Subject File TOLERANCE IN SOCIETY: Violence Against Women

Sexism and discrimination based on a person's gender belong to the most common forms of discrimination. They take many different forms in our society, the worst of which is gender-based violence, even leading to extreme outcomes such as femicide.

As of March 2024, the UN World Health organisation WHO reports the following key facts:

• Violence against women – particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence – is a major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights.
• Estimates published by WHO indicate that globally about 1 in 3 (30%) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
• Most of this violence is intimate partner violence. Worldwide, almost one third (27%) of women aged 15-49 years who have been in a relationship report that they have been subjected to some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner.
• Violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health, and may increase the risk of acquiring HIV in some settings.
• Violence against women is preventable. The health sector has an important role to play to provide comprehensive health care to women subjected to violence, and as an entry point for referring women to other support services they may need.

Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

Sexism and gender discrimination are often based on cultural or religious norms and can be witnessed across the world. In inherently misogynistic cultures and religions, women and girls experience patriarchal structures which deny them their own individual identity, their Human Rights and render them chattel and objects to different forms of violence and oppression. In its strongest form, this type of gender discrimination is called gender apartheid, and the most blatant example of this severe form of oppression can be seen in Afghanistan.

Practice: Honour Killings in the UK

Ex. 1: Before watching the video, make sure to understand the following phrases. 

 

to flee violence – to be in hiding – to occur – incident/s – to force somebody into marriage – a safe house – to shame the family honour – honour-based violence – abductions, beatings, and murders – the perpetrator and the victim  

Ex. 2: Read the following statements before watching the video. 

 

Statement	True	False, because …
Forced marriage is another discriminatory behaviour against women.
If Anisa refuses to go back home to her husband, her family will disinherit her.
Honour crimes against women are a widespread practice in European societies.
Many crimes go unreported because they are committed by the victims’ own families.
The main reason for honour killings in the UK is that husbands are not satisfied with the cooking skills of their wives.
The purpose of a safe house is to provide women with shelter and protection from domestic abuse.
Typical examples of domestic violence against women are abductions, beatings and killings.

Ex. 3: Watch the video and complete the True/False exercise in Ex. 2. 

What are the top strategies to fight violence committed against women? 

 

• Implementing a hotline/helpline where women can call and ask for support
• Education on how to prevent committing a crime/support services for victims and potential perpetrators; education should start early (in schools), to raise awareness and teaching consent (teaching children to accept a “No!” to stop them from being abused, harassed or raped)  
• Teaching potential victims to talk about what happened to the police, to friends & family, to doctors, to therapists to prevent them from feeling guilty, blaming themselves, or feeling embarrassment
• Raising women’s salaries, empowering them through a career, good professional positions to help them to become more independent.

 

Overall Strategies to fight against femicide, FGM, crimes of honour, or other serious crimes against women’s physical, sexual integrity or their lives 

• Challenging cultural and religious views and creating awareness about consequences these crimes may have 
• Providing education on human rights with HR organisations/NGOs 
• Extending education to girls and women 
• Implementing regulations and laws, making these incidents crimes and stipulating fines/prison sentences for committing such a crime 

Ex. 4:  

 

Situation:

You are working with an NGO which helps women find safe houses if they have to flee domestic violence. Today, you are going to speak to girls in in an inner city school in London with a high percentage of students from South-eastern Asian backgrounds. Prepare three talking points about your advice to young girls on how to escape abusive families and avoid domestic violence. 

 

1. … 

2. … 

3. … 

 

 

KEY, Ex. 2:

 

Statement	True	False, because …
Forced marriage is another discriminatory behaviour against women.	x
If Anisa refuses to go back home to her husband, her family will disinherit her.		they will beat or even kill her.
Honour crimes against women are a widespread practice in European societies.		not widespread in Europe but common in some immigrant communities
Many crimes go unreported because they are committed by the victims’ own families.	x
The main reason for honour killings in the UK is that husbands are not satisfied with the cooking skills of their wives.		that women have shamed their families’ honour.
The purpose of a safe house is to provide women with shelter and protection from domestic abuse.	x
Typical examples of domestic violence against women are abductions, beatings and killings.	x