End Violence Against Women Now!

“Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime.” Nearly 137 women are killed by a member of their family every day. These are not only statistics but a lived reality of women and girls around the world. As one would think it could not get worse, as the U.N. warns, in times of crises, “the numbers rise, as seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crises, conflicts and climate disasters.”

According to a new U.N. Women report looking into the situation of women in 13 countries since the beginning of the pandemic, “2 in 3 women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence and are more likely to face food insecurity.” Despite the high numbers, only 1 in 10 women said that victims would go to the police.

Among the stories of violence against women is the story of Romela, a young woman in Bangladesh who got married after finishing high school. As she recalls: “My husband was a cruel man and tortured me. When I was pregnant, he punched me so hard I ended up losing my baby. On most nights, I cried myself to sleep. I wanted to end my life.” She escaped her abusive husband and sought refuge in a shelter run in partnership with the U.N. and funded by the Government of Japan.

Among the stories of violence against women is the story of Layla, who was abused by her partner. “He hit me whenever I disagreed with him. I endured everything, from sexual violence to emotional abuse. He became more and more violent as the days passed. He had total control over me. He made me believe that I stood no chance against him.” It took a long time before she decided to go to the police.

Among the stories of violence against women is the story of Milena, who was abused as a child. As she recalls: “I was abused at the age of 14, by a boy I had a relationship with. He was a year or two older than me. It happened at my home, in my own bed. He started touching me in a way I didn’t like. I froze, I was in shock. I could not do anything.” She has been having flashbacks years after.

November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a U.N. day designated to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls and to call for more action to combat it. Over time, the day has evolved into a global, widespread initiative that now incorporates 16 Days of Activism and the UNiTE campaigns.

The 2021 theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is “End Violence against Women Now!”

To end violence against women, we need to know and understand the different manifestations of violence against women, this to be able to act and prevent them. Violence against women has many manifestations and forms, whether physical, sexual and psychological abuse, including intimate partner violence, including battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide; sexual violence and harassment, including rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment; human trafficking including slavery, sexual exploitation; female genital mutilation; and child marriage. The 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 in private life.”

All these acts do not have a place in the 21st century and need to be addressed now. Ending violence against women requires everyone playing their role in addressing their issue.