Reality of violence against women

While the above statement is indeed true but the reality is the fact that violence against women happens everywhere on a daily basis. A small altercation between a husband and wife in our society could resort to hard slaps, kicking and pushing a woman from a stair case or out of a matrimonial home. I […]

While the above statement is indeed true but the reality is the fact that violence against women happens everywhere on a daily basis. A small altercation between a husband and wife in our society could resort to hard slaps, kicking and pushing a woman from a stair case or out of a matrimonial home. I have discovered that even pregnant women aren’t spared of violence when problems erupt. Some husbands will go to the extent of using belts or sticks to beat their spouses. While some women sulk silently, some will cry for help but hardly will a wife or a partner take legal action against her husband attributed to violence. It is also seen in workplace where women are subjected to sexual violence or forced  to succumb to sexual overtures by their male superiors.
The most recent report released by World Health Organisation title ‘Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence’ has provided insight in to the prevalence and health effects of violence against women.
Violence against women is a significant public health problem, as well as a fundamental violation of women’s human rights. The report which was developed by the World Health Organization, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council presents the first global systematic review and synthesis of the body of scientific data on the prevalence of two forms of violence against women – violence by an intimate partner (intimate partner violence) and sexual violence by someone other than a partner (non-partner sexual violence).  
Study key highlights     
• “Overall, 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. While there are many other forms of violence that women may be exposed to, this already represents a large proportion of the world’s women. Most of this violence is intimate partner violence.
• Worldwide, almost one third (30%) of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. In some regions, 38% of women have experienced intimate partner violence.
• Globally, as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners; Women who have been physically or sexually abused by their partners report higher rates of a number of important health problems. For example, they are 16% more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby. They are more than twice as likely to have an abortion, almost twice as likely to experience depression, and, in some regions, are 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV, as compared to women who have not experienced partner violence.
• Globally, 7% of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner. There are fewer data available on the health effects of non-partner sexual violence. However, the evidence that does exist reveals that women who have experienced this form of violence are 2.3 times are more likely to have alcohol use disorders and 2.6 times more likely to experience depression or anxiety.”
The report observed that variation in the prevalence of violence seen within and between communities, countries and regions, highlights that violence is not inevitable, and that it can be prevented. Promising prevention programmes exist, and need to be tested and scaled up. There is growing evidence about what factors explain the global variation documented. This evidence highlights the need to address the economic and socio-cultural factors that foster a culture of violence against women.
This also includes the importance of challenging social norms that support male authority and control over women and sanction or condone violence against women; reducing levels of childhood exposures to violence; reforming discriminatory family law; strengthening women’s economic and legal rights; and eliminating gender inequalities in access to formal wage employment and secondary education.
Services also need to be provided for those who have experienced violence. The health sector must play a greater role in responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. One key aspect is to identify opportunities to provide support and link women with other services they need – for example, when women seek sexual and reproductive health services (e.g. antenatal care, family planning, post-abortion care) or HIV testing, mental health and emergency services. Comprehensive post-rape care services need to be made available and accessible at a much larger scale than is currently provided.
The report shows that violence against women is pervasive globally. The findings send a powerful message that violence against women is not a small problem that only occurs in some pockets of society, but rather is a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, requiring urgent action. It is time for the world to take action: a life free of violence is a basic human right, one that every woman, man and child deserves.
Addressing violence against women will require genuine leadership and collaboration among many government and non governmental institutions for successful implementation. Also while prevention is good on itself, our societies should also be vigilant and institute punitive measures to those that perpetrate violence against women.
All comments to Dr Aminu Magashi at [email protected]