back to the brothels by the payment of a fine. Scope Trafficking in women and girls has reached alarming proportions, particularly in Asian countries.

Many women and girls are trafficked across borders, often with the complicity of border guards. In one incident, burned five young prostitutes in a brothel fire because they were chained to their beds. At the same time, sex tourism in developing countries are a well-organized industry in several European countries and other industrialized countries.

The Special Rapporteur called on governments to take measures to protect girls being recruited as prostitutes and oversight agencies recruitment.

Violence against women migrant workers

Migrant workers often leave their country better living conditions and better wages – but the real benefits accrue to the host country and country of origin.

For origin countries, money sent by migrant workers is an important source of foreign currency, while countries beneficiaries are able to find workers for jobs of low pay does not cover.

But migrant workers themselves are bad, and sometimes tragically. Many become virtual slaves, abused and raped by their employers.

In the Middle East and Persian Gulf region, about 1.2 million women, particularly in Asia, who work as domestic servants. According to independent human Group Human Rights Watch Middle East, migrant workers in Kuwait often beatings and sexual assaults at the hands of their employers.

Police is often of little help. In many cases, women who claim they were raped by their employers are returned to the employer – or even attacked in the police station. Working conditions are often terrible, and employers to warn women to avoid using their passports or identity documents. The report of the Special Rapporteur draws attention to the fact that there are many international instruments can be used to prevent abuses against migrant women and suggests measures to protect the human rights of migrant women.

Pornography
Another concern outlined in the report of the Special Rapporteur on pornography, which is a form of violence against women who "glorifies degradation and abuse Women and asserts its subordinate role as mere receptacles for male lust. "

Violence perpetrated or tolerated by States

Violence against women in custody

Violence against women by the same people who are supposed to protect – the members of law enforcement and criminal justice systems – is widespread.

Women are abused physically or verbally, but also suffer sexual and physical torture. According to Amnesty International, thousands of women are systematically raped prisoners in detention centers by police in the world. The report of the Special Rapporteur underscores the need for States to prosecute those accused of violence against women during their arrest and hold them accountable for their actions.

Violence against women in armed conflict situations

Rape has been widely used as a weapon when they arise armed conflict between different parties. It has been used in the world: in Chiapas, Mexico, Rwanda, Kuwait, Haiti, Colombia. Women and girls are often victims of rapes committed by soldiers from all sides of a conflict. These events take place especially to trample the dignity of victims. The rape has been used to strengthen the policy of ethnic cleansing in the war that was tearing the former Yugoslavia.

The so-called "women" Countries of comfort "- Girls who are colonized or occupied enslaved sex for Japanese soldiers during the Second World War – have dramatized the problem in a historical context. Many of these women are now coming forward and ask compensation for their suffering from the Japanese authorities. "Such a violation is the symbolic rape of the community, the destruction of the fundamental elements a society and culture – the ultimate humiliation of man enemy "the Special Rapporteur's report said. He stressed the need to hold perpetrators fully accountable.

Violence against women refugees and displaced

Women and children constitute the vast majority of refugee populations in the world and are particularly vulnerable to violence and exploitation. In refugee camps, who are raped and abused by military groups and immigration personnel, bandits, male refugees and rival ethnic groups. They are also forced into prostitution. In its report, the Special Rapporteur proposes the following measures are taken to protect the women and girls in refugee camps, improving security, the deployment of qualified women at all points of travel Refugee women's participation in the organizational structures of the camps and the persecution of government and military personnel responsible for violence against refugee women.

Legal measures to address violence against women

In recent years some countries have taken important steps towards the improvement of laws on violence against women. For example:
# In July 1991, Mexico has amended its rape law in several important ways. A provision was removed that allowed a man who rapes a minor to avoid prosecution if he agrees to marry him. Now, judges are required to issue a decision on access to abortion in five working days.

# On June 9, 1994, the Organization of American States adopted the Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, a new international instrument that recognizes all forms of violence based on gender as a violation of human rights. This convention provides an individual right of petition and the right of NGOs to file complaints with the Inter Human Rights.

# In Australia, a national committee on violence against women has been established to coordinate the development policies, legislation and law enforcement nationwide, as well as community education on violence against women.

# In 1991, the Canadian government announced a further period of four years against Domestic Violence Initiative aims to mobilize action community, strengthening the legal framework of Canada, create services on Indian reserves and Inuit communities, develop resources to help victims and apprehend criminals, and to provide housing for abused women and children.

# In Turkey, a ministry State for women was created whose main objectives are, among others, to promote women's rights and enhance their role in the areas economic, social, political and cultural. Legal measures have been taken towards the elimination of violence against women.

The creation of special courts to deal with violence is intended. Psychological treatment for battered women is also planned, with the creation shelters for women throughout the country. Specially trained female police officers could provide assistance to victims of violence. ? In Burkina Faso, a strong campaign by the government as well as television programs and radio in the unhealthy practice of genital mutilation has been launched to educate and educate the public about the dangerous consequences of this type of operation. "It creates a National Committee to fight against the division was founded in 1990 by the current head of state. Today, the practice of female genital mutilation has been eliminated in some villages in Burkina Faso. In others, there has been an incredible drop in the number of girls abducted that 10 percent of girls are abducted from 100 percent there are 10 year.

? Some countries have introduced police units specially trained to deal with domestic violence. In Brazil, police stations have been designated to handle specific issues of women, including domestic violence. These police stations are entirely by women.

Ensuring that laws are respected

These examples illustrate some of the national measures taken to eradicate violence against women. Combat and eliminate this scourge requires a greater and concerted action to protect women at local, national and internationally.

States have tended to be passive against violations of women's rights by private actors. Most laws do not protect victims or punish perpetrators. Adopt legislation to criminalize violence against women is an important means to redefine the limits of behavior acceptable.

States should ensure that national legislation, once adopted, will not be ignored. responsibility States are clearly marked Section 4 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, which provides that "States must demonstrate due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, suppression of acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons. "

Any approach to fight against violence must be Double, addressing the causes and treatment of its manifestations. Society in general, including judges and police, must be educated to change social attitudes and beliefs that encourage male violence.

Conclusion
The meaning gender and sexuality and the balance of power between women and men at all levels of society must be revised. Combating violence against women requires challenging the manner in which the roles and power relations are articulated in society. In many countries women have low status. They are considered as inferior beings and there is a strong belief that men are superior to them and even their owners. Changing people's attitudes towards women and attitudes will take some time – at least a generation, many believe, and perhaps more. However, awareness of the issue of violence against women, educate children and men to view women as valuable partners in life in the society development and implementation Peace is as important as taking legal measures to protect the human rights of women. It is also important to prevent the violence that has used non-violent means to resolve conflicts between all members of society. Breaking the cycle of violence requires collaboration and partnership action between government and non-actors, including educators, health officials, legislators, judges and media.

About the Author

Loveleen Kaur Chawla
MBA/NET qualified

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