20 Protection against violence on women

K. T. Geetha

1.1.2 INTRODUCTION:

Violence against women is the most elusive form of human right violation denying women equality, security, dignity, self-esteem and the right to enjoy fundamental freedom. Though most societies forbid violence against women the reality is that violations against women’s freedom are sanctioned under the facade of cultural practices and / or through misrepresentation of religious creeds. Moreover, when violence takes place within the precincts of home, the abuse is disregarded by the tacit silence exhibited by the state and law enforcing authorities. The most ubiquitous and most unheeded form of violence against women are domestic violence. While reliable statistics are hard to come by, studies estimate that between 20 to 50 percent of the women experience violence in the hands of intimate partners or family members (WHO, 1993). Domestic violence can take numerous forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, and sexual abuse, ranging from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse such as female genital mutilation and acid throwing that result in disfigurement or death. There is a growing cognizance that countries cannot reach their full potential as long as women’s potential to fully participate in the society is denied. The true indicator of a country’s commitment to gender equality lies in its action to eliminate violence against women, in all forms and in all areas of life.

1.1.3 LEARNING OUTCOME / OBJECTIVE:

Understanding of violence and its forms
Effects of violence
Develop understanding of awareness programmes aimed at eradicating violence against women

1.1.4 TOPIC 1: Understanding violence and its forms:

There is no universally accepted definition of violence against women. The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines violence against women as “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.” Accordingly, violence against women encompasses but is not limited to the following:

a)Physical, sexual and psychological violence befalling in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;

b)Physical, sexual and psychological violence taking place within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and coercion at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, women trafficking and forced prostitution;

c)Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Acts of violence against women also include forced sterilization and forced abortion, coercive/forced use of contraceptives, female infanticide and prenatal sex selection. (United Nations, 1993).

Domestic violence includes violence perpetrated by intimate partners and other family members, and manifested through:

Physical abuse such as slapping, beating, arm twisting, stabbing, strangling, burning, choking, kicking, threats with an object or weapon, and murder.

Sexual abuse such as coerced sex through threats, intimidation or physical force, forcing unwanted sexual acts or forcing sex with others.

Psychological abuse which includes behaviour that is intended to intimidate and takes the form of threats of abandonment or abuse, confinement to the home, surveillance, threats to take away custody of the children, destruction of objects, isolation, verbal aggression and constant humiliation.

Economic abuse includes acts such as the denial of funds, refusal to contribute financially, denial of food and basic needs, and controlling access to health care, employment, etc.

It should be noted that although the categories above are listed separately, they are not mutually exclusive and often go hand in hand.

The family is often equated with sanctuary- a place where individual can seek love, shelter, safety and security. But evidence show that it is also a place that imperils and breeds violence against women and children. Violence against women is often a cycle of abuse that manifests itself in various forms throughout their lives (Table 1).

Table 1 Violence against Women throughout the Life Cycle

1.1.5 TOPIC 2: Causes of Violence

There is no single factor to account for violence perpetrated against women and girls. There are several complex and interconnected factors that have made women vulnerable to the violence directed against them. According to Heise’s (1994) research the following factors are responsible for increasing the domestic violence in present society. These are listed below

Cultural factors:

Gender- specific socialization.
Cultural definition of appropriate sex role. Belief in inherent superiority of males.
Values which gives men proprietary right over women and girls. Notion of family as a private sphere and under male control.
Marriage customs (dowry).
Acceptability of violence as a means to resolve conflicts.
Women’s dependence on men.
Limited access to cash and credit.
Discriminatory laws regarding inheritance, property rights, etc. Limited access to education and training for women.

Legal Factors:

Limited access to employment in formal and informal sectors. Lower legal status of women.
Laws regarding divorce, child custody, maintenance and inheritance. Legal definition of rape and domestic abuse.
Low legal literacy among women.
Insensitive treatment of women and girls by Police and Judiciary.

Political factors:

Under representation of women in power. Domestic violence is not taken seriously.
Notion that family is beyond the control of state. Risk of challenges by religious laws.
Lack of organisation of women as a political force.
Lack of participation of women in organised political system(Heize,1994)

1.1.6 TOPIC 3:Consequences of Violence

Over the past two decades, there has been growing awareness of the multitude of health threats, including death, physical injury, and mental trauma, posed by violence against women (National Research Council, 1996). This pervasive violence has significant economic, health, and social consequences.

Economic consequences include the costs of providing health care and other services, increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and lower earnings.

Violence undermines women’s health and wellbeing, directly and indirectly, causing chronic morbidity, increased depression, lower birth weight, and mortality.

Among children, witnessing abuse leads to increased delinquency and gang violence.

Violence against women is associated with sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS.

Deaths from violence against women include honour killings (by families for cultural reasons); suicide; and maternal death due to unsafe abortion.

Overall, violence contributes to reduced quality of life of families and communities and decreased participation by women in democratic processes. Abuse has been observed to impede the public participation of women, undermine their economic efficiency, cause increased health burdens, and impose a drain on scarce national resources (Heise et al. 1994). Few studies have attempted to calculate the entire economic cost including the provision of all services. A study in New Wales, Australia, estimated that the overall cost was Aus$1.5 billion a year (NCVAW 1993). World Bank study (1993) highlighted the cost of violence in terms of the health burden, estimating that rape and domestic violence account for five percent of the healthy years of life lost to women of reproductive age in demographically developing countries. This evidence suggests that the economic implications alone are serious enough to warrant special attention to violence as a development priority. In the United States, total loss adds up to 12.6 billion dollars annually and Australia loses 6.3 billion dollars per year. In addition to this, other social costs like unwanted fertility and contraceptive use, increased rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), increase in infant and child mortality, children’s no access to immunization and other health care related public health consequences are also involved with the incidences of domestic violence.

Domestic violence affects the productivity level of the victim negatively. Men and women lose interest in household activities. If they are employed they fail to work with full capabilities in workplace. Children are found to concentrate less on studies. They drop out of school and do not get the education which otherwise they might have got if they were not tormented and thus the country loses a productive asset. Therefore, the nation’s productivity altogether gets affected because of domestic violence in homes. When old people are tortured and physically abused, they separate themselves from family members and their daily activities are restricted to themselves. The guardianship they can provide out of their experience, the moral values which they can instill in the grandchildren are all not done as they are unwanted in their own homes. People need to spend large part of income for medication when they are met with worse forms of domestic violence which again leads to loss in productive use of a family’s income. The cumulative effect of the domestic violence at all levels and across all regions is the country’s hindered development and slow economic growth (Ankur Kumar, 2010).

1.1.7 TOPIC 4: Prevalence of Violence at Global and National Level

Internationally, one in three women have been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in their lifetime by a member of her own family (Heise et al. 1999). Available studies indicate that between 20 and 50 percent of women in various populations around the world have experienced violence at some point in their lives (WHO 1997). Worldwide, two million girls between ages 5-15 are introduced into the commercial sex market each year. At least 60 million girls, who would otherwise be expected to be alive are missing in Asia as a result of sex selective abortion, infanticide or neglect (UNFPA, 2000).

WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women (WHO 2010) based on interviews with 24,000 women between the ages of 15 and 49 in 10 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Peru, Namibia, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania) found between 1 and 21 percent of those interviewed reported experiencing child sexual abuse under the age of 15 years;

physical abuse by a partner at some point in life up to 49 years of age was reported by 13 to 61 percent of interviewees across all study sites;sexual violence by a partner at some point in life up to 49 years of age was reported by 6 – 59 percent of interviewees; andsexual violence by a non-partner any time after 15 and up to 49 years of age wasreported by 0.3 – 11.5% of interviewees

Not only is violence against women widespread, deeply entrenched, and silently borne, women in India experience violence in various forms throughout their lives, and it cuts across boundaries of caste, class, religion, and region. According to the National Family and Health Survey-2, 21 percent of ever-married women in India have been physically mistreated by their husbands, in-laws or other members of the household since the age of 15 years. Almost 1 in 5 married women have experienced domestic violence. One in nine women reported being beaten in the last 12 months of the survey. About 12 percent women reported having experienced violence since the age of 15 years and 19 percent reported having been beaten physically by their husbands (NFHS-2 1998-99). In India, more than 6000 women are killed each year because their in-laws consider their dowry inadequate. Only small percentages of the perpetrators are brought to justice (UNICEF 2002). In another study of 4000 women reporting physical violence, 63 percent reported the experience more than three times (INCLEN 2000). Tamil Nadu shows the highest prevalence with 41 percent of the women reporting domestic violence incidents since the age of 15 years. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Orissa, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir have prevalence rates higher than 20 percent (Mutiso, et.al.2010). Himachal Pradesh shows the lowest prevalence of 5.8 percent, followed by Kerala (10.1 percent) and Gujarat (10.2 percent) (NFHS-2 1998-99).

1.1.8 TOPIC 5: Protection against violence

Elimination of all kinds of violence against women requires channelizing simultaneously the attention and efforts of all the concerned people and work together. This sensitive issue needs intervention and action at multiple levels – state, society and individuals in public and private capacities.

At government level:

To arrest continuously deteriorating law and order situation. There should be vigilant policing round the clock both in cities and suburban areas and more women police officers in all police stations. ·

Speedy and time-bound justice is needed urgently. Delayed justice emboldens the spirits of criminal-minded elements in society, who take advantage of loopholes in law, and which enables them to escape.

Reforming the structure and systems of governmental institutions engaged in the law-making and enforcement tasks are highly desirable, but it may take a longer time.

Non Governmental Institutions/Organizations:

Conduct series of seminars, workshops meetings at different places on various aspects of violence/oppression against women. They should discuss in depth the gravity, enormity and dangers of continuously deteriorating law and order position, deteriorating human values, self-centred attitude of individuals and alarming rise in bestial acts against women, which makes it very unsafe for women to move freely outside their homes.

Media:

Media should bring women issues to public domain in a forceful manner. They can play an important role in spreading awareness.

They can provide a platform to speakers and panellists from different fields, eminent personalities responsible for decision-making to share their views and conduct an in-depth study on various gender issues, and view it holistically touching various aspects of the problem.

At family’s level:

Training for gender sensitization should be imparted within the family. Right from the beginning, all the children should be treated equally, without any gender-bias.

Women should raise their voice against injustice; create awareness amongst women about their rights and channelize their efforts by writing articles, organizing seminars, workshops etc.

Irrespective of their social status in society, they should join hands, and work in a spirit of unity.

They should raise their voice boldly against social evils like dowry, bride-burning, female infanticide, etc.

Women should exercise utmost vigilance both at the mental and physical level to ensure their safety and security, so that no one could exploit them when placed under adverse circumstances in life. They must always be prepared for self- defense by getting training in Karate etc.

Social workers:

Social workers should provide myriad services to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence which include counseling and support through shelter programs across the country, individual counseling through private practice settings, court advocacy through county victim service agencies, and social justice community organizing efforts to prevent domestic violence from occurring in the first place.

Recommendations

Comprehensive and extensive premarital counseling should be given to intending couples on how to manage their marital relationship.
There should be public enlightenment through the mass media on the negative effects of domestic violence against women, especially wife battering.
Religious leaders too should vigorously teach against marital violence in their places of worship.
Youths should be encouraged and taught to detest and not imitate brutish treatment of wives around them.
Medical professionals, after physical treatment should refer the victims to counselors and psychotherapists.
Punishment given to grievously offending husbands should be publicized, so that it can serve as deterrence to others.

1.1.9 Conclusion

Having looked at a sensitive topic of “Violence against women”, one can sense the importance of discussion of such a topic. The violence may have a far wider and deeper impact in real life than what has been covered in this essay. What is required is to see closely the association of the factors provoking a particular form of domestic violence. If these factors can be controlled then more than one form of violence can be prevented from harming an individual or our society and India would be a much better place to live in.

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Web links

https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2010/02/domestic-violence-in-india-causes-consequences-and-remedies-2/
https://www.k4health.org/sites/default/files/L%2011.pdf
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/489381468740165817/Violence-against-women-the-hidden-health-burden
https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/frind2/frind2.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Dell/AppData/Local/Temp/Domestic-Violence-in-India-3-A-Summary-Report-of-a-Multi-Site-Household-Survey.pdf
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4128.0/
https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=9280637045
http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/women/violence-against-women-in-the-act
https://www.popline.org/node/239307
www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/5976
www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/63277
www.who.int/whr/1997/en
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4165041/

References

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International Institute of Population Sciences and ORC Macro, 1998-‘99. National Family Health Survey-II. Mumbai. 1999.
Moses M. Mutiso, Samuel R. Chessa, Michael .A. Chesire and Lydia Kemboi (2010) Factors Leading to Domestic Violence in Low-Income ResidentialAreas in Kenya: A Case Study of Low-income Residential Areas in Kisumu City, Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (JETERAPS) 1 (2), 65-75.
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