INTRODUCTION:
Violence against women is a
grave and alarming situation in our society. It not only causes physical and
mental harm but also creates social and economic disabilities for the victims. Violence
against women is the unequal and unjust societal control, punishment, abuse and
subjugation of women through physical, sexual and verbal actions. Violence
against women is one of the most common forms of abuse, globally and in
different parts of the world. The prevalence of violence against women has been
recorded since ancient times. It is estimated that there are approximately one
billion incidents of physical or sexual violence against women every single
day. Women are at a higher risk of being the victims of sexual, physical and
psychological violence than men. It can be committed by individuals or groups
against the women.
Women's human rights are
violated when they are subjected to violence. Any individual on the pretext of
protecting or promoting national interests or public morality or for any other
reason other than safeguarding public interest, breeds fear and insecurity
among the members of minority groups, resulting in discrimination from members
of majority groups. Violations of women's human rights including their right to
life, liberty and personal security; freedom from torture and cruel; inhuman or
degrading treatment; right to health; freedom of movement, association and
expression. These can often amount to torture and ill-treatment are all
violations of the constitution. Violence against women is a crime that can not
be justified by any predefined notions of culture, customs or traditions.
Prevention of such acts should be an unyielding priority of the state.
Violence against women is the
result of large scale neglect of the issue by governments, social service
providers and many ordinary people who choose to be ignorant about it. Violence
against women has adverse effects on health and intellect of both men and
women. Violence against women encompasses a range of experiences and behaviors
from sexual assault to intimate partner violence. To be considered as violence
against women, acts must have occurred within the context of some form of power
imbalance between the perpetrator and victim. Examples of types of violence
include: physical, psychological and sexual abuse; stalking; rape; physical or
bodily harm resulting from sexual assault or rape; domestic abuse including
physical, psychological or emotional abuse; forced marriage. Violence against
women is a big problem around the world and unfortunately it's not getting any
better.
WHAT
IS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN?:
World Health Organization
defines violence against women as "violence committed by men or boys
physically, emotionally or sexually against women". It is a systematic
practice which involves gender based discrimination, exploitation and
domination of one gender over another. Attempts at fighting this menace have
always been made but are not yielding much. Violence against women can include
physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, stalking and battering. Violence
can also include sexual harassment, rape and sexual trafficking. Violence
against women is a pandemic affecting every region of the world. It can take
many forms, from physical abuse to emotional manipulation and control. It
happens everywhere, in every culture and faith, regardless of gender, age,
ethnicity or social class. Violence against women has many forms and can happen
within families, communities and society. It begins with the abuse of power and
authority over another person.
Women are often blamed for what
has happened to them, either out of jealousy or by those directly involved in
controlling their lives. This is a category of violence that is directed at
women because they are women or that has the potential to harm women. It does
not include sexual assault and other forms of sexual abuse. Violence against
women is a serious problem in our society. It ranges from verbal harassment to
physical attacks and rape. Women are the most affected by violence against
women because they are the ones who are primarily subjected to such forms of
abuse. They experience long term consequences including body and soul damage,
physical hardship, psychological trauma and even death. Violence against women
not only affects individuals but also their families, who end up living with
these scars for a long time.
ADVERSE
EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
The adverse effects of violence
against women include depression, anxiety and an increased risk of contracting
sexually transmitted infections. They include both physical and psychological
responses. The physical response leads to damaging or sometimes life long
effects on the body. The psychological response leads to mental illness,
depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and even suicide. Violence against
women can also lead to miscarriage, infant death and HIV / AIDS transmission. The
negative effects of violence against women include mental health issues such as
depression, anxiety and PTSD; physical health issues such as post-traumatic
stress disorder, physical injuries, sexually transmitted infection and
infertility; increased risk of domestic violence among children; increased risk
of intimate partner violence when they do not have access to education or
employment opportunities. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in
three women will be raped at some point in their lives.
CAUSES
OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
Violence against women is a
pervasive, systemic problem that exists in all societies across the globe. The
causes of violence against women are complex / interrelated and include
societal, cultural and legal influences as well as individual characteristics
that reflect power inequalities between men and women. While violence against
women is a global problem, there are many countries and communities that have
taken significant efforts in preventing it. Certain factors that lead to such
acts include gender based inequality, lack of education level and environment,
suppression of women and children etc. Ignoring the issue will not solve it. There
are many causes of violence against women that are at play in our culture. Violence
against women happens to one in four women during her life time.
The seriousness of this crime
demands attention and solution. As a citizen, you have the power to initiate
change. Violence against women happens because we do not take it seriously. If
a woman is being abused, it is important that we listen and show that we care
about her. World Health Organization estimates that in some countries, as many
as one-third of all women, who are married or living with a partner will
experience violence. This violence can occur in the family, at work and in the
community but women are far more likely to experience it than other groups. Violence
against women is a global epidemic that makes women, who are half of the
world's population, vulnerable and powerless, while boys and men, who are the
other half of the world's population, are too often not perpetrators.
Violence against women is a
complex issue with multiple causes: poverty, low levels of education, limited
access to resources such as healthcare and shelter, gender imbalance in
decision making power in government or households and societal norms that allow
violence to continue unchallenged and unpunished. Violence against women does
not discriminate; it impacts individuals from all regions, ethnicities, socioeconomic
backgrounds and sexual orientations. Violence against women is also an issue of
power and privilege: those who experience violence are more likely to be those
who experience discrimination based on gender. The way we view the perpetrator
and the victim also impacts the way we think about violence against women.
HOW
TO ERADICATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN?:
No one should be a victim of
violence. Learn how to get help and support, talk to family and friends, avoid
situations that may put you at risk and seek out community services. It is not
just your duty to say something when you see violence against women. This is a
societal problem and it needs strong actions from all of us. Violent crime
against women is a serious problem but it's not just womens' issue. Everyone
can play a role in ending violence against women, and these tips will help you
get started. Prevention strategies need to be developed to prevent women from
being victimised again by offenders, who have previously been punished for
their crimes. This pathway will involve changes in attitudes and behaviour,
increase awareness about the problem among individuals, communities, families
and society as a whole; create an environment where violence against women can
be stopped or at least reduced through legislation, education and social
mobilization campaigns so as to achieve measurable results towards attaining
gender equality in society.
Violence against women is a
serious global problem and it is necessary to take action in order to eradicate
it. Measures may be put in place to reduce violence by restricting alcohol
sales at night and during certain times of the day, increasing penalties for
those who commit crimes, changing social norms and values and education of
people. The key to eliminating violence against women lies in stopping it at
its onset. Violence against women is about power, control, access and
privilege; all too often it is exercised by those with access to resources and
power. Stereotypes about the characteristics of victims of violence are also
part of the problem. Minimizing stereotypes about the characteristics of
victims of violence can help in bringing down violence against women. It is
important to analyze the causes of violence against women and come up with
effective programmes to stop them.
In the past, violence against
women has been considered to be a private tragedy and something that happened
behind closed doors. However, in many societies this is not the case anymore.
Men are taking advantage of their power over women, using violence to maintain
control. The strength of men in society comes from being able to use violence
as a means of gaining status but at the same time there are many examples of
violence against women that go unnoticed and are never discussed on a
widespread level; therefore leaving the problem unaddressed. Everyone can play
a role in ending violence against women and these tips will help you get
started. Be kind, be compassionate and reach out to your parents as well as
friends. Ending violence against women takes commitment and effort. Don't judge
or blame victims of violence for what happened to them, instead support them in
whatever way you can. There's no place for violence against women.
