The following is a Guest Post and may not be in line with the philosophy of Our Alter Ego. I just wanted to give people the opportunity I always thirsted for but never got, which is a platform for expression. I hope you appreciate the endeavours.
Be Light,
Much Love,
Iam Aehr.
. . .
“Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women...”
Women are often in great danger in the place where they should be safest: within their families. For many, ‘home’ is where they face a regime of terror and violence at the hands of somebody close to them – somebody they should be able to trust. Those victimized suffer physically and psychologically. They are unable to make their own decisions, voice their own opinions or protect themselves for fear of further repercussions. Their human rights are denied and their lives are stolen from them by the ever-present threat of violence.
Violence against women is present in every country, cutting across boundaries of culture, class, education, income, ethnicity and age. Even though most societies proscribe violence against women, the reality is that violations against women’s human rights are often sanctioned under the garb of cultural practices and norms, or through misinterpretation of religious tenets. Moreover, when the violation takes place within the home, as is very often the case, the abuse is effectively condoned by the tacit silence and the passivity displayed by the state and the law-enforcing machinery.
Every day, women are beaten and sexually assaulted by husbands, fathers, and other family members.
All too often, violence against women in the family is considered a private matter and not treated by the authorities as a crime. However, all governments are responsible for protecting their citizens from abuse, whether committed by officials or by private individuals. If a state fails to prevent, investigate and punish acts of violence against women with sufficient diligence, then it shares responsibility for the abuses.
Violence in the family includes battering by intimate partners and others, sexual abuse of female children and young women, marital rape and traditional practices harmful to women.
Three in ten women worldwide have been punched, shoved, dragged, threatened with weapons, raped, or subjected to other violence from a current or former partner. Close to one in ten have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner. Of women who are murdered, more than one in three was killed by an intimate partner.
Violence against women and girls continues to have devastating and often dehumanizing consequences for millions of women and girls across the world. Yet, despite this, we too often assume that this violence, and the inequality which it is linked to, is somehow inevitable.
“These numbers should be a wake-up call. This is a problem that occurs in all regions and it’s unacceptably high”.
Schools must play their part in ending violence against women and girls;
Schools must play their part in ending violence against women and girls Schools are a microcosm of society in general. You have a chance when you are dealing with young people to change attitude. I think if you don’t take a stand over it you are basically colluding.
Educational settings are an important site of prevention where attitudes that condone VAWG and gender stereotypes can be challenged and positive attitudes towards gender equality and equal relationships can be fostered. There are significant long-term social and economic gains to be made by investing in prevention through education. However, schools and academies – key players in delivering prevention – are on the back-foot in responding to violence against women and girls with a weak response. This means they may not be meeting their legal obligations under child protection and equality law to provide safe environments and teach students about healthy, respectful and equal relationships.
Why do we need a long-term and targeted approach to prevent violence against women and girls?
There are several critical reasons why we need a long-term and targeted approach to prevent VAWG. Firstly, VAWG is widespread in the world affecting millions of women each year. Secondly, VAWG is a fundamental violation of human rights. Under international law, governments have obligations under international human rights law to exercise due diligence in the prevention of all forms of VAWG. Thirdly, violence bears significant costs at many levels: the profound and long-term impact on women’s health; the costs to public services and criminal justice services; and the costs of stunted ambitions and lost productivity.
Ways to reduce violence against women and girls
1. Provide women with access to legal representation and opportunities to pursue justice against perpetrators of violence through the formal legal system.
2. Promote gender equality in schools and widen access to education for girls. It has been proven time and time again that girls enrolled in school are less likely to be married early and become pregnant. If that weren’t reason enough, girls that obtain higher levels of education are more likely to find employment and become empowered as a result of their financial contributions to the family and community.
3. Bring greater attention to violence that is perpetrated by a partner or spouse. Stella Mukasa, Director of Gender Violence and Rights at ICRW, told the story of a woman who was forced by her husband to breast feed his dog’s litter. When she sought help from the community, her claim was ignored because abuse from a spouse was not considered to be a violation of a woman’s rights.
4. End forced early marriage and premature pregnancy, the leading cause of death of girls between 15 to 19 years of age. With more than 142 million girls expected to marry before they turn 18 over the next decade, programs like Apni Beti Apna Dhan (ABAD) (INDIA), which offer conditional cash transfers to incentivize families to delay their daughter’s marriages, will likely help reduce arranged marriages and allow girls to develop both physically and mentally before marriage and child-birth.
5. Revise marriage laws that are institutionally biased against women, particularly those that deny women custody over their children, inheritance, and land rights in cases of death, separation or divorce. The revised national constitution in Kenya is one example that has brought about unprecedented rights for women, including the right to oversee property-related transactions, manage family land and resources and retain a portion of land to live on and cultivate if widowed or divorced.
“Domestic violence causes far more pain than the visible marks of bruises and scars. It is devastating to be abused by someone that you love and think loves you in return.”
Take action to create a different world for women and girls, there is no life to be found in violence.
- Agesh Sooklall