Women and Violence - Report Example

Women and Violence Introduction Based on many measures, it may be concluded that the status of women and girls has substantially improved over the last five decades. Women have now achieved higher rates of literacy and education, increased per capita income, and risen to prominent roles in professional and political spheres (Brown, 2006). Furthermore, women’s concerns have been successfully put to the global agenda and catalyzed the creation of legal and institutional mechanisms to address such concerns due to extensive local and national and global networks of women. Although substantial development can be proven by hard facts, there is still epidemic violence against women and girls which is perpetuated by social norms, religious dogmas and fanaticism, and exploitative economic and political conditions which continues to plague every corner of the world (Brown, 2006). Not only is it true that violence against women remains pervasive to date; it has also developed into many forms. For instance, one new form is pornography, and it is now occurring across national, cultural, racial and religious borders (Jahid, 2002). The ultimate challenge now is for the international community to create the social, material and structural conditions wherein women can develop their full potential, free from these social ills. The conditions mentioned above are not simple; rather, they are complex and interrelated. It does not only involve the premeditated attempts to change the legal, political and economic structures of society, but on an equal footing, it will also require the transformation of the individuals themselves, men and women alike, whose values contribute in different ways in sustaining exploitative patterns of behavior. Women and Violence In 1993, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against women offered the first formal definition of violence against women which is the act of gender based violence that results in, or has the probability to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, which includes threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, be it private or public (Kottegoda, 1997). Heise (1999) stated that gender based violence refers to many kinds of damaging behaviors targeted towards women and girls which includes physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse. This makes violence against women a situation arising from inequalities in sex and the social construct of gender. There are many perspectives with regards to looking at this issue. There is the historical perspective, cultural, sociological, economic etc. There are also many forms of violence directed to women, such as rape, domestic violence (marital rape, marital battering), early and forced marriages, dowry-related violence and honor crimes (honor killings) (WML, 1995). Many constitutions in the world prohibit discrimination based on sex, but the ugly truth is that there is a large gap between constitutional provisions and practice. Take Bangladesh girls for example, who are facing many barriers towards the realization of their human rights due to traditional and customary malpractices and patriarchal society which disenfranchise women from equal rights with men and the enjoyment of all their political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights (Lustig, 2001). In certain ways, women and girls are vulnerable to violence in the family, community and even the State, mostly because of their low status in all spheres of life. In predominantly Islamic Arabia, violence against women starts as early as women are still babies, in the form of female infanticide (MWL, 1995). The practice still exists even though Islam prohibits it. Rape also remains a common form of violence against women and like many other places, the woman, who is the victim is blamed for being raped. Islam looks at rape as a violent crime and therefore the perpetrator is morally and legally responsible. During the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, it was emphasized that there is a need to integrate womens’ human rights into the work of human rights treaty bodies. This was further reiterated in the Beijing Platform for Action adopted in 1995 by the Beijing Conference on Women. In the mentioned conference, it was stated that women who belong to minority groups and women in armed conflict situations are especially vulnerable to violence and that it was also emphasized that they often face multiple forms of discrimination (MWL, 1995). In racial issues, it is known that women and men are not always affected equally or in the same degree by racial discrimination and that there are forms of racial discrimination that may be directed towards women because of their gender (Budel, 2004). Budel (2004) further adds that victimes of racism, racial discrimination and xenophbia may suffer multiple or aggravated froms of discrimination based on other related grounds such as sex and he also noted that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance reveal themselves in a different manner for women and girls and can be a part of the factors which leads to worsening of their living conditions, poverty violence and the limitation, or at the extreme, denial of their human rights (Budel, 2004). With regards to the issue of domestic violence, a research has concluded that women from ethinic minorities are more likely to not be victims of domestic violence, however, in the cases where they became victimes, they are more likley to stay silent with regards to the issue. Asian women for instance (they are considered minorities outside Asia), domestic violence is extremely under-reported. Furthermore, it has been reported that they have a bigger probability to suffer abuse by multiple family members in the home, meaning, they suffer not just in their husband’s hand. Moreover, it is important to note that some of the extreme violent behaviors towards women on the part of family members is committed by another woman, in most cases, mother-in-laws (Denniyagala, 2002). Minority women, even in the industrialized states may continue to face discrimination or other barriers in accessing support services when they are victimes of domestic violence making them back to back victims, first of violence itself, and second, denial of necessary support (Denniyagala, 2002). For one, stereotypes of minority communities serve to normalize the violence, for example, there is the notion that Irish violence in the family is rooted from alcohol abuse or disbelieve the victim, an example of such is the notion that violence does not exist in the supportive networks of South Asian or Jewish communities. The examples given are just among the many. One problem for some ethnic minority women and immigrants in escaping violent home environments is the lack of English-speaking ability (or the inability to speak the native language of the place that they are in) (Heise, 1999). This makes them unable to read information about the services which they can use, such as shelters and hotlines. This is further aggravated by the fact the interpreters are rarely present at police stations and hospitals to assist these women. In the case of immigrant women who are victims of violence, they face barriers in accessing services. The first one is the lack of ability to speak the language of the country that they are in. Also, another serious problme is the illegal immigration status of these immigrants who often have no right to access these public funds. Another is the lack of resources, leaving them without a choice but stay within the abusive environment that they are in. They are thinking that they have nowhere else to go if they decided to leave (Heisse, 1999). Asian women are also probable victims of crimes committed in the name of honour when they defy the cultural norms regarding women’s sexuality. One is the existence of the so called honor killings which can be found in the Arab nations. For example, there was a case of a Bristish-born Pakistani girl which was married through force at the yough age of 16 to a way older man. She became pregnant when she was 19 but by her childhood sweetheart. Her family forced her to get an abortion. She refused and insisted that she divorce her old husband. Her family invited her to a dinner one night and her brother strangled her with his bare hands while her mother held her down to the floor, till she died (Heisse, 1999). Another case was when another Pakistani girl eloped with her boyfriend and her brother and uncle followed her to Paris and killed her. Honor killings are still practiced today, and only to women by the men in the family (Heisse, 1999). Jahid (2002) argues that a structural cause for the persisting violence is through the use of culture to legitimise it. Hence, one important step to take is to reject cultural excuses that are lamely used to justify which then perpetuates such violence. Without takingr this important step, no substantial development can be made, because even though international bodies such as the United Nations call for an end to violence against women, such still occurs on the basis that is is an everyday cultural norm. Having said that, the efforts of the interntational community to address the urgency of the issue that violence against women can be excused by reference culture, values, customs or religion is recognized. But how can people change the patterns that oe can find in many societies of accepting, excusing and tolerating violence against women (Shaheed, 2007). Before answering that question, one must first understand how culture is being interpreted and used to legitimize violence against women. Shaheed (2007) emphasizes the importance of the State’s condemnation of violence against women and that they should refrain from summoning any custom, tradition or religious consideration to steer clear from their obligations with respect to its elimination. Cultural justifications for restricting women’s human rights have been asserted by some States and by social groups inside many countries which they mascarade as a necessary step to defend cultural tradition. Such statements are stated by political leaders and absolutely not from those victims themselves (Shaheed, 2007). In theory, states should and must treat all kinds of violence against women and girls as a criminal offense (at the least) making it punishable by law. But then, in reality, as shown and argued by Jahid (2002) that instead if treating such as a criminal offense what one can see is a culture of impunity that willingly accepts violence against women, either explicitly or otherwise, which then perpetuates such violence, the effect therefore becomes mechanism of control. As to the State, when it fails to hold those who are responsible to be accountable, it intensifies the subordination and powerlessness of the targets of the violence and at the same time, it also sends a message to society that male violence against women is both acceptable and inevitable (Denniyagala, 1992). This then results to the normalcy of the patterns of violent behaviour. Those that were mentioned earlier shows that there is really an escalating international awareness of the need to stop the use of culture to legitimise and justify and perpetuate violence against women. Conclusion If a state or community or any group really wants to eliminate violence against women, it is important that they should first address that factors that promote or constraint it. If these kinds if violence are tolerated, it will create cultural contexts where in it will be able to continue unrestrained and states will fail to take the necessary steps with due diligence. The situation mentioned above will be seen from a human rights perspective as something where the violations of human rights can continue to exist unchallenged (Wee, 2007). There is a need for a deeper undestanding of the ways wherein violence is structured and supported by current gender heirarchies, that is , while women continue to fight to name and challenge violence against them, men on the other hand continue to resist such change. All over the world, religions and culture play an important role in defining the values of a community. But then, when one looks closely, many voices are raised in their name which comprise of the most dreadful obstacle in order to eradicate violence and exploitative behavior committed to women and girls. By using these two as a vehicle for their own power, proponents of extremist religios interpretation have sought to control women and girls by way of restricting their mobility outside of the home, they retrict not only the places they can go to but also access to education, and subject their bodies to harmful traditional practices such as women circumcision, dictating what they should wear and like what they do at honor killings, they punish them when they see them as tainting the family’s honor (Wee, 2007). Therefore, religion and culture are in dire need of renewal. Sources Brown, E. (2006). Perspective: Eradication of Violence against women and girls. One Country Newsletter. Retrieved May 2008 from Budel, C. (2004). Violence against Women: 10 Reports for the Protection and Promotion of the Human Rights of Women. Published by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT); Chenove, Italy. Deraniyagala, S. (1992). Domestic Violence: Women in Need. Colombo: Sri Lanka Heise, L. (1999) .Ending violence against women. Population Reports, Series L, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Programme, Baltimore,1999. vol. 27, no. 4. Jahid, A. (2002). Living Without Fear: An Integrated Approach to Tackling Violence Against Women. Retrieved May 2009 from < www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk> Kottegoda, S.(1997). Violence Against Women: Voices of Victims and Activists, Study series, no.12, CENWOR, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Lustig, K. (2001). How have recent social movements shaped civil rights legislation for Women? The 1994 Violence against women act. Retrieved May 2009 from < http://womhist.alexanderstreet.com/vawa/intro.htm> Muslim Women’s League. (1995). An Islamic Perspective on Violence Against Women. Retrieved May 2009 from Shaheed, F. (2007).Violence against women legitimised by arguments of “culture”: thoughts from a Pakistani perspective. A paper presented at the International Symposium on Due Diligence: the Responsibility of the State for the Human Rights of Women, 21-23 September 2005, Berne, Switzerland, p. 1. Wee, H. (2007). Indigenous feminisms: Resistance to culturally embedded patriarchies. A paper presented at the Conference on Reclaiming feminism: gender and neoliberalism, 9-10 July 2007. Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex. Read More