Violence Against Women An International Comparative Analysis

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Violence Against WomenAn International
Comparative Analysis

• Group Presentation

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Violence Against Women An International
Comparative Analysis

• International Studies and Statistics
• International Policy
• USA
• Africa
• Europe
• Middle East

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Violence Against Women International Interest

• 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence
  Against Women of the United Nations General
  Assembly
• Acceptance of gender-based violence as a threat
  to womens health and human rights was formalized
  when 189 governments signed on to the Platform
  for Action of the 1995 United Nations Beijing
  World Conference on Women.

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Violence Against Women International Studies

• 2004 US Agency for International Development
  Study Profiling Domestic Violence a Multi Country
  (9) Study
• Emotional, Physical and Sexual Abuse
• Effect of household decision making
• Effect of health issues
• Weight
• Reproductive Health
• Child Immunization and Mortality

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Violence Against Women USAID DHS Study
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Violence Against Women USAID DHS Study
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Violence Against Women International Studies

• 2005 World Health Organization Study

Violence against women as a limited social
problem versus a human rights issue and public
health policy issue
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Violence Against Women 2005 WHO Report Findings
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Violence Against Women 2005 WHO Report Findings
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Violence Against Women 2005 WHO Report
Recommendations

• Promote gender equality and womens human rights
• Governments should view violence against women as
  a public health problem
• Enlist social, political and religious leaders to
  speak out
• Make school safe for girls protect womens
  physical environments
• Use reproductive health services as entry points
  for identifying women who are abused
• Sensitize legal and justice systems to the needs
  of women who experience violence
• Fund research and programs

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Violence Against Women USA Prevalence

• 2000 CDC National Violence Against Women Survey
• 17.6 percent of all women surveyed who said they
  had been the victim of a completed or attempted
  rape at some time in their life
• 22.1 percent of surveyed women, compared with 7.4
  percent of surveyed men, reported they were
  physically assaulted by a current or former
  spouse, cohabiting partner, boyfriend or
  girlfriend, or date in their lifetime
• Hispanic women less likely to report rape than
  non-Hispanic women

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Violence Against Women 2000 CDC National VAW
Survey
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Violence Against Women USA Policy

• 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
• Collaboration between social services agencies,
  legal system, and non profits
• Funding to domestic abuse counseling agencies and
  rape crisis centers
• Funding for Emergency Contraception
• Immigrant issues
• 2005 increased funding for legal services,
  expansion of immigrant rules
• Rape, sexual assault down by 60 since 1993
  (RAINN)

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Violence Against Women USA Policy

• 2007 International VAWA
• Addresses gender-based violence in its many
  forms rape, domestic violence, sexual violence,
  genital mutilation, forced and child marriage,
  "honor" killings, dowry related violence and
  human trafficking
• Would create a new Office for Women's Global
  Initiatives at the State Department
• An annual funding stream of 175 million to
  support coordinated programs in the areas of
  legal reform, health care, economic empowerment,
  educational opportunities and public awareness
  for 10 to 20 countries
• http//www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid10
  947751

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Violence Against Women USA Policy

• 2007 Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention
  Act Legislation
• Failed in 2007
• Would include violence committed based on gender
  or the persons perceived gender, sexual
  orientation or gender identity
• Addresses the impact of violence against women on
  the community and womens perception of safety

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Violence Against Women Africa

• South African women are the most likely to be
  murdered by their partners - one women dies every
  12 hours according to a study from the Centre for
  the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (Ellis,
  2004). South Africa has an intimate femicide
  rate six times higher than the USA or Canada.
• In parts of Africa female genital mutilation is
  still a barbaric cultural practice. Among the
  Somali community in Kenya, 97 of the women are
  mutilated as a tool to control female sexual
  desire (Sheikh, 2006).
• A study of 1395 pregnant women in antenatal care
  in Soweto, South Africa, indicated those who have
  experienced violence from intimate partners have
  a 50 higher risk of being infected with HIV
  (Dunkle et al., 2003). These male partners are
  more likely to be infected due to specific
  aspects of their behavior, such as multiple
  partners.

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Violence Against Women Africa

• In Darfur, one of the most serious consequences
  of security is the increased incidence of rape
  and physical assault upon women. The desperate
  nature of the situation was evidenced by an
  extraordinary joint statement made by more than
  300 women in Kalma IDP camp, South Dar fur , in
  early August , pleading for greater protection
  from the outside world to help ease their plight.
• The predictability of the at tacks has forced the
  AU to under take firewood patrols, in order to
  reduce the risk to women who go out side the
  camps to gather wood. According to a recent
  report on firewood collect ion in both Darfur and
  neighboring Ethiopia, difficult household
  decisions have been made that select the least - 
  risk strategy--better to risk (a woman or girl)
  being raped than (a manor boy) being killed.

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Violence Against Women Africa

• Government of Sudan reaction and policies.
• Amnesty International reaction.
• Liberian reaction and policies.

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Violence Against Women Africa

• NPR Film (Ethiopian Child Brides)
• www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId6907
  000scemaf

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Violence Against Women Russia

• There is no special action plan for combating
  violence against women. The National Action Plan
  for Gender Equality adopted by the Ministry of
  Labor and Social Development in 2004 had no
  results. WHY?
• The Department on Social Policy, Family Women
  of the newly founded Ministry of Health and
  Social Development of Russia has become the tool
  of addressing womens issues instead of the
  National Action Plan for Gender Equality. The
  Department has been focused mainly on social
  issues. Domestic violence being a form of
  violence against women is viewed as a social
  issue, not an issue related to the field of human
  rights.
• There is no specialized budget earmarked in state
  and municipality budgets for the fight against
  violence against women or its different forms.
  There are no funds for combating violence against
  women in the central budget of law enforcement
  authorities, either. Funds might be allocated for
  implementing social programs on the local level.
• There is no yearly amount from the state for the
  support of NGOs(Non governmental Organization)
  working in the field of violence against women
  specifically. State support is occasionally
  provided through short-term small grants. NGOs
  are provided with grants if they participate in
  joint projects with governmental institutions.

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Violence Against Women Russia

• The Russian Federation is a participant in
  international and regional human rights treaties,
  all of which require the government of the
  Russian Federation to protect, respect and
  fulfill the human rights of those under its
  jurisdiction. The Russian Federation has ratified
  The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
  Discrimination against Women and its Optional
  Protocol.
• The main concerns of the CEDAW Committee
  presented at the 26th Session, January 14
  February 1, 2002 are the following the high
  scale of domestic violence, particularly of
  murders of women in the result of domestic
  violence attitudes of law enforcement agencies
  to domestic violence as to a private matter, not
  a crime lack of effective governmental measures
  on combating violence against women lack of
  domestic violence law in the Russian Federation
  high scales of sexual violence in prisons and in
  war conflict in Chechnya increasing number of
  trafficked women and girls from Russia and to
  Russia.

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Violence Against Women Russia

• Violence against women, particularly domestic
  violence, is not recognized by criminal law as a
  separate offence. The Criminal Code of the
  Russian Federation is gender neutral it does not
  have specific definition of violence against
  women or any of its forms.
• Cases of domestic violence against women are
  often considered by law enforcement officials as
  part of violence in the private sphere . The
  only way to protect a victim and to punish a
  batterer through criminal procedures is referring
  to the articles of the criminal law on bodily
  injuries or other crimes.
• The severe cases of domestic violence under
  Article 117 (torture, the causing of physical or
  mental suffering by means of the systematic
  infliction of beatings or other forcible actions)
  are also the cases of ex officio prosecution.
• As for the other VAW cases, such as domestic
  violence (if these are not the cases of
  systematic severe beating) and sexual harassment,
  the victims request to start the procedure is
  necessary much like former US policies.

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Violence Against Women Russia

• The main profile of the NGOs dealing with VAW in
  the Russian Federation is counseling women
  suffering from different forms of violence on a
  hotline / face-to-face providing women with
  legal assistance (according to her request)
  support groups for women suffering from violence
  public awareness activities. The source of
  funding for NGOs is mainly international
  foundations. The proportion of state support is
  occasional through short-term small grants.
• There are only seven state-run special shelters
  for the victims of violence in the Russian
  Federation besides, there are fifteen state run
  crisis centers with some shelter facilities.
• These shelters are for victims of domestic
  violence and for victims of trafficking they are
  run by city governments they cooperate with
  police and social services.
• In the regions of Russia where special shelters
  are missing, there are no other possibilities for
  the placements of the victims.
• There are no special services available for
  immigrant women in Russia.

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Violence Against Women Russia

• What is being Done?
• There are over 150 NGOs and governmental agencies
  dealing with violence against women within the
  Information Network of ANNA National Center for
  the Prevention of Violence. Most of them have
  hotlines. NGO hotlines work on a voluntary basis,
  and they are free of charge for survivors. All
  counselors acquired specific skills and knowledge
  for crisis counseling in the course of the
  training.
• In the past five years the first major opinion
  poll on domestic violence was carried out by the
  Council for Women of Moscow State University in
  the Russian Federation (2002-2003). It was funded
  by the Gorbachev Foundation, a Russian
  non-governmental organization. The survey was
  carried out in cities and villages in the seven
  regions of the Russian Federation. The research
  showed that an overwhelming number of the women
  interviewed were victims of violence and were
  living in fear and despair as a result.

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Violence Against Women Russia

• The collapse and instability of Russian Economy
  most particularly of the Soviet Union has led to
  political, economic, and social challenges for
  most Russians.
• Domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual
  harassment and human trafficking are serious
  problems in contemporary Russia.
• There are several Russian national laws which
  guarantee gender equality. For example, Article
  19 of the Russian Constitution  guarantees
  equality between the women and men.
• However, there is no specialized government body
  with the authority and resources to ensure
  equality. The governmental multi-agency
  commission on domestic violence, sexual violence
  and trafficking that was working under the
  Ministry for Internal Affairs ceased to exist in
  2005.
• There are several institutions established to
  address womens human rights in Russia, such as
  the Committee on Women, Family and Youth of the
  State Duma (Parliament), and the Interagency
  Commission on Equality between Men and Women.

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• In Middle Eastern Countries women are
  systematically denied human rights.
• In Middle Eastern Countries women have a
  subordinate status compared to their male
  counterparts.
• Women are legally denied full personhood and
  equal participation and protection within
  society.

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• Domestic Violence in Middle Eastern Countries are
  considered to be a family matter.
• Family matters are often governed by religious
  based codes and not legal codes.
• Within the religious constraints women are
  treated as legal minors of the male family
  member.

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• Police often tell the women to return home when
  they attempt to file a complaint.
• There are few shelters for abused women who
  attempt to flee. (Documentation can be filed at
  the Air Port to prevent women from flying).
• Spousal rape has NOT been criminalized.
• Males have a right to their wives body at any
  time.
• Penal codes within some of the Middle Eastern
  Countries give judges the right to drop charges
  against a rapist if he agrees to marry his
  victim.

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• The decision making in the homes are reserved
  only for the male.
• The male by law is the head of the household.
• Family courts in the Middle Eastern Countries
  reinforce the notion that males are the head of
  the household.
• Women in Middle Eastern Countries are not allowed
  to freely divorce their spouses.
• In Lebanon, battered women can not file for
  divorce on the basis of domestic violence without
  an eyewitness. (A medical Certificate is not
  enough proof)
• In other countries women may be allowed to
  divorce their spouse, .

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• But have to essentially buy their freedom.
• The women have to forfeit any rights to the
  couples finances and must repay dowries.
• In Bahrain, family law is not codified. (Judges
  have the right to deny custody to children for
  any reason).

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• Since the war in Iraq professional women have
  become the target of insurgents.
• Insurgents have also targeted women for
  socializing with men, dancing, and not wearing
  proper head wrap.
• Under Iraqs new constitution women were granted
  the right to transfer citizenship to their
  children.

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• However, the Iraqi constitution did not guarantee
  women equal rights within the family.
• Many women activist feels as though the new
  constitution will cause women to lose rights
  granted under the 1959 Civil Family Law. (women
  could lose the right to chose their husbands,
  guardianship, inheritance)

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• U.S. Commitment to Women in the Middle East
• "Here in the Middle East, that same long hopeful
  process of democratic change is now beginning to
  unfold.. Millions of people are demanding freedom
  for themselves and democracy for their countries.
  There are those who say that democracy is for
  men alone. In fact, the opposite is true Half a
  democracy is not a democracy. As one Muslim woman
  leader has said, 'Society is like a bird. It has
  two wings. And a bird cannot fly if one wing is
  broken.'"
• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, June 20,
  2005 in Cairo, Egypt

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Violence Against Women Middle Eastern Countries

• In December of 2002 President Bush launched the
  Middle East Partnership Initiative.
• Under MEPI several programs were developed to
  support women in Middle Eastern Countries.
• Women in Middle Eastern Countries are extremely
  vulnerable to violence because of religious based
  codes that make women property of men. That
  idealization supports the notion that a person
  can treat their property as they chose.
• A separation of church and state are not seen in
  cases of violence against women.

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Violence Against Women References

• USAID Profiling Domestic Violence A Multi
  Country Study http//www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/O
  D31/OD31.pdf
• WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and
  Domestic Violence Against Women, 2005
  http//www.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountr
  y_study/summary_report/summary_report_English2.pdf
  
• Conyers, J. (2007). The 2005 reauthorization of
  the Violence Against Women Act. Violence Against
  Women, 13 (5), 457-468.
• Cho, H, Wilke, D. (2005). How has the Violence
  Against Women Act effected the response of the
  criminal justice system to domestic violence?
  Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 25(4),
  125-138.
• 2000 CDC National Violence Against Women Survey
  http//www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/183781.pdf
• 2004 Source National Statistics Headquarters 
  http//www.gks.ru/freedoc/2006b0611/05-03-1.htm
• Periodic Report of the Russian Federation, 26th
  session, 14 January-1 February 2002,
  CEDAW/C/2002/I/CRP.3/Add.3, at paragraph 37