Everyday, some of the women are subjected to one of the most widespread violations of Human Rights, i.e. Violence against Women. Some women know the fact that they are victims of the crime. However, the justice system and the traditional values do not encourage exercising the rights of the women. The worst situation is that some women even do not know forms of violence against women. The designation of 25th November as the International Day to End Violence against Women is the symbolic movement for equality and justice.
The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines Violence against Women as “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 private life.”
Since 1991, the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership coordinated the annual campaign called ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (Nov 25 to Dec 10)’. The starting day is to honor Mirabel sisters, 3 political activists from the Dominion Republic who were assassinated on the same dare in 1961. The end of 16 Days is marked by the International Human Rights Day. In 1999, the UN joined the campaign by designating 25th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Forms of Violence against Women can be varied. The US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health categorized the types of violence into _
Bullying
The effects of bullying can impact victims even after they enter adulthood.
The effects of bullying can impact victims even after they enter adulthood.
Dating Violence
Dating violence is when one person purposely causes physical or psychological harm to another person they are dating, including sexual assault, physical abuse, and psychological/emotional abuse. It is a serious crime that occurs in both casual and serious relationships.
Dating violence is when one person purposely causes physical or psychological harm to another person they are dating, including sexual assault, physical abuse, and psychological/emotional abuse. It is a serious crime that occurs in both casual and serious relationships.
Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence
Often, the violent person is a husband, former husband, boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend. Domestic violence and abuse, also called intimate partner violence, is when one person purposely causes either physical or mental harm to another, including: physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, sexual assault, isolation and controlling all of the victim's money, shelter, time, food, etc.
Often, the violent person is a husband, former husband, boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend. Domestic violence and abuse, also called intimate partner violence, is when one person purposely causes either physical or mental harm to another, including: physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, sexual assault, isolation and controlling all of the victim's money, shelter, time, food, etc.
Emotional and Verbal Abuse
Some examples of emotional and verbal abuse include yelling, criticizing, name-calling, blaming the woman for everything, playing mind games or manipulating, ordering around, keeping from spending time with friends and family and threatening to hurt.
Some examples of emotional and verbal abuse include yelling, criticizing, name-calling, blaming the woman for everything, playing mind games or manipulating, ordering around, keeping from spending time with friends and family and threatening to hurt.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is when a person is lured, recruited, or taken by force into another country, where they are forced to work under brutal and inhuman conditions.
Human trafficking is when a person is lured, recruited, or taken by force into another country, where they are forced to work under brutal and inhuman conditions.
Sexual Assault and Abuse
Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that the victims do not agree to, including inappropriate touching, vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, child molestation.
Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that the victims do not agree to, including inappropriate touching, vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, child molestation.
Stalking
The National Center for Victims of Crime defines stalking as "virtually any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear..." Examples may include following a person, appearing at a person's home or place of business, making harassing phone calls, leaving written messages or objects and vandalizing the victim’s property. The most common type of stalking is by a person in a former personal or romantic relationship, like an ex-husband. (www.4women.gov for further information)
The National Center for Victims of Crime defines stalking as "virtually any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear..." Examples may include following a person, appearing at a person's home or place of business, making harassing phone calls, leaving written messages or objects and vandalizing the victim’s property. The most common type of stalking is by a person in a former personal or romantic relationship, like an ex-husband. (www.4women.gov for further information)
In conclusion, violence against women is a universal issue and it cannot be eliminated at the personal level. It must be eliminated by the coordinated forces of the human rights organizations, women organizations, government agencies, law enforcement agencies and international organizations. In Burma, due to the state violence against women, societal favor to men domination and the traditional shame and fear of women to speak out, a lot of women have become the victims of the serious crimes of Violence against Women. To avoid this, public education and awareness campaigns should be started and STOP (Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors) Violence against Women formula should be used to encourage law enforcement, prosecution, courts and victims to speak out against the crimes.
Khin Ma Ma Myo (25/11/2006)