Violence Against Women

Violence against women (VAW) [??????? ?? ????? ?????], also known as gender-based violence, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are violent acts the victims of which are primarily or exclusively women or girls. Such violence is often considered a form of hate crime, committed against women or girls specifically because they are female, and can take many forms. Siddha Spirituality of Swami Hardas Life System respect and honor women and condemn violations of any type. We, as a society and responsible persons, should support women in strengthening and making their lives glorious. This is a special article dedicated to the very special day of “International Women’s Day”, which is celebrated on 8th March 2020.

Definition of Violence against women (??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???????)

There is no widely accepted current definition that covers all the dimensions of gender-based violence rather than the one for women that tends to reproduce the concept of binary oppositions: masculinity versus femininity. However, it can be defined as – “For the purposes of this Declaration, the term “violence against women” means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.

Types of violence against women (??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ??????)

Violence against women can fit into several broad categories. These include violence carried out by individuals as well as states. Some of the forms of violence perpetrated by individuals include:

• Rape
• Domestic violence
• Sexual harassment
• Acid throwing
• Reproductive coercion
• Female infanticide
• Prenatal sex selection
• Obstetric violence
• Mob violence
• Honor killings
• Dowry violence
• Female genital mutilation
• Marriage by abduction and forced marriage

The World Health Organization (WHO), in its research on violence against women (VAW), has analyzed and categorized the different forms of VAW occurring through all stages of life from before birth to old age. In recent years, there has been a trend of approaching VAW at an international level through means such as conventions or, in the European Union, through directives such as the directive against sexual harassment, and the directive against human trafficking.

Effects of Violence against women on society (???? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ??????)

The violence against women can occur in both public and private spheres of life and at any time of their life span. Violence against women often keeps women from wholly contributing to the social, economic, and political development of their communities.

Many women are terrified by these threats of violence and this essentially influences their lives so that they are impeded to exercise their human rights; for instance, they fear to contribute to the development of their communities socially, economically and politically. Apart from that, the causes that trigger VAW or gender-based violence can go beyond just the issue of gender and into the issues of age, class, culture, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and specific geographical area of their origins.

Forms of Violence against women (??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???)

Violence against women can take a number of forms and arise in a number of situations, which include:

Rape (????????)

Women are most often the victims of rape, which is usually perpetrated by men known to them. The rate of reporting, prosecution, and convictions for rape varies considerably in different jurisdictions and reflects some extent the society’s attitudes to such crimes. It is considered the most under-reported violent crime. Following a rape, a victim may face violence or threats of violence from the rapist, and, in many cultures, from the victim’s own family and relatives.

Top 10 countries in the world where rape victims found includes:

South Africa (?????? ???????)

With an estimated 500,000 rape cases every year, the country has one of the highest rates of Rape Crimes in the world.

Sweden (??????)

Sweden now has the second-highest number of rapes in the world, after South Africa, which at 53.2 per 100,000.

USA (???????)

According to George Mason University, Worldwide Sexual Assault Statistics, 1 in 3 American women will be sexually abused during their lifetime. About 19.3% of women and 2% of men have been raped at least once in their lives.

UK (????)

Approximately 85,000 victims of rape per year in England and Wales – 73,000 females and 12,000 males, equating to about 230 cases every day. The report stated that 1 in every 5 women has experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16.

India (????)

Rape and Sexual violence is a massive problem in India. According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), crimes against women have increased by 7.5% since 2010. The number of reported rapes in India, a country of over 1.2 billion people, has gone up to 33,707 in 2013 from 24,923 in 2012. The majority of rape victims are between 18 years and 30 years. About one out of three victims are below 18, and one in ten rape victims is under 14. In India, a woman is being raped every 20 minutes.

New Zealand (??????????)

According to the Minister of Justice Publication Report; Every two hours an attack involving sexual violence is happening in New Zealand. Statistics now suggest that 1 out of 3 girls and one out of six boys are likely to be sexually abused before the age of 16.

Canada (?????)

Among all violent crimes reported to police, sexual assault showed a rapid increase in reported rates in Canada. According to the Huffington Post, there are 460,000 sexual assaults in the country every year. It is said that 33 out of every 1,000 sexual assault cases are reported to the police, and 29 are recorded as a crime.

Australia (???????????)

In Australia, the reported rape rate per 100,000 people is relatively high. During the last year, an estimated 51,200 Australians aged 18 years and over were a victim of sexual assault. Almost a third (30%) of victims of sexual assault had the most recent incident they experienced reported to the police.

Zimbabwe (??????????)

Zimbabwe is in the 9th position with the most rape cases in the world. At least one woman is raped every 90 minutes in Zimbabwe. According to the latest statistics by Zimbabwe National Statistics (ZimStat), 500 women were sexually abused monthly – about 16 women being raped daily.

Denmark & Finland (???????? ?? ???????)

More than 1 in 10 of the women interviewed indicated that they experienced some form of sexual violence by an adult before they were 15 years old. One out of 10 had experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 15, one in 20 had been raped. And over 1 out of 5 had experienced physical and/or sexual violence from either a current or previous partner. Only 13 % of women reported their most serious incident to the police.

Marital rape (??????? ????????)

Marital or spousal rape was before widely condoned or ignored by law, and is now widely considered unacceptable violence against women and repudiated by international conventions and increasingly criminalized. Still, in many countries, spousal rape either remains legal or is illegal but widely tolerated and accepted as a husband’s prerogative. The criminalization of spousal rape is recent, having occurred during the past few decades.

Domestic violence (????? ?????)

Women are more likely to be victimized by someone that they are intimate with, commonly called “intimate partner violence” (IPV). Instances of IPV tend not to be reported to the police and thus many experts find it hard to estimate the true magnitude of the problem.

Diagnosis planning (????? ?????)

The American Psychiatric Association’s planning and research committees for the forthcoming DSM-5 have canvassed a series of new Relational disorders, which include Marital Conflict Disorder Without Violence or Marital Abuse Disorder. Couples with marital disorders sometimes come to clinical attention because the couple recognizes long-standing dissatisfaction with their marriage and come to the clinician on their own initiative or are referred by an astute health care professional.

Honor killings (??? ?????)

These are a common form of violence against women in certain parts of the world, which are perpetrated by family members (usually husbands, fathers, uncles or brothers) against women in the family who are believed to have placed dishonor to the family. The death of the dishonorable woman is believed to restore honor. 

Honor killings are common in countries such as Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen. Honor killings also occur in immigrant communities in Europe, the United States, and Canada. Although honor killings are most often associated with the Middle East and South Asia, they occur in other parts of the world too.

In India, honor killings occur in the northern regions of the country, especially in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Dowry violence (???? ?? ?????)

The custom of dowry, which is common in South Asia, especially in India, is the trigger of many forms of violence against women. Bride burning is a form of violence against women in which a bride is killed at home by her husband or husband’s family due to his dissatisfaction over the dowry provided by her family. Dowry death refers to the phenomenon of women and girls being killed or committing suicide due to disputes regarding dowry.

Dowry violence is common in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. In India, in 2011 alone, the National Crime Records Bureau reported 8,618 dowry deaths, while unofficial figures suggest the numbers to be at least three times higher.

Forced marriage (????????? ?? ????)

Force-feeding (????????? ??????)

In some countries, notably Mauritania, young girls are forcibly fattened to prepare them for marriage, because obesity is seen as desirable. This practice of force-feeding is known as leblouh or gavage. The practice goes back to the 11th century and has been reported to have made a significant comeback after a military junta took over the country in 2008.

Abuse related to son-preference (?????-?????? ?? ??????? ???????????)

Acid throwing (????? ??????)

Reproductive coercion (?????? ?????? ????????)

It is a form of domestic or intimate partner violence, that involves violent, manipulative or deceptive behavior against reproductive health or reproductive rights within an intimate relationship and includes a collection of behaviors intended to lead to forced pregnancy. Reproductive coercion is used to maintain power, control, and domination within a relationship and over a partner through an unwanted pregnancy. It is considered a serious public health issue. This reproductive control is highly correlated to unintended pregnancy.

Mob violence (???? ?? ?????)

There have been mob attacks against single women in Hassi Messaoud, Algeria. As of 2011, similar mob attacks against women were continuing in Hassi Messaoud and elsewhere in Algeria, notably M’sila. According to Amnesty International, “some women have been sexually abused” and were targeted “not just because they are women, but because they are living alone and are economically independent”.

Dating abuse (?????? ?? ????????)

Dating violence is defined by the CDC as “the physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship, including stalking”. The WHO condemned “economically coerced sex e.g. school girls having sex with “sugar daddies” (Sugar baby in return for school fees)” as a form of violence against women.

Sexual violence on college campuses (????? ????? ??? ??? ?????)

Sexual violence on college campuses is considered a major problem in the United States. According to the conclusion of a major Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study: “The CSA Study data suggest women at universities are at considerable risk for experiencing sexual assault.” Sexual violence on campus has been researched in other countries too, such as Canada, the UK, and New Zealand.

Restrictions on freedom of movement (??????? ?? ?????????? ?? ????????)

Nevertheless, in some countries, women are not legally allowed to leave home without a male guardian. Even in countries where there are no laws against women traveling alone, there are strong social norms, such as purdah – a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent especially among some Muslim and Hindu communities in South Asia. 

Denial of medical care (???????? ?????? ?? ?????)

Stalking (???????)

It is unwanted or obsessive attention by an individual or group toward another person, often manifested through persistent harassment, intimidation, or following/monitoring of the victim. Stalking is often understood as a “course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear”.

Sexual harassment (??? ????????)

Sexual harassment is abusive, uninvited and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature, typically in the work/studying place, which may include intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature or the inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. It can be verbal or physical, and it is often perpetrated by a person in a position of authority against a subordinate. In the United States, sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

Human trafficking and forced prostitution (???? ?????? ?? ???? ????????????)

Mistreatment of widows (??????? ?? ????)

A widow is a woman whose spouse has died. In some parts of the world, widows are subjected to serious forms of abuse, often fueled by traditional practices such as widow inheritance. The sacrifice of widows (such as sati) has been prevalent historically in various cultures, especially in India. Although sati in India is today an almost defunct practice, isolated incidents have occurred in recent years, such as the 1987 sati of Roop Kanwar, as well as several incidents in rural areas in 2002, and 2006. Those likely to be accused and killed as witches are often widows.

In parts of Africa, such as in Kenya, widows are viewed as impure and need to be ‘cleansed’. This often requires having sex with someone. Those refusing to be cleansed risk getting beaten by superstitious villagers, who may also harm the woman’s children.

Accusations of witchcraft (???? ???? ?? ????)

Witch trials in the early modern period between the 15th and 18th centuries were common in Europe and in the European colonies in North America. Today, there remain regions of the world such as parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, rural North India, and Papua New Guinea where belief in witchcraft is held by many people, and women accused of being witches are subjected to serious violence. In addition, there are also countries that have criminal legislation against the practice of witchcraft. In Saudi Arabia, witchcraft remains a crime punishable by death.

War rape and sexual slavery (????? ???????? ?? ??? ??????)

Militarism produces special environments that allow for increased violence against women. War rapes have accompanied warfare in virtually every known historical era. Rape was committed during the Bangladesh Liberation War by members of the Pakistani military and the militias that supported them. Over a period of nine months, hundreds of thousands of women were raped. Susan Brownmiller, in her report on the atrocities, said that girls from the age of eight to grandmothers of seventy-five suffered attacks.

Forced sterilization and forced abortion (???? ?????? ?? ???????)

These are forms of gender-based violence. Forced sterilization has occurred throughout much of the world, both at the hands of the state and from intimate partners. Studies show forced sterilizations often target socially and politically disadvantaged groups such as racial and ethnic minorities, the poor, and indigenous populations. In China, the one-child policy included forced abortions and forced sterilization. Forced sterilization is also practiced in Uzbekistan.

Violence by the police (????? ?? ?????)

When police officers misuse their power as agents of the state to physically and sexually harass and assault victims, the survivors, including women, feel much less able to report the violence. It is standard procedure for police to force entry into the victim’s home even after the victim’s numerous requests for them to go away. Government agencies often disregard the victim’s right to freedom of association with their perpetrator. Shelter workers have often reduced to contributing to violence against women by exploiting their vulnerability in exchange for a paying job.

Stoning and flogging (????? ?? ?????-??????)

Lapidation or Stoning refers to a form of capital punishment whereby an organized group throws stones at an individual until the person dies. Stoning is a punishment that is included in the laws of several countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, and some states in Nigeria, as punishment for adultery.

Flogging or flagellation is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. It is a judicial punishment in various countries for specific crimes, including sex outside marriage. 

Female genital mutilation (???? ?????? ??????)

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”.

According to a UNICEF report, the top rates for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are in:

• Somalia (with 98 percent of women affected)
• Guinea (96 percent)
• Djibouti (93 percent)
• Egypt (91 percent)
• Eritrea (89 percent)
• Mali (89 percent)
• Sierra Leone (88 percent)
• Sudan (88 percent)
• Gambia (76 percent)
• Burkina Faso (76 percent)
• Ethiopia (74 percent)
• Mauritania (69 percent)
• Liberia (66 percent)
• Guinea-Bissau (50 percent)

Breast ironing (???? ?? ???????)

Breast ironing is the practice of pounding and massaging the breasts of a pubescent girl, using hard or heated objects, in an attempt to try to make them stop developing or disappear. It is typically carried out by the girl’s mother, with the aim of making the girl less sexually attractive to men and boys, so that her virginity is preserved and she can continue her education. It is practiced primarily in Cameroon but has also been reported across other areas in West and Central Africa. Breast ironing is very painful and can have negative emotional and physical consequences.

Obstetric violence (??????? ?????)

It refers to acts categorized as physically or psychologically violent in the context of labor and birth. In most developed and many developing countries, birth takes place in an increasingly medicalized environment; with numerous surgical interventions that the pregnant woman can sometimes be coerced into accepting, or which are done without her consent, or which are unnecessary.

Violence against indigenous women (??????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????)

Indigenous women around the world are often targets of sexual assault or physical violence. Many indigenous communities are rural, with few resources and little help from the government or non-state actors. 

In the United States, Native American women are more than twice as likely to experience violence than any other demographic. One in three Native women is sexually assaulted during her life, and 67% of these assaults are perpetrated by non-Natives, with Native Americans constituting 0.7% of the U.S. population in 2015.

Violence against immigrant and refugee women (???????? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????)

Immigrant and refugee women often face violence, both in the private sphere (by partners and other family members) and in the public sphere (by the police and other authorities). These women are often in a vulnerable position: they do not speak the language of the country they are in, they do not know its laws, and sometimes they are in a legal position where they may be deported if they make contact with the authorities. 

Violence against trans women (?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????)

Trans women are at higher risk of experiencing violence than cisgender women. Trans women commonly experience intimate partner violence, with one study finding that 31.1% of trans people experience it, and another finding that half of all trans women experience it. Trans women also often face abuse by police, and transgender sex workers often face violence from clients. 

Sport-related violence against women (??????? ?? ????? ???-?????? ?????)

Sport-related violence against women refers to any physical, sexual, mental acts that are “perpetrated by both male athletes and by male fans or consumers of sport and sporting events, as well as by coaches of female athletes”.

Controversy over contributing factors (?????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?????)

Sociologist Timothy Curry, after conducting an observational analysis of two big-time sports’ locker room conversations, deduced that the high risk of male student-athletes for gender abuse is a result of the team’s subculture. 

Response to violence by male college athletes (????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ????)

In response to the proposed link between college athletes and gender-based violence, and media coverage holding Universities as responsible for these scandals more universities are requiring athletes to attend workshops that promote awareness. 

Cyberbullying (?????-????)

Cyberbullying is a form of intimidation using electronic forms of contact. In the 21st century, cyberbullying has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers in Western countries. On 24 September 2015, the United Nations Broadband Commission released a report that claimed that almost 75% percent of women online have encountered harassment and threats of violence, otherwise known as cyber violence. Misogynistic rhetoric is prevalent online, and the public debate over gender-based attacks has increased significantly, leading to calls for policy interventions and better responses by social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Justice for victims of violence against women (??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ?????)

Efforts to fight violence against women can take many forms and access to justice, or lack thereof, for such violence varies greatly depending on the justice system. International and regional instruments are increasingly used as the basis for national legislation and policies to eradicate violence against women.

The Inter-American Convention to Prevent, Eradicate and Punish Violence Against Women – also known as the Belém do Parà Convention, for instance, has been applied by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in its first case of domestic violence to condemn Brazil in the Maria da Penha case. This led the Brazilian government to enact in 2006 the Maria da Penha Law, the country’s first law against domestic violence against women. There is also, for instance, the South Asian Agreement on Regional Cooperation’s (SAARC) Protocol to End Trafficking in Women and Children.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_against_women