Violence against women takes various forms, like, assault, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, rape, trafficking in women and girls, forced prostitution, honor killings, dowry-related violence, female infanticide and other harmful practices and traditions.
The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, confirms that violence against women is a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women.
UN Gender Theme Group structured a press conference in China to observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which falls on coming Saturday, that is 2nd of December.
UN Resident Co-ordination, Khalik Malik, said,
‘When it comes to the elimination of violence against women, there is no ground for tolerance. Fundamentally, it is time for us to make the commitment publicly and personally.’
Statistically:
1. 34.7% families suffer from domestic violence
2. 80 to 90% among these are females
3. more than 170,000 women die yearly in rural China
4. 66% are the outcome of domestic violence
5. more than one third women are victim of physical violence after every few months
6. Cases of abuse within families have tripled between 1998 and 2005.
7. The graph shows 31% increase than the previous year. Of the 719 cases reported, more than 500 involved serious assaults on women and children.
Present conditions:
1. According to Li Ying of the Centre for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services for Peking University Law School, the present legislation is very general and could not properly shield the victims since the law envelops only the married couples not those who are living together.
2. In order to find a solution for this, Li’s center has asked the authorities of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to launch a shielding order, which is expected to issue by next year.
3. China has introduced amendments to its criminal code with regard to the abduction of women and children and forced prostitution.
4. However, men dominated traditions are still operative in rural China. Women are not very well represented in the policy-making bodies and most of the times they are not given the deserving treatment.
What could be done?
1. First, the bias attitude of police officials against female victims of violence has to be eliminated. Women who have been raped or otherwise sexually assaulted frequently find that they are insulted and treated as if they were the guilty party, not the victim.
2. Some preventive initiatives have to taken through innovative educational campaigns, which’ll reduce violence among women in the nation.
3. Certain legislatives are to be framed that’ll respond effectively to gender based violence.
4. Raising awareness through media and teaching women about their rights and how to exercise them are also an important step towards their liberation.
5. Training should also be imparted to police officers, judges, teachers and health workers to lend a hand to women victims of violence.
6. Government should provide certain safe places for battered women where they can find safety and shelter without compromising their personal autonomy and freedom of movement.
Bottom Line:
We’re in 21st century, where rights of women are at par with their male counterparts and it is a recognized fast around the globe. It’s unacceptable and unbelievable that the women being a part of the world’s largest populated nation have readily accepted the tyranny.
Till some extent women are to be blamed for this despotism. China a nation that is economically resting on the highest altar at least in Asia and technologically it has left behind Japan as well. Women of such nation have accepted subjugation, the issue, violence against women, creeps out time and again and to be frank we’re sick of it.
