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02/12/2008Violence against women

November 25th marked the United Nations' annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Violence against women is a truly international problem, affecting one in three women worldwide.

According to the World Bank, women between the ages of 15 and 44 are at greater risk of rape or violence than cancer, malaria, war or car accidents.
There's an economic cost, too. Domestic violence against women costs the United States alone over 5 billion dollars a year in health care costs and lost productivity.
Flora Terah : determined © RNW
Flora Terah: determined
In other countries, the losses to the society aren't as easy to measure. Flora Terah is a women's rights activist in Nairobi and has just written a book about her experience as a parliamentary candidate during Kenya's national elections last year.
She describes how women were routinely assaulted, tortured and raped to deter them from running for office. Terah says that it's because of "the cultural belief that women are supposed to be in the kitchen. Women are supposed to be seen and not heard."
 
Terah herself was assaulted by a group of men who force-fed her human faeces and beat her so badly she spent three months in hospital. But worse was yet to come. Her son was murdered - she thinks as part of the attempt to intimidate her. And while the threat of violence has deterred many Kenyan women for getting involved in politics, Flora Terah hasn't given up:
"I'm determined. I have to go for my cause. I'm back in my constituency working for my community".
Her book is called "They Never Killed My Spirit, But They Killed My Only Child".

Danger at home
In Europe and the West, most violence against women happens at home. Daniela Almer is a spokesperson for the Austrian Information Center Against Violence.


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1 reaction to this article

Neil Warner posted: 26-08-2009 | 2:58 PM

Social attitude modification has to begin challenging the pervasive patriarchal mindset we have in every society. In China, killing their baby girls, in India marrying them into conjugal servitude as children; in other places abusing and postponing their healthy development and education (Taliban bombing girls schools).
After the physical and mental abuse has happened we need to pick up the pieces and support women in their recovery path...which is a long process.
When and how will men decide that repressing and forcing the other half into submission is not the right policy? When are they going to be so secure on their self-image that they don't need to brutalize others to feel important and can then be the solid, responsible social beings we need?
We have to invite everybody to give up power and control over women; this is a necessary but slow step in social evolution. Meanwhile, the other thing we can do is help women recover...here is some help:
http://creativeconflicts.com/

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