violence against women - raising awareness

Violence Against Women

Violence against women is a serious issue that not many people know of, because “violence against women has long been shrouded in a culture of silence”.

(UNFPA)

“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.”

-United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (December, 20, 1993)

“Worldwide, one in three women has been beaten, coerced into unwanted sexual relations, or abused-often by a family member or acquaintance.”

Many women in the world are faced with violence, such as domestic violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and more.

Violence is caused when-There’s less income at home-Family beliefs that men are greater

than women-Men wants to get control over their

wives

Domestic Violence: Physical assault and bodily injury. Worse than cancer, accidents, or malaria

Psychological abuse: Violence through words that can harm women

Domestic violence is used most frequently toward women

Domestic Violence

Throws somethingPushesGrabsShovesSlapsKicks

Biteshit with fistbeat upthreaten with a gu

nor use it at partner

Psychological torture

Verbal degradation: Saying words that shame women; unpleasant words that hurt women

Threats to kill/hurt

“Violence is a pattern of behavior which a person establishes power/control over another person by means of fear and intimidation”

-NCADB (National Coalition against domestic violence)

After violence, women receive physical and medical problems

Broken bones, bruises, scars

HIV/AIDS, miscarriages, injuries to unborn children. Damages to their nervous system.

PTSD: Posttraumatic Stress DisorderStartling easily, emotional numbness, irri

tability or aggressiveness, get exposure to violence and negative health outcomes.

31% to 84% of all battered women receive PTSD.

Psychological abuse paralyzes women, and makes them helpless and stuck. PTSD usually develop from this abuse

What can women do?

Nothing

Women can’t flee their violent homes, because

Might have a child to care for

Doesn’t have a job

Parents are distant, unable, or unwilling to help

Might be scared to lose friends,family through talking to them.

No money or property

Women or child might be in poor health

The abuser might have threatened the women

Some brave women tries to end abusive relationships by f

leeing their husbands

However, thesewomen fall intoworse situations

45% of women who fled were murdered by

former partner

Women became assaulted, stalked, and threatened of m

urder

As, you see, these women are all helpless

As they think that nothing can be done about their situation, they become passive, depressed, fearful, and psychologically paralyzed.

Memory distortion, sleep/eating disorders, and medical problems occurs

Women often live in fear andremember the flashbacks of violent thoughts even long after the event had passed

Also, women can’t report rapes

They don’t get help, because they might be afraid of rapist, too ashamed, think it was just an accident, police doesn’t care, or police doesn’t believe their story of violence

As you see, these womencan’t avoid or escape the violence

They are STUCK

They need our help

WE can rescue them

How YOU can help

Go to organizations that deals with violence against women

Donate to them, volunteer for them, become a member of the

organizations, or participate actively in helping them

Organizations you can help:Amnesty InternationalNOW (National Organizations for Women)UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund f

or Women)

We can make this world a better place

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you

Bibliography

Doak, Melissa J. “Domestic Violence.” Defining Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. 1st edition. 8. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2009. Print.