It's easy to think violence against women only happens in places of conflict or repression. Marion Kerr examines Amnesty International's new campaign
Violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon and is, according to Amnesty International, "the most widespread human rights violation in the world". Not confined to any particular political belief, race, culture or economic group, women are beaten, mutilated and killed with impunity across the globe. Systematic rape is routinely used as a weapon of war, used to dehumanise the victims and intimidate and terrorise their communities.
But violation of women's rights extends far beyond the atrocities perpetrated against them during conflict. Violence against women is often the result of historic and cultural attitudes. Many cultures have traditions that discriminate against women and promote strict ideals of what constitutes female chastity, and often these traditions are used to justify violence against women.
An example of this is female genital mutilation: UN statistics indicate that more than 135 million girls and women worldwide have undergone this abuse. A common practice in Africa, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, the tradition is now continuing among immigrant communities living in Australia, Denmark, France, Italy and other EU states.
Other violations of women's human rights include honour killings by close family members, dowry deaths perpetrated by disgruntled in-laws, and forced marriages. Involuntary sterilisation and marital rape are widespread while, in China, female infanticide is encouraged by laws dictating family size.
These examples of violence may seem alien to the Irish reader and it is easy to believe that this type of abuse only happens in other countries or cultures. But, here in Ireland, we must face the reality of one of the most insidious and destructive forms of violence against women: domestic abuse.
Traditionally, domestic violence has been considered a private matter rather than a social crime. It is often viewed as a feminist issue - due in part to the fact that women's rights groups have been vocal in their efforts to highlight this abuse. Some sections of society consider this advocacy to be "anti-men" and argue that, as men are as likely as women to be victims of family violence, there is no need to instigate change specifically to protect women. Effectively, this has hampered attempts to change policies and influence attitudes in protecting victims of domestic violence.
Although men are also targets of domestic abuse, evidence indicates that the majority of victims are women. Figures from the 2002 Garda Síochána Annual Report show that of 10,248 domestic incidents reported to the Garda that year, 91 per cent of offenders were male and 92 per cent of complainants were female. And in a Trinity College Dublin study of 1,692 women attending general practices in the Republic (published in the British Medical Journal), 39 per cent had experienced domestic violence with 69 per cent reporting controlling behaviour by their partners.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International launched a two-year public awareness and action campaign to end this abuse. "Stop Violence Against Women" challenges the values, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to discrimination against women.
The 2004 Annual Conference of the Irish section of Amnesty International was held in the National University of Ireland, Galway last weekend. Heavily based on the Stop Violence Against Women campaign, it featured workshops and presentations from international and national groups. One Galway-based group, Domestic Violence Response (DVR), gave a 40-minute presentation by Irish victims.
DVR is a rural-based, community-led project responding to domestic violence in Connemara.
Set up in 1998 and funded by the Western Health Board, it offers support for women and children who are subjected to violence in the home. In addition, it promotes education, training and awareness projects, and contributes to national policy on domestic violence. The project has recently developed training programmes for women who have left violent family situations.
According to Liz Power, one of two project organisers with DVR, women's voices have been excluded from the area of policy-making and service provision for victims of domestic violence. "One of the stated aims of this project was to give women an opportunity to have their voices heard," she said.
Under the Equality for Women Measure, and funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, these two programmes took place over a 30-week period. Some 15 women took part in modules which covered a wide variety of skills, including creative writing. Members of one group published a manual aimed at those living in a violent domestic situation and those supporting them. As well as practical advice, personal stories recount the "raw fear, confusion, poverty and isolation of living with and surviving domestic violence".
The second group wrote and enacted Home Truths, a drama that tells the stories of women and children living with domestic violence from different perspectives. Both the manual and drama were unveiled at the end of September by Sean Love, director of Amnesty International. He noted that "violence against women is a human rights issue, and needs all sections of the community, especially men, to support the elimination of this type of violation". He added that his organisation was currently compiling research on the legal and judicial aspect of violence against women in the home. He hopes the results will be available next year.
Incidents of domestic violence go largely unreported. Many factors prevent victims from reporting and include fear of retribution, financial dependency, concern for children and limited access to redress. Unfortunately, those who do seek legal redress from the courts report feeling traumatised by the experience. A study commissioned by the National Women's Council in 2000 on this issue noted: "The civil and criminal justice system is the area where participants experience the most devastating humiliation and disempowerment."
As long as we turn a blind eye to these acts of aggression, the human rights of women will continue to be violated. With the perpetrators of violence going unpunished, and without comprehensive systems in place to ensure protection, justice will be denied to victims of domestic violence in the State.
The facts
Every minute of every day, all over the world, women are beaten, forced into sex or abused. Usually the abuser is known to her.
The Council of Europe has stated that violence in the family is the major cause of death and disability for women between the ages of 16 and 44 years. Domestic violence results in more death and ill-health in women than cancer or road traffic accidents.
The World Health Organisation has estimated that 70 per cent of female murder victims are killed by their male partners.
Some 18 per cent of Irish women who have been involved in an intimate relationship with men have been abused.
In Ireland, a study conducted at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, found that in a sample of 400 pregnant women, 12.5 per cent had experienced abuse while they were pregnant.
Further information is available from: Amnesty International (01 677 6361 or www.amnesty.ie); Domestic Violence Response, Old National School, Recess, Co Galway (095 34793 or e-mail dvr@indigo.ie
Marion Kerr is an occupational therapist and freelance writer.