Last updated June 2008

Contents:

Websites dealing with Violence Against Women

Links to Other Voices Speaking Out on Violence Against Women (particularly media's role)

News and Information

Women's Statement on Zimbabwe: It's an Emergency: Stop the Violence and Protect Women and Girls Now

Assault on the Home Front, by Laura Forester, WIFP

50,000 Americans Touched by Domestic Violence Programs in a Single Day

AFGHANISTAN: Honour Killings on the Rise

World Cup Germany and Sex Trafficking:
World Cup Germany and Sex Trafficking: A Follow-Up
A Problem Resolved, A Problem Lacking, or a Matter of Practicality?, by Jenny Lee, WIFP
Original article:
Who Knew It Existed? Who Does The Media Want You To Blame?
What Women's Media Offers That Mainstream News Doesn't, by Jenny Lee, WIFP

UNIFEM Launches Database to Track Violence Against Women in Afghanistan

Violence Against Women, A Worldwide Phenomenon

LANDMARK STUDY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE- WHO REPORT FINDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS WIDESPREAD

Normalizing Function of the Mass Media: Cosmetic Foot Surgery

to WIFP home page

Websites dealing with Violence Against Women

Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is a non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights. It works internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms, especially prostitution and trafficking in women and children, in particular girls.

National Clearinghouse on Marital and Date Rape    

"National Clearinghouse on Marital and Date Rape We are most well known for so transforming the attitudes in this country (by our 20-year campaigns to change customs, policies, behaviors and laws) that we were able to make marital/cohabitant/date rape a crime in all fifty states, at least where force is used. (1993) All the governments in the U.N. voted in Beijing in 1995 to abolish the marital privilege to sex on demand from wives. This is testimony to our world-wide movement's strength."

Feminists Against Violence Network

FAVNET Feminists Against Violence Network (favnet@otd.com) is a fully moderated email list dedicated to ending domestic violence & violence against women through networking & direct action for feminists & pro-feminists women & men within a feminist environment and based on a feminist perspective. Counselors, legal advocates, survivors, and all feminists & profeminist women & men who seek to redress violence against women are welcome!

AbuseAware

Domestic Abuse Awareness, Inc. is on a mission to reconnect with the children from the book Living With The Enemy. Back in the 80's and early 90's, the book took form as Donna Ferrato searched for the truth behind domestic violence with her camera. She could not believe the all too accepted mentality that women who stay in abusive situations like it. She recognizes that although she captured much of the women's pain, she was only scratching at the surface. From the action of violence springs infinite levels of reactions. From the mother, to her children, to their children, the cycle of abuse grows from a deep root. This trailer is the beginning of Ferrato's search for the children and the answers.

Men Can Stop Rape  

Men Can Stop Rape empowers male youth and the institutions that serve them to work as allies with women in preventing rape and other forms of men's violence. Through awareness-to-action education and community organizing, we promote gender equity and build men's capacity to be strong without being violent.

Female Genital Mutilation Education and Networking Project

The website has undergone a lot of changes, including changing its name to the FGM Education and Networking Project. Excellent resources and information.

RAINBO

"RAINBO is an international not-for-profit organization working on issues within the intersection between health and human rights of women. Starting with the issue of Female Circumcision/Female Genital Mutilation (FC/FGM), we explore means of preventing this and other forms of gender-based violence. Our ultimate goal is to promote and protect women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We provide technical assistance to international and donor agencies, and work in partnership with local organizations to develop and advance effective policies and programs to deal with these crucial issues.

Our work is focused on programs in Africa and in African immigrant and refugee communities. Our board of trustees and staff are multi-cultural with a rich diversity of professional experiences and personal backgrounds, and a strong African leadership."

Maiti Nepal Crusading for the Prevention of Girl Trafficking, Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration of Traffic Victims

Maiti Nepal's crusade is to protect Nepali girls and women from crimes like domestic violence, trafficking, child prostitution, child labour and various forms of exploitation and torture. A group of socially committed professionals like teachers, journalists and social workers together formed Maiti Nepal. It also actively brings justice for the girls and women against criminals through legal channels.

Maiti's focus is the prevention of trafficking of girls which is a burning issue for Nepal. Rescuing girls forced into prostitution and helping to find economic alternatives have been its key struggle. It holds counselling and educates on health, laws, basic reading and writing for them. The survivors are also trained to develop income-generation skills and are housed in Maiti's shelter until they can manage on their own. Sexually abused girls, abandoned children, destitute women, prisoner's children, returnees from Indian brothels, girls and children infected with HIV and Hepatitis B are also its beneficiaries.

The word Maiti has a sentimental value for Nepali women. It refers to the family one is born to. This tie is severed when a woman marries for she loses all rights to her parents and their property. She then becomes an outsider belonging solely to her husband and his family forever.

Language:English
E-mail Address: info@maitinepal.org or maiti@ccsl.com.np
Website: <http://www.maitinepal.org/>

White Ribbon Campaign  

"In 1991, a handful of men in Canada decided we had a responsibility to urge men to speak out against violence against women. We decided that wearing a white ribbon would be a symbol of men's opposition to men's violence against women. The WRC is the largest effort in the world of men working to end men's violence against women. We encourage men to do educational work in schools, workplaces and communities, to support local women's groups, and to raise awareness internationally."

Incite

"INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence is a national activist organization of radical feminists of color advancing a movement to end violence against women of color and their communities through direct action, critical dialogue and grassroots organizing."

Women Against Violence Against Women

Supporting survivors since 1982. Shifting society for the future.

WAVAW is a non-profit organization that has been providing sexual assault support services to women 14 years of age and older, in Greater Vancouver for 23 years. We are open and accessible to all women survivors of violence. We operate within a feminist and anti-oppression framework, and are committed to non-violence.

Nisaa Institute for Women's Development - South Africa

The Nisaa Institute for Women's Development is a non-profit organisation, which focuses on violence prevention and the empowerment of women who have been abused by their partners. The organisation offers services to the survivors of domestic violence and their children. It uses the media to deepen the scope of its public awareness campaigns. The organisation uses traditional media such as radio, television and newspaper to communicate its messages to the community. It also uses postcards, pamphlets, posters, cards, billboards and stickers.

Main Communication Strategies
Nisaa Institute for Women's Development believes that raising public awareness about gender based violence (GBV) is the first step in persuading people to change their behaviour, and in improving legal polices and services for women. The organisation has six programmes each containing a number of ongoing projects. Its activities include:

* Providing emergency shelter for women and children whose lives are endangered by violence perpetrated against them by intimate partners/husbands.
* Conducting various forms of counseling services for adults and children as a form of intervention. This includes crisis telephone counseling, individual and group counseling.
* Promoting public awareness and education on violence against women to relevant stakeholders and to a broader audience locally, nationally and internationally.
* Developing and conducting training on specific competencies, gender issues and violence against women.
* Producing and developing publications at a range of levels and disseminating relevant information to a broader national and international audiences.
* Consolidating and expanding outreach services to Orange Farm and Soweto.

Nisaa's prevention programmes activities include: Date Rape Campaign: This campaign includes a small booklet, posters and stickers for adolescents. It alerts teenagers to the high incidence of date rape and abuse among youth. It also offers information on how best to prevent date rape and more general information on sexual rights and sexuality.

Radio campaigns: Nisaa's services are advertised regularly on different radio stations. Also on radio is a 30 episode drama that aims to increase awareness of violence against women and HIV/AIDS. It reaches rural communities in hard to reach provinces in South Africa.

Nisaa Resource Center and Website: Provides information for other civil society organisations, activists, women experiencing violence and other interested partners. The campaigns are highlighted, as well as Nisaa's services and outreach. This programme is linked to the womensnet website where Nisaa offers online counseling and education services via the internet.

Anti Anti-Rape Bus Campaign: Posters, booklets, billboards, 20 buses, 12 taxis, and major daily newspapers carried the message of "You're only half a man if you rape a woman". This campaign was seen all over town and took the message to large numbers of people. It sparked public debate and strongly stated that rape will not be tolerated in the communities.

Peace on Earth begins at Home: This campaign developed during the holiday season, included a billboard, posters and greeting cards. The campaign makes the connection between domestic violence and global violence.

Development Issues
Gender, Women, Rights, Children.

Key Points
Nisaa Institute for Women's Development objectives are to:

* Encourage women to gain control over their lives in ways that they deem appropriate.
* Provide refuge for women survivors of violence and their children when their lives are endangered by interpersonal violence.
* Establish organizational links and mechanisms that enable the use of the community, municipal, national and international resources for women's emancipation.
* Lobby for appropriate legislation and resources that protect and maintain the dignity of survivors of violence.
* Raise awareness on violence against women through public awareness education, media intervention and a range of training.

For more information, contact:
Nisaa Institute for Women's Development, P O Box 1057, Lenasia 1820, Johannesburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 (0)11 854 5804/5. Fax: +27 (0)11 854 5718
contact@nisaa.org.za

Links to Other Voices Speaking Out on Violence Against Women (particularly media's role)

Lucinda Marshal (Not) In The News: Media Culpability in the Continuum of Violence Against Women, appearing in Dissident Voice (www.dissidentvoice.org)

Article on violence against female journalists. Foreign correspondents and sexual abuse article by Judith Matloff in Columbia Journalism Review.

Volcano Press: Bringing domestic violence issues to the forefront

Volcano Press publisher Ruth Gottstein had a revelation at one point when she was director of Glide Publications in San Francisco.

Gottstein was offered a manuscript from England titled" Scream Quietly or The Neighbors Will Hear." She realized unequivocally that the book, which dealt with domestic violence, was needed in the United States. A member of the then-Governor's Commission on Crime agreed to create "Battered Wives," the first book on the subject published under the United States. That was 1976, and she still receives requests for reprints of a poignant but graphic letter that appears in "Battered Wives."

Since then Gottstein has been in the vanguard of publishing books which address the issues of domestic violence, child abuse and women's issues. Along the way, her company has also published award-winning children's books as well as several books of Gold Country history. . . .

Article by Marcia Oxford in 2003 in the Ledger-Dispatch. For full article, go to: http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/life/lifeview.asp?c=33034

News and Information:

* Male partners or ex-partners kill 1,000 to 1,500 women each year in the United States, according to FBI statistics; most of the murders come after a pattern of escalating abuse.

* "Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 700,000 women and girls are trafficed every year. Human traffickers usually lure their lare numbers of women and girls into the sex industry by promising them good pay. Unfortunately, on arriving to their destination these women are often kept prisoners by their employers and crime syndicates who saddle them with unlawful debts." ["Trafficing in Women Migrants: Issues of Concern in South Asia" by Chineze Onyejekwe, Ph.D., Pakistan Journal of Women's Studies: Alam-e Niswan, 2004]

Women's Statement on Zimbabwe: It's an Emergency: Stop the Violence and Protect Women and Girls Now

WE! June 2008, issue 1: Engaging Sexuality and Relationships

Presented to The Human Rights Council, June 2008 Session, Geneva, Switzerland

We, the Zimbabwean women and women worldwide, urgently call for an end of violence in Zimbabwe and protection of women and girls, in this post election catastrophe. This is an emergency as the country gears up for a presidential run-off on the 27th of June 2008.The violence persists and is real. No election observers are yet in the country, despite our calls, appeals, cries to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations. Zimbabwe is a full signatory to CEDAW.

We are watching a silent genocide of the poor and powerless, due to politically induced murders, criminal actions, and collapse of basic services, resulting in deaths due to lack of health care, food, shelter for the displaced, especially after the March 29, 2008 elections. Most of the affected are women and children.

* The post election murders, burnings, lootings and intimidation have most affected women and girls since these murders are rural-targeted and 80 per cent of women live in rural areas.
* Over 800 homes have been burnt down, making it traumatic for mothers who have to feed the children and care for the sick.
* Over 10,000 people have fled their homes, are displaced and squats with relatives and with fear of going back home. Displaced children are not in schools
* Over 50 people have been murdered in cold blood, mostly from the opposition.
* An estimated 7,000 teachers have fled their schools as a number have been beaten in the eyes of parents and pupils.
* Doctors for Human Rights report that over 2,000 serious cases of physical torture and beatings have passed through their hands and a lot of those they treated have suffered serious fractures to an extent that most are permanently handicapped.
* The oldest victim of the post election violence is an old woman with 12 grandchildren, all of them orphaned and whose son is alleged to have
campaigned for the opposition.
* The youngest female victim is a 15-year-old girl who was stripped naked together with her pregnant mother, forced to lie down and beaten on the
breasts and buttocks. Many women have been so battered. Several girls and women are feared raped. The youngest child seriously
assaulted is only three years.
* More than 3,000 Zimbabweans die every weak due to AIDS. Life expectancy is 34 years for women.
* Unemployment is 80 per cent and inflation is 165,000 per cent and the highest in the world.
* 200,000 women have been made homeless and jobless by the government's 2005 Operation Murambatsviina. Women?s church gatherings are disrupted,
women are beaten up and abused while at prayer.
* Over three million Zimbabweans are in South Africa where they are facing xenophobic attacks.

This situation is an extra-ordinary emergency for women and girls. Every person and institution must do everything in their power to stop the violence, restore rule of the law, and allow Zimbabweans to exercise their right to vote and live in peace.

We, as Zimbabwean women and women worldwide:

Re-iterate the long-standing position of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), that the failure of the government and law enforcement, such as police and army to respect the rights of all citizens is the greatest threat to peace, democracy and development in Zimbabwe.

Are really concerned by a real danger of civil strife catalysed by the growing humanitarian crisis. We are witnessing increasing levels of tension and political polarisation among the population, which turned out to vote last 29 March. The media reports on the party political position adopted by the law enforcement, which should ordinarily maintain neutrality. The recent purchase of military weapons adds to this fear.

Call for the immediate cessation of organised and targeted intimidation against the citizens, particularly the use of women and girls as weapons of ?war,? evidenced by the brutal battering of women?s buttocks, rape and sexual abuse.

Demand the immediate disbanding of the militias, comprised of youths, security agents and one terror group codenamed Chipangano, which have caused terror and havoc in the rural and urban areas, exacerbating the humanitarian situation by creating internal refugees. We demand the disbanding of torture bases where gross abuses of women are taking place including forced labor (cooking and cleaning) and sexual abuse.

Request the Leadership of SADC, the African Union and the United Nations to effectively engage with the ZANU PF government to stop using violence against its people and take tangible actions if the violence continues.

Request especially the Human Rights Council to: I.Establish a programme of engagement with Zimbabwe for the protection of human rights especially for women, girls and children. The UN must deploy human rights monitors during the run-up to the Presidential Elections.

II.Mandate and support the UN Special Rapportuer on Violence Against Women in implementing a fact-finding mission in Zimbabwe and support the efforts of community, grassroots and other organisations living in a culture of fear, and survivors of violence and abuse.

III.Mandate and support the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in putting in place ways of ensuring safety and protection for women human rights advocates and activists, who find themselves in fear of life and whose ability to engage publicly is compromised.

IV.Engage the Zimbabwe government and authorities, for the latter to stop the violence, and demand the state to protect ordinary people?s lives.

V.Encourage and support humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe, especially in support of food, health and education for rural communities and mostly the displaced.

Signed
Zimbabwe Women?s Coalition
World YWCA
ATHENA
Girl Child Network
Rozaria Memorial Trust

Organizations and individuals are encouraged to sign this statement and register their support through the following e-mail addresses: coalition@zol.co.zw (Zimbabwe Women?s Coalition); worldoffice@worldywca.org; athenainitiative@gmail.com; or dakotareed07@gmail.com

From: WE! June 2008, issue 1: Engaging Sexuality and Relationships
we! Documenting feminist visions. Creating critical communications.
Strengthening social movements.
published by Isis International-Manila (c)

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Assault on the Home Front
Bringing awareness to the existence of sexual abuse in the Armed Services

By Laura Forester, WIFP

Women in the United States Armed Services are facing a private war. Not only are these women technically prohibited from engaging in ground combat operations, despite rigorous training, but they also face threats and actions of violencefrom their peers.

The history of the armed services has developed through a strong patriarchic society. However, when conscription, “the draft”, came to an end in the early 1970s, women increasingly became involved in this previously male dominated field.

Commonly, it is recorded that women receive better test scores when entering the armed services, and this attribute results in high quality servicewomen. For example, in 1997, there was a re-structuring of the Armed Forces Qualification Test. According to the test results black women score 2.4 points higher than black men, and white women score 0.8 points higher than white men.  (Charles Murray – The Inequality Taboo). Despite better test results the services tend to recapitulate the view that women are second-class support.

Must American servicewomen regard sexual harassment and assault, as additional hardships to be faced as part of the cost for serving the nation as ‘secondary’?

This overwhelming duplicity of intelligent women serving alongside men as “equal”, yet alarmingly being treated as victims, needs to be properly placed into awareness.

Ilona Meagher, editor of PTSD Combat, comments that we should be aware of how different the Iraq war is for women than any other war in America’s history. 160,500 or more American female soldiers have served in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East since 2003. Women now make up 15 percent of active forces, four times more than in the 1991 Gulf War. Also, the casualties and deaths reported from Iraq relate that this is more female loss than in the Korean, Vietnam and first Gulf Wars combined (http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com).

Specialist Mickiela Montoya confronted the dangers of war and of rape when she was deployed to Iraq with the National Guard "There are only three kinds of female the men let you be in the military: a bitch, a ho or a dyke," said Montoya, "This guy out there, he told me…in Vietnam they had prostitutes to keep [men] from going crazy, but they don't have those in Iraq. So they have women soldiers instead." (http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com).

Women face the terrifying effects of combat undertakings accompanied with sexual assault. Tragically, it is not a rare combination. Equally tragic, our military women obtain this treatment from their peer officers. In the New York Times there was a 2003 report, financed by the Department of Defense, cited that nearly one-third of a nationwide sample of female veterans seeking Veterans Administration health care "said they experienced rape or attempted rape during their service." Of this sampling of female military veterans, "37 percent said they were raped multiple times, and 14 percent reported they were gang-raped." (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/magazine/18cover.html?pagewanted=5).

In 2005, the department of defense implemented a new Sexual Assault Prevention Policy. The department created this policy to have consistent education across the services to create a superior understanding of what constitutes assault, risk factors, and preventive measures. The sexual assault policy was created so that there is uniformity in the standards of concern and care. This policy is meant to have a substantial impact on creating a culture of prevention and an environment of awareness.

Major General K.C. McClain, of the United States Air Force, who served as the commander of Joint Task Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response from September 2004 until June 2006, said the sexual assault policy "will make a tremendous difference in the lives of the men and women in our services." She acknowledged that the new policy "is no silver bullet" or "overnight solution." (http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=24457).

According to the March 2007 Department of Defense annual sexual assault report  there were 2,947 allegations of sexual assaults reported in 2006; a 24% increase from 2005. In this report there was mention of a Sexual Harassment and Assault Survey of the Service Academies. This survey found 6 percent of females and 1 percent of males admitting to being sexually assaulted in 2004-2005, and less than half the females who experienced sexual assault reported it.  Also, 60% of female cadets indicated sexual harassment was about the same as when they first enrolled at their academy.  Due to this insidious problem, Congresswoman Slaughter has proposed The Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act.

Women and men alike should seek to equalize the communication between the services, by expanding knowledge of these issues and concerns. Men are encouraged to speak up about the abuse their female peers undergo when these men are aware of assault. Awareness of this violent issue, and removing it from the veil of taboo and red tape, will allow for more comprehensive and protective measures for victims, and potential victims, of this type of hostility. 

Individuals like Montoya, who has voiced her experiences, and Congresswomen Sanchez and Slaughter, who are trying to pass legislation to amend how sexual assault should be defined and prevented, encourage projects that move us toward goals of health and protection for service men and women fearing assault in the armed services.

The power of awareness and the victim’s voice, are the ground workings for where innovative ideas about progress and protection are cultivated. Communication and commitment to bringing awareness to this issue and prioritizing the safety and honor of our armed servicemen and women is not only patriotic but necessary. 

__________

To learn more about the people and their actions, like the previous proposal, that are improving the serious presence of violence in the military, be sure to see the links and contacts below:

Honor Betrayed: Sexual Abuse in America's Military (Dr. Mic Hunter)
In Honor Betrayed, Dr. Mic Hunter probes beyond the headlines to reveal the reality of sexual abuse in the military. The culture of the military's training is to turn recruits into those who follow orders without question.

http://sapr.mil
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office website. SAPRO serves as the single point of accountability for Department of Defense (DoD) sexual assault policy.

Loretta Sanchez – Member of Congress
1230 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225 5859http://www.lorettasanchez.house.gov/ 

Louise M. Slaughter – Member of Congress
U.S. House of Representatives
2469 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-3615 [phone]
http://www.louise.house.gov/

The Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act:
Proposed by Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter
* Establish an office of Victims Advocate within DoD
* Create comprehensive confidentiality protocols to protect the rights of victims within military law; and
* Codify policies for preventing, responding, treating, and prosecuting cases of family violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the military and among military families.

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Violence Against Women and Girls in Iran

By WFAFI News
April, 2007

He slapped her face, as she imagined the warmth of her father's kisses on her cheeks. He hit her with a stick on her lower back, and she no longer had sensation in her legs. She became paralyzed forever. He hit her on every part of her body, and she ached. She asked, "Why do I need to beg for love and get your kicks and your fist? What have I done to you for you to paralyze me forever, Father? In my small world I was looking for your warm hands, and I did not know they can be painful. I did not expect much from you. I needed your warmth, you gave me a wheelchair. Why?"

These are the questions 16-year-old Maryam is asking her angry father in the court of Bethat. Her mother said, "Saeed, Maryam's father, is a very angry man. He does not give us money. We ask for money but he hits us. He hit me to death so many times. Because of him we live under terror.
"The day of the accident, Maryam asked her father for pocket money. He got angry, Maryam began to scream, and he hit her on her back and legs to the point where she passed out ...She said, 'I was scared.' I took her to the hospital. She recovered but lost sensation in her legs. Doctors could not do anything for her. She became paralyzed."

When asked, Saeed said, "I have hit my daughter. I had asked my family not to make me angry. My wife paid no attention to this. She would do worse. Maryam asked for money. I told her that I didn't have any. She insisted, so I screamed at her. My wife backed her up. I did not know what I was doing. I hit her until she became paralyzed. I am saddened too. After she lost feeling her legs, I tried everything to save her but nothing worked."
Saeed was sent to prison for more investigation.

Women's Forum Against Fundamentalism in Iran (http://www.wfafi.org)

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50,000 AMERICANS TOUCHED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS IN A SINGLE DAY

First-of-its-Kind Survey Documents Extensive Reach of Domestic Violence Programs

(March 13, 2007) Washington, DC – In a single day, domestic violence programs served more than 50,000 adults and children in the United States. This astonishing data comes from the release of Domestic Violence Counts: the National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS). Conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence and health economists at Harvard University, the NCDVS is the most recent data documenting the number of individuals served by domestic violence programs. In addition to providing a national snapshot, the NCDVS report (available online at http://www.nnedv.org) also includes state-level data.

More than 1,200 domestic violence programs from across the country (62%) participated in the survey, giving advocates and researchers a glimpse into the number of individuals seeking services, the types of services requested and the number of service requests that went unmet due to a lack of resources. However, because the survey was not able to obtain a count from all domestic violence programs, advocates say the data only skims the surface.

“While the census provides advocates and policymakers with tremendous insight into the need for domestic violence services, the sobering fact is that there are still many more victims who need our help,” said Else. “We need to ensure that resources are available to not only meet current needs, but to also increase public awareness so that all victims know help is available.”

The NCDVS collected a national, unduplicated count of adults and children who received life-saving services from domestic violence programs on November 2, 2006. During the 24-hour survey period 47,864 received direct services, including:

• more than 14,000 Americans sought refuge in emergency shelters
• almost 8,000 lived in transitional housing facilities
• more than 25,000 received non-residential services such as counseling, legal advocacy and children’s support groups.

However, the survey found there was still a significant need for services. More than 10% of requests for services were referred elsewhere because domestic violence programs did not have the resources to aid them.
“Funding cuts preclude us from employing an overnight advocate,” reported a domestic violence program in California which participated in the census. “Many times lack of overnight coverage is a deterrent for victims seeking shelter.”

In addition to providing shelter and advocacy services, domestic violence programs invested a significant amount of time and energy raising public awareness in their communities. During the survey period, domestic violence programs informed more than 40,000 Americans about domestic violence, available resources, and what they could do to help prevent the violence.

The census provides critical data supporting advocates’ efforts to secure full funding for the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. Congress unanimously passed the legislation in December 2005, but since has not passed an appropriations package that includes funding for new programs.

Participating programs logged an unduplicated count of adults and children accessing their services between 8 a.m. EST on November 2, 2006 to 7:59 a.m. EST on November 3, 2006. This “snapshot” approach allowed researchers to document the scope of services without collecting victim-identifying data.

“Individuals seeking domestic violence services are often in immediate danger and need to keep their location a secret. Unfortunately, most research methods place victims at risk,” said Cindy Southworth, NNEDV’s Safety Net Technology Project Director. “The National Census of Domestic Violence Services was designed to protect the safety and confidentiality needs of victims.”

About the National Network to End Domestic Violence

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is a membership and advocacy organization representing the 54 state and U.S. territory domestic violence coalitions. NNEDV is the voice of these coalitions, their more than 2,000 local domestic violence member programs, and the millions of domestic violence survivors who turn to them for services. In 2000 and 2005, NNEDV members all across the country played a crucial role in the reauthorization of VAWA. Through its extensive state and grassroots network, NNEDV continues to mobilize a powerful constituency to make their voices heard in Congress. For more information, please visit www.nnedv.org.

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AFGHANISTAN: Honour Killings on the Rise

by Christine, Agenda

KABUL, 15 Sep 2006 (IRIN) - A weak judiciary, a lack of law enforcement and widespread discriminatory practices against women are fuelling a rise in honour killings in Afghanistan, officials from the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) said on Friday.

Bebi (not her real name) fears for her life after fleeing her house in the southeastern province of Paktia in June. The 15-year-old said she was forced into a marriage that she did not want. “I was engaged to an old man when I was only six months old, how can that be right?”

She's now living incognito with friends in the capital Kabul. Facilities to protect women like Bebi are virtually nil in Afghanistan and many resign themselves to their fate.

“My husband treated me like an animal, not as a human, with daily beatings and torture and locking me indoors, ”Bebi said. “I know he [husband] is pursuing me to kill me because he thinks I have disgraced him but God knows it is he who was guilty.”

So-called honour killings, which rights activists say have become increasingly common in Afghanistan, are murders of women or girls who are believed to have brought shame on the family name. They are usually carried out by male family members, or sometimes by ‘contractors’ who are paid to carry out the killing and occasionally by children too young to face the law.

The killings are commonly carried out on women and girls refusing to enter into an arranged marriage or for having a relationship that the family considers to be inappropriate. Due to such pressures from families, many women are driven to suicide or flee their homes to escape an honour killing.

According to AIHRC, some 185 women and girls have been killed by family members so far this year, a significant increase on the previous year. But rights activists say that the real number is much higher as many such cases go unreported, particularly in rural areas.

“Unfortunately, many women and girls continue to lose their lives due to this [honour killing] brutal crime. Sadly, it’s totally ingrained in [Afghan] culture, particularly in rural areas of the country,” Soraya Sobrang, head f AIHRC, told IRIN.

Sobrang blamed weak prosecution of perpetrators and a lack of awareness among women about their rights as the key factors driving the practice.

A change in attitude on the part of the police and judiciary was also needed. "Regrettably, police forces in Afghanistan either don't arrest such killers or they don’t treat them as murderers," Rahmatullah Weda, an information officer at AIHRC remarked.

Afghanistan’s government, which says it is committed to human rights and ending discrimination against women, hopes to end the practice but admits there are challenges ahead.

Dad Mohammad Rasa, an interior ministry spokesman, said honour crimes were prosecuted, but that the practice was so entrenched that stamping it out would be a long-term project.

“We have created a commission in the interior ministry to try and eradicate such cases but it will take a long time to overcome such crimes as it has become a part of many people’s culture.”

Despite considerable progress being made following the collapse of the hard line Taliban regime in late 2001 and women’s rights being protected under the new constitution, violence against women such as self-immolation, forced marriages and rape remain widespread in Afghanistan.

The increase in such crimes against women has also been explained by the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan’s southern provinces. The killing, maiming and beating of women were practically institutionalised during their ultra-conservative rule from 1996 until late 2001.

The Afghan rights watchdog has registered some 704 cases of violence against women, including 89 cases of forced marriages and 50 cases of self-immolation so far in 2006, again, a significant increase over last year, it said.

© IRIN

* IRIN
Source: IRIN - www.irinnews.org .

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World Cup Germany and Sex Trafficking: A Follow-Up
A Problem Resolved, A Problem Lacking, or a Matter of Practicality?

By Jenny Lee, WIFP

Just a little over a month ago, prior to the opening games of the 2006 World Cup, the European Parliament and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women had estimated that over 400,000 women from Eastern Europe would be trafficked into Germany to serve as prostitutes during the global sporting event1. As Germany legalized prostitution in 2002 in order to better working conditions and reduce the stigma behind the industry and its workers2, many had feared that the huge influx of soccer fans into the country would result in a comparably large flood of women from poor neighboring countries to fulfill the “greater demand” for sex. The United States, along with many worldwide anti-sex trafficking and anti-trafficking organizations, as well as an internet petition that generated over 20,000 signatures3, made it very clear that sex trafficking – moreover, prostitution in general – would not be tolerated by much of the world. And, the host country was prepared. The German government had partnered with the National Council of German Women’s Organizations, an umbrella organization of about 55 women’s groups, in a $90,800 awareness campaign. So, how well did the sex trade fare during the 2006 games?

Not very well, according to various reports. Karolina Leppert, president of Germany’s association for sexual service providers, told Yahoo News that, "The pent-up sexual demand of horny fans from around the world which has been widely anticipated has not materialized at all.4” A more official report released on July 4th by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Swedish development agency SIDA “[indicated] little increase in trafficking,” as IOM spokesman Fredric Larsson stated that "We have so far not seen any marked increase in human trafficking from eastern European countries to Germany during the World Cup.5” Moreover, any indication of an increase in prostitution itself was apparent in just one brothel, located in Munich.6

While this is all very clear and simple news to convey, it is interesting to look at the various ways in which different news sources put it across. For instance, the Sex Work Cyber Resource and Support Center, an organization with the mission of “Promoting Intimacy and Positive, Healthy, ConsentingAdult Sexuality,” attributes the minimal increase in sex trafficking to the overall cleanliness and prompt regulation of the legalized trade in Germany, blaming the Bush administration for blowing the numbers out of proportion “to get the emotional response they seek” in rallying people against it. The Center members identify themselves as “liberated Christians,” “[who have] nothing to do with sex workers, but promoting loving intimacy and support for those who find Polyamory more meaningful than traditional monogamy.7”

In contrast, a more traditional Christian site centered around a pro-life stance, www.lifesite.net, attributes the same result to the vast “international public outcry” against sex trafficking and prostitution, and, in particular, the numerous Christian campaigns, including the “massive email campaign” initiated by the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute8. Interestingly enough, in my July article examining the different angles of various news sources regarding the German sex trafficking issue prior to the 2006 games, it was the Christian sources, Vatican Archbishop Agostino Marchetto9 and Father Jonathan Morris10, represented by Fox News in two different articles, who took the opportunity to personally denounce the trade of prostitution and blame the “hypocritical liberals” for not taking on the issue as strongly as they claimed to have done.

A New York Times article appears to take a practical stance on the matter, attributing the lack of sex trafficking and minimal increase in prostitution simply to a lack of interest or convenience for soccer fans. For one, it quotes one of the prostitutes herself, reasoning, “Maybe [potential clients] went out to a pub and drank instead.” Author Oliver Hartung goes on to emphasize the 2006 Cup’s wholesome slogan, “A Time to Make Friends,” which makes for awkward situations when one even considers attending a brothel in the midst of a group gathering. He quotes prostitute Stephanie Klee, who explains that "For most people, it's just too complicated. It's difficult to say to your friends, 'I'm going to leave you now and go to a brothel for 20 minutes.' That's not normal behavior." The article also notes the impact of the anti-sex campaigns and international pressure on the German government, which too appeared to lessen the numbers of clientele. “The police carried out a lot of searches to look for forced prostitutes or women without legal papers," said Ms. Klee. "When clients see police at the brothels, they think that sex work is linked to crime." Hartung concludes the article by stressing the greatest priority of all: the soccer. He writes, “The customers remain passionate about soccer, however, as do the women,” who “stop what they are doing to watch it.” Instead of showing pornographic films as usual, the Artemis Theater is reserved for live games. And everyone is caughtup in the games, including prostitutes like Luna, who "cried when Serbia lost 6-0 to Argentina.”

With these strikingly different takes on one simple result, it is understandable why the issue of German prostitution is still being debated. Who is to say that it is solely the anti-prostitution stance of the United States and Christian organizations all over the world that has held down the numbers of trafficking and clientele during the World Cup? Would it then be reasonable to oppose all forms of prostitution – legal or not? Or could it be that the legalization and regulation of the trade have rendered many of the problems null? Could it be a matter of practicality, when fathers and businessmen choose to stay out of the brothels out of respect for others in their company or to avoid crime? Or could soccer itself be the major diverting force against prostitution? For more thought-provoking commentary on the issue, be sure to read the articles and sites cited here, or access my July piece on sex trafficking prior to the games at http://www.wifp.org/VoicesforMediaDemocracy.html.

World Cup Germany and Sex Trafficking:
Who Knew It Existed? Who Does The Media Want You To Blame?
What Women's Media Offers That Mainstream News Doesn't

By Jenny Lee, WIFP

This summer, World Cup Fever has hit the world, and the news media are making it loud, clear and overwhelmingly positive -- perhaps a bit too positive. Headlines such as “British Bobbies Charm Frankfurt1” and “Win Keeps The Pub Happy2” put the German-hosted tournament in a joyous, good-natured light. In glamorizing the most popular sporting event in the world, however, most news media are reluctant to expose its most disheartening social and economic consequences – namely, the estimated 40,000 women who will be sex-trafficked into a nation where prostitution is legal and another 400,000 women are already employed in the profitable industry3. How was I able to find these statistics amidst such all-around upbeat coverage? Not from any mainstream news media, but from women’s news media, specifically Women’s eNews.

In 2005, a sizeable $6.5 million brothel was built just down the street from the Berlin stadium. While the owners have denied its relation to the expected sporting event, the project's attorney, Norman Jacob, was later quoted as saying "football and sex belong together.4" Jacob did not hesitate to brag about his upscale brothel, adorned with plush curtains, leopard-print cushions, and exorbitant amounts of gold, telling Spiegel Online reporters that the non-traditional atmosphere is also great for the prostitutes. Not only are each of them allowed to keep all their profits, unlike in traditional brothels, but "[they] can go into the sauna or the swimming pool, get food and non-alcoholic drinks for free. [They] can even spend the night here and just sleep. And if [they] ha[ve] sex [they] earn[] money." Still, even Katharina Cetin of the Berlin-based prostitute support group Hydra, who praises the prostitute-friendly environment, warns that it is "too soon to judge the actual working conditions." Taking into account the thousands of women to be illegally trafficked into Germany would undoubtedly make the reality of this and other brothels much more bleak.

What has been done to prevent the anticipated illegal trafficking? The National Council of German Women’s Organizations, an umbrella organization of about 55 women’s groups, has partnered with the German government and embarked on a $90,800 awareness campaign. In its 2006 human trafficking report released in June, the U.S. State Department ranked Germany as a Tier 1 nation – one of the most successful in combating human trafficking. However, the mere fact that prostitution is legal in the nation, coupled with the new $6.5 million brothel and the lower, Tier 2 rankings of Russia and the neighboring Czech Republic – the two major countries from which women are believed to be trafficked – do not provide a positive outlook for the upcoming Cup. Still, many, including Zita Gurmai, a Hungarian member of the European Parliament and chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, see the 2006 World Cup as an occasion “to raise public awareness about the existence of human trafficking and forced prostitution, all over the world and all over the year."

According to Women’s eNews, other anti-sex trafficking organizations include the more radical Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, which likens the German campaign to “an ethical John’s program…that certifies some women as usable and others not.” According to the organization’s co-executive director, Janice Raymond, "Our message is that sex is not a sport under any circumstances." La Strada, an anti-trafficking organization based on Prague, agrees with Raymond’s message, but also asserts that, “Human trafficking is not a sport under any circumstances.” Its members are disappointed that the German campaign “missed a chance to broaden awareness of human trafficking…beyond prostitution…[involving] people forced into various kinds of work.” National coordinator Petra Burcikova asserts that yes, “On one hand, the campaign is good because you hear about trafficking,” but "On the other hand, you don't hear about the other forms of trafficking. All people walk away with is: 'Trafficking equals prostitution. Good. We were right.'… If we talk about forced labor, it concerns everyone." The German parliamentarian Groener, who emphasizes the importance of unity of all anti-trafficking groups behind the campaign, offered a counterargument, stating, “I want really not to split powers. I want to join powers to fight modern slavery.”  

Overall, I am left not only angry about the lack of media focus on the anticipated sex trafficking, but in deep thought about the issues raised and the viewpoints with which I most closely identify. How can we inform the men without giving them an easy way out? Should we target sex trafficking exclusively? Would that undermine other forms of human trafficking, as Burcikova argues? Curious about what the general public – the people who do not normally access women'smedia – has been hearing about the 2006 games, I decided to take a look at a few mainstream news sites to see how they contribute to – or detract from – this pressing issue.

Turning to BBC International News, I find with optimism that the largest broadcasting corporation in the world has mentioned the issue in a relatively comprehensive series of articles. However, these articles generally depict illegal sex trafficking and prostitution as light, even trivial issues. The most recent one to date, titled “Germany Braced for World Cup Influx5,” briefly talks about sex trafficking in a mere six sentences, claiming that Germany’s interior ministry is doing what it can, but believes that the estimated figures of women to be illegally trafficked are “much too high.” According to a skeptical ministry source, “It is hard to organize prostitution for four weeks. You need years to plan and build an operation.” He added that “no special measures [are] being planned at German borders.” Interestingly enough, the article conveys the German ministry’s most prominent concern to be that of illegal immigration, a trade that would surely be unable to yield for the nation the hefty profits that prostitution produces.

In an essay that delves deeper into the prostitution industry, BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell leads us through an interview with a German brothel owner6. Mardell’s words, however, are alarmingly light-hearted and strike me as rather insolent as the story goes on. Taking us through a night on the town, he tells us, “One doorman offers me all sorts of services that don't usually go with the price of a beer if I enter his club. As I move away smiling inanely and shaking my head he shouts after me. ‘The girls are Norwegian’. I'm not knocking Norway but I don't quite see why this is meant to have special allure.” Mardell then goes on about those prostitutes who seem to enjoy their job, describing a blonde woman "sitting on a large leather sofa, dressed pretty normally apart from outsized ankle bracelets, black and studded with fake diamonds,” and declares them “a challenge to society.” Comparing them to women who are trafficked for sex, he places far more blame on “women choosing, because of economic pressure, to work as prostitutes” because of their greater “challenge to society’s ethics.” Here, I see two major faults: firstly, the all-too-common practice of blaming the prostitutes without considering the system – run by men – that perhaps enslaves them; and secondly, the fact that Mardell, a non-German himself, is narrowly imposing his own culture's notions of morality onto another. I am also left suspicious as to why BBC chose this man in particular to interview the German brothel owner. Did they have a particular, patronizing stance that they wanted to take on the issue, and perhaps on the Germans, prior to the interview?

In a slightly more objective news article from CNN, “U.S. Warns Germany on World Cup Sex Workers,7" the U.S.’s stance on prostitution is compared with Germany’s defense of its policy of legalized prostitution. The article reviews the U.S. State Department's 2006 report on global human trafficking and cites Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's denunciation of "the sordid trade in human beings," the fight against which she declares "a great moral calling of our time." The U.S. specifically denounces Germany as a "source, transit and destination country for sex workers and other victims of exploitation," and has warned that other countries that fail to crack down on their own human trafficking would be "subject to a variety of sanctions, including the withholding of some kinds of U.S. foreign aid." In the next section, the article touches on the German view on legalized prostitution and its own condemnation of human trafficking. CNN reports that only after Rep. Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey, chairman of the House subcommittee on global human rights, demanded that Germany recriminalize prostitution or else be classified as an "egregious violator" of human rights, did the German government affirm its stance against forced prostitution. According to the German Embassy in Washington, German federal officials have been "working closely with regional authorities and nongovernment organizations, to combat trafficking and forced prostitution." Despite this quote, the article fails to mention the government’s $90,800 campaign against illegal sex trafficking. It merely states that the German government has denied Smith's claims that it is directly helping to build these brothels, while acknowledging Norman Jacobs' new 40-bedroom brothel in Berlin and the fact that its manager predicted that business could double or triple during the World Cup. More factual than BBC yet less comprehensive than Women's eNews, CNN appears to strongly favor the United States, notably in pitting it directly against the German government in this article. It seems to give more credence to U.S.-compiled statistics and reports over Germany’s, as well asbeing self-congratulatory on the U.S.’s “moral superiority.” Perhaps this is understandable, due to its reliance on the U.S. State Department's 2006 human trafficking report -- or perhaps in relation to the fact that the cable news network gets its news from the Associated Press, an American news cooperative that serves over 1,700 newspapers across the nation and has been accused of monopolizing the news industry8, and is owned by Time Warner, a U.S. company which also happens to be the largest media corporation in the world9.

While CNN rates as the #1 U.S. cable news network in terms of cumulative ratings, FOX News surpasses it in terms of long-term viewers. Importantly, both networks get their news stories from the Associated Press. And, notably a right-wing news network, it appears less than coincidental that FOX’s two sole articles covering World Cup sex trafficking rely on fellow conservatives, namely a Vatican Archbishop's and a priest’s condemnation of prostitution in general. At first glance, I find with disappointment that the headline "Vatican Archbishop: World Cup Prostitutes Cheapen Dignity of Women,10" uses language that, once again, places blame on the prostitutes. According to this word usage, it is not the patriarchy's institution of prostitution or even the trade itself that cheapens the dignity of women, but the prostitutes themselves -- as if all female prostitutes choose their profession and strive to actively cheapen the dignity of their gender. When blame is centered on the prostitutes, it pits women against each other and further weakens their ability to fight the literally man-made system that first imposed prostitution and sexual inequalities. In fact, the Fox headline itself expresses the very same shallow and sexist sentiment that Mark Mardell portrays in his BBC essay. The remainder of the FOX article repetitively conveys Archbishop Agostino Marchetto's disgust at the institution of prostitution, without any indication of intent for action, excepting his lame recommendation that “‘red flags’ should be given to this industry, to its clients and to the public authorities who host the event."

The other FOX news article, an editorial written by Father Jonathan Morris11, similarly conveys disgust at the trade of prostitution, and too presents a surface, patronizing view of the situation. By posing the question "Where are the real feminists when we need them?" and suggesting that governments led by "liberated" women like Germany's chancellor, Angel Merkel, are hypocritical, Father Morris ignores the 55 women's groups that have joined together under theNational Council of Women's Organizations, and who have partnered with the German government towards its $90,800 awareness campaign. He overlooks important organizations like Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and La Strada, both cited in the Women's eNews article as players in the fight against sex trafficking. Too quick to blame "hypocritical" liberals, he too presents himself as arrogant and ethnocentric as BBC writer Mark Mardell, both vying to be the first to recognize the issue, deem it an atrocity, and criticize whatever they deem the root of blame. What's more outrageous, the same news media's Sports section features an entire site dedicated to World Cup coverage that offers a gallery of "Babes of the World Cup,12" under the headline "It's not called the "Beautiful Game" for nothing...alluring aficionados of the fairer sex invade Germany for a chance to grab a little bit of the spotlight for themselves." As if the theme of sex in sports wasn't prominent enough. 

Granted, these articles are only a few of the many that could now be available regarding the issue of World Cup sex trafficking. However, at the time of my search -- the very week that the games commenced, these were among the most prominent. All in all, I found that one women’s news media site - Women's eNews - was by itself far more comprehensive and unbiased in both its language and its coverage than the other three mainstream news media networks (BBC, CNN, and FOX) combined. This says something about the nature of the mainstream news media, from whom it gathers support, and its powerful influence on how people construe different issues and to whom they attribute blame. My hope is simply that the next time you encounter a headline like “Win Keeps The Pub Happy" or “World Cup Prostitutes Cheapen Dignity of Women," you would be sure to reexamine the rhetoric of the piece and search out what the real issue is,instead of letting the news media gladly do that part for you. Perhaps turning to women's news media is the first step.

-----
For input on the issue presented by individuals unmarred by the global media giants, take a look at some online blogs…
Lynne Miles at The F-Word
            http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2006/may
Vanessa at Feministing.com
            http://feministing.com/archives/005188.html
feministblogs.org
            http://feministblogs.org/tag/world-cup/
Weblogs at freespeech.org
            http://weblogs.freespeech.org/kzydek/?p=37
Rebecca Graber's BlogSpot
            http://balkin.blogspot.com/2006/06/sex-traffic-at-world-cup.html
The Stop Violence Against Women (SVAW) blog at AmnestyUSA.org.
            http://blogs.amnestyusa.org/svaw
MoJo Blog at motherjones.com
            http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2006/03/trafficking_and.html
The Captive Diaries blog at CaptiveDaughters.org
            http://captivedaughters.org/2006/03/sex-trafficking-at-world-c_114229337544052663.html
Kate Connolly at telegraph.co.uk
            http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/foreign/kateconnolly/may06/europesbiggestbrothel.htm
Mark West at slaw.ca
            http://www.slaw.ca/2006/06/09/world-cup-law/
Simon Black at zmag.org
            http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=10427

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UNIFEM Launches Database to Track Violence Against Women in Afghanistan

A new pilot project to capture cases of violence against women in a comprehensive database has been launched by UNIFEM in Afghanistan. The database will be used to analyze trends and determine strategies to tackle the issue, including identifying gaps in nation-wide response mechanisms and service provision for victims.

The current availability of mostly anecdotal evidence of violence against women has led to a limited understanding of the root causes of violence in Afghan society. Women's rights advocates cite common problems associated with apathy and an acceptance of violence within communities, disregard of women's complaints of assault by law enforcement agencies, and even a lack of understanding as to what constitutes violence against women in the first place. Many advocates also lament the often poor response from national institutions that are supposed to protect women.

The new database includes a standardized format intended to identify the types of violence perpetrated, systematize recording and reporting of cases, and form a central repository of information for law enforcement agencies to utilize, so that women's complaints are taken seriously and these agencies are better able to prosecute cases. The data collected will also be used to inform recommendations to government and law-making bodies to improve legislation and legal processes to address the issue. The data will be incorporated in the national statistics compiled and disseminated by the central statistics office.

As a key part of the project, UNIFEM has been training field workers in conducting interviews with victims of violence and recording their experiences. Inputs from the training have in turn helped to refine and sharpen the research and format elements of the database. The interview process includes a practical check-list of priorities to cover, beginning with the immediate safety of the woman being interviewed, followed by recommendations on getting treatment in the event of any injuries, and then documentation of the victim's injuries for future court proceedings. All throughout, interviewers are reminded of the necessity of building trust by listening and not placing blame on the victim, so that fear and stigma do not prevent them from reporting their experiences.

http://www.unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=412

* UNIFEM
Source: UNIFEM - www.unifem.org
* WUNRN
SOURCE: WUNRN - www.wunrn.com

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Violence Against Women, A Worldwide Phenomenon

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day OMCT wishes to recall the every-day discrimination women are subjected to worldwide, for the crimes committed against them go most often unpunished and the crimes they are convicted for and the way they are punished are all too often disproportionate and arbitrary.

Violence against women perpetrated by one’s family and community is as universal as the rights they should enjoy. It requires more than prohibition in law. Its practice goes unchanged as long as it is socially tolerated in the name of patriarchal order, tradition or sexual domination. However when one points at the State’s duty to exert its due diligence to prevent, protect, investigate and punish domestic and community violence against women, one should first look at the State’s perpetrating or sponsoring of violence against women. Hence the need to look at all dimensions of the problem and tackle it at different fronts, different levels, through a holistic approach. This is what OMCT, with the support of its members (282 as of today), has been doing since 1996.

OMCT has noted throughout the ten years of the existence of its Violence against Women Programme that certain women are particularly prone to be victims of violence because they play a specific role in society or belong to a certain social category. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, India, dalit women victims of violence, including rape, will most likely be denied access to justice and redress because the perpetrator is from an upper caste. The virtual guarantee of impunity plays a catalyst role for the perpetuation of such acts. Moreover, those who defend the rights of women, whether a men or a woman, are often targeted for their challenging both governmental policies and social norms.

OMCT has also long documented the particularly acute violence women are subjected to in the context of internal armed conflicts (Sudan, Colombia) occupation (Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories) or within the context of dispute over territorial sovereignty (Western Sahara). In these cases governmental and rebel armed forces which are expected to abide by International Humanitarian Law enjoy impunity for the ill-treatment, the use of forced labour, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of women often used as a weapon of war.

Numerous factors restrain and dissuade women from denouncing acts of violence they are subjected to, be it social pressure, shame, fear of retaliation or the certainty that nothing will be done to investigate and punish these crimes. OMCT has noticed however that international solidarity networks, such as its SOS-Torture network, are particularly active in the support of women victims of violence. The underreporting of such violence is detrimental to the improvement of the situation of actual and potential victims. Perpetrators must be named and shamed and States held accountable either for committing or condoning violations of the most fundamental rights of women.

For further information or documentation see www.omct.org or contact:
Mariana Duarte, Tel.: +41 22 809 49 39 - Fax: +41 22 809 49 29 – E-mail: md@omct.org

* WUNRN
SOURCE: WUNRN - www.wunrn.com

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LANDMARK STUDY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE- WHO REPORT FINDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS WIDESPREAD

The first-ever World Health Organization (WHO) study on domestic violence reveals that intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence in women's lives - much more so than assault or rape by strangers or acquaintances. The study reports on the enormous toll physical and sexual violence by husbands and partners has on the health and well-being of women around the world and the extent to which partner violence is still largely hidden.

"This study shows that women are more at risk from violence at home than in the street and this has serious repercussions for women's health," said Dr LEE Jong-wook, Director-General of WHO at the study release in Geneva. "The study also shows how important it is to shine a spotlight on domestic violence globally and treat it as a major public health issue."

The study is based on interviews with more than 24 000 women from rural and urban areas in 10 countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, and the United Republic of Tanzania. The Women's Health and Domestic Violence Against Women study makes recommendations and calls for action by policy makers and the public health sector to address the human and health costs, including by integrating violence prevention programming into a range of social programmes.

The study finds that one quarter to one half of all women who had been physically assaulted by their partners said that they had suffered physical injuries as a direct result. The abused women were also twice as likely as non-abused women to have poor health and physical and mental problems, even if the violence occurred years before. This includes suicidal thoughts and attempts, mental distress, and physical symptoms like pain, dizziness and vaginal discharge. The study was carried out in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PATH and national research institutions and women's organizations in the participating countries.

"The degree to which the health consequences of partner violence in the WHO study are consistent across sites, both within and between countries, is striking," noted Dr Charlotte Watts, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a member of the core research team for the study. "Partner violence appears to have a similar impact on women's health and well-being regardless of where she lives, the prevalence of violence in her setting, or her cultural or economic background."

Domestic violence is known to affect women's sexual and reproductive health and may contribute to increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. In this study, women who were in physically or sexually abusive relationships were more likely to report that their partner had multiple sexual partners and had refused to use a condom than women in non violent relationships. Women who reported physical or sexual violence by a partner were also more likely to report having had at least one induced abortion or miscarriage than those who did not report violence.

Although pregnancy is often thought of as a time when women should be protected, in most study locations, between 4% and 12% of women who had been pregnant reported being beaten during pregnancy. More than 90% of these women had been abused by the father of the unborn child and between one quarter and one half of them had been kicked or punched in the abdomen.

For policy makers, the greatest challenge is that abuse remains hidden. At least 20% of women reporting physical violence in the study had never told anyone before being interviewed. Despite the health consequences, very few women reported seeking help from formal services like health and police, or from individuals in positions of authority, preferring instead to reach out to friends, neighbours and family members. Those who did seek formal support tended to be the most severely abused.

"This is the first ever study conducted in Thailand on this issue and has made us better understand the extent of violence that women experience in our country," noted Dr. Churnrurtai Kanchanachitra from Mahidol University, and a member of the study team in Thailand. "The findings helped us to develop the national plan for the elimination of violence against women and children."

The report recommends a range of vital interventions to change attitudes and challenge the inequities and social norms that perpetuate abuse. It further recommends integrating violence prevention programming into ongoing initiatives aimed at children, youth, HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health. Health service providers should be trained to identify women experiencing violence and to respond appropriately.

Prenatal care, family planning or post abortion care are potential entry points to provide care, support, and referral to other services. Schools need to be safe places, support systems for victims must be strengthened and prevention programmes put in place. Raising awareness of the problem among the general public is critical. . "Domestic violence can be prevented and governments and communities need to mobilize to fight this widespread public health problem," said WHO's Dr Claudia Garcia Moreno, Study Coordinator. "WHO will continue to raise awareness about violence and the important role that public health can play to address its causes and consequences. Globally, we need to stop the violence from happening in the first place, and to provide help and support to women who are in abusive relationships."

WHO's Global Campaign for the Prevention of Violence supports governments to develop comprehensive violence prevention programmes to address domestic violence alongside other types of violence.

Some quotes from women interviewed for the study

"I suffered for a long time and swallowed all my pain. That's why I am constantly visiting doctors and using medicines. No one should do this." Woman interviewed in Serbia and Montenegro. "He got this gun, I don't know from who... And he would tell the girls: "I'm going to kill your mother... The day will break and your mother will be dead right here..." I would sleep in a locked bedroom and with a dog inside the room with me. My dog. So he would not kill me". Woman interviewed in Brazil. "He hit me in the belly and made me miscarry two babies - identical or fraternal twins, I don't know. I went to the Loayza hospital with heavy bleeding and they cleaned me up." Woman interviewed in urban Peru.

How physical and sexual violence was measured: For physical violence, women were asked whether a current or former partner had ever: slapped her, or thrown something at her that could hurt her ; pushed or shoved her ; hit her with a fist or something else that could hurt ; kicked, dragged or beaten her up ; choked or burnt her on purpose ; threatened her with , or actually used a gun, knife or other weapon against her.

Sexual violence was defined by the following three behaviours: Being physically forced to have a sexual intercourse against her will ; having sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what her partner might do ; being forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating.

The study is available online at http://www.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountry_study/en/index.html

For more information contact:

Melissa Rendler-Garcia
Gender, Women and Health Department,
Telephone: +41 22 791 5543
Email: rendlergarciam@who.int.

Source: WHO - www.who.int.

Normalizing Function of the Mass Media: Cosmetic Foot Surgery

By Sena Christian
WIFP Associate

Foot binding in China was seen as a crime against women. It was a crime that occurred for over a thousand years, deforming and disabling an estimated one million women. Even though it was outlawed in 1911, foot binding continues to occur to a far lesser degree in China. Now thousands of miles away, in a troubling phenomena reminiscent of ancient foot-binding practices in China, women in the U.S. are voluntarily mutilating their feet for the latest fashion trend.

Women in the U.S. are risking permanent disabilities through toe shortening and foot narrowing surgeries in an effort to fit into designer high heels and to emphasize "toe cleavage." Doctors report having their offices filled with women suffering from failed cosmetic foot procedures. Sadly, this new form of cosmetic surgery is not very surprising when you consider that several times a week the American television viewing public can witness women (and men) putting their faces and bodies under the knife in a painful sacrifice to "beauty."

The mass media serves a normalizing function in the U.S., normalizing even the most extreme and detrimental behavior and perspectives. "Extreme Makeover," for instance, claims to be "A real life fairy tale in which [people's] wishes comes true, not just to change their looks, but their lives and destinies." Each week the show features two individuals who undergo several surgeries all over their faces and bodies, getting everything from chin implants to tummy tucks. MTV's "I Want a Famous Face" shows painful and risky reconstructive surgery undergone by people who want to look like a celebrity. MTV implies that it is basically performing a public service need by "documenting this new phenomenon." These shows make it acceptable for viewers to comment on every physical aspect of other people. Women especially, are supposed to meet certain standards, look a particular way, and if they do not, they are expected and encouraged to alter themselves.

Undoubtedly, the messages and images portrayed through the mass media have played a significant role in the recent cosmetic foot surgery phenomena. Everyday viewers see and hear messages that normalize unrealistic beauty expectations, promoting the notion that cosmetic surgery is common. How often can these messages be relayed without being absorbed?

Women and men have gotten the idea that it is acceptable and expected that women-primarily-undergo drastic measures to meet certain unrealistic standards of beauty. The most obvious reason for this is the mainstream media's production of shows such as "Extreme Makeover" and "I Want a Famous Face," normalizing cosmetic surgery as a realistic, reasonable and expected procedure and option for the American public. The media is an integral part of the everyday lives and culture of a large segment of the American public. As such, it is part of our socialization process in the U.S.. There have been endless debates as to whether or not what we see and hear on television affects us as individuals and a society. Violent images on TV and subsequent violent tendencies of viewers is usually at the center of the debate; however we need to look at the more subtle and indirect ways in which the images and representations portrayed in the media-particularly those involving gender roles and expectations-reflect and/or determine our realities, our desires, our expectations and our perceptions.

Americans live in a society which considers it desirable for women to chop off their toes and narrow their feet to emphasize toe cleavage, and which regards high heels as sexy. These preferences suggest more than just fashion, they reflect gender roles and expectations in our society. Cosmetic foot surgery and high heels make women vulnerable, require women to rely on male assistance, immobilize women and keep them in "their place." Indeed, this recent phenomena in the U.S. brings to mind the ancient custom of Chinese foot binding. According to Janet Chen who has written on foot binding, "Because of this custom, women became totally dependent on male relatives, thus reinforcing their subordinate positions in life. Women stayed at home, unable to work or to have any sort of public life. The practice was an ingenious, as well as cruel, method of social control over generations of women, keeping them from seeking independence and liberation."

As one woman writes in an article condemning cosmetic foot surgery, "Where can a woman go in such shoes? Not far. How fast can a woman travel in such shoes? Not very. How long can a woman stand in them? It depends, I guess, on how long a woman is willing to suffer."

The increase of cosmetic foot surgeries in the U.S. has developed out of societal pressure on women to conform to the latest fashion trends, regardless of the effects on women's bodies, health or minds. These are pressures and trends which have been normalized, spread and perpetuated through the mass media. Women are expected to want to meet societal and media-established standards of beauty; if they do not, they are subject to suspicion and ridicule. It is believed that women should want to masochistically cut off their toes to fit more easily into painful high heels. Women should want to suffer pain and sacrifice to appeal to men and heterosexual standards of beauty. Afterall, as Suzanne M. Levine, M.D., a New York podiatrist told the New York Times, "Take your average woman and give her heels instead of flats and she'll suddenly get whistles on the street... I do everything I can to get them back into their shoes."

The ancient custom of foot binding began in China during the Sung dynasty as an imitation of an imperial concubine who was required to dance before the emperor with bound feet. Foot binding requires a tight binding of the toes and feet using bandages in order to keep the feet as small as three inches long. While at first the practice was seen as a status symbol for only the rich, the practice quickly spread until all but the very poor bound the feet of their daughters. Daughters with bound feet symbolized the wealth of the family and the suitability of the daughter for marriage. In addition, foot binding was "partly powered by a sexual fetish among Chinese men... The small, unsure steps of a woman with lotus feet were considered very feminine, while the inability to walk long distances helped ensure the girl's virginity, as she could not leave home."

Mention the ancient custom of Chinese foot binding today and most Americans would shake their heads in disbelief; yet how would these same people respond to TV shows like "Extreme Makeover" or coverage of the cosmetic foot surgery trend? As Adele Horin writes, "If it happened in Afghanistan [or China] we'd call it barbaric. In the West we call it fashion."