Violence Against Women

Violence against women is an extreme manifestation of gender inequality and ranges from honour-killings, to domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, stoning, forced sterilization, dowry-deaths and trafficking.   In many societies violence against women is an everyday occurrence and sometimes even considered "normal."     

The World Health Organization study on Violence against Women 2005 found that:

• Approximately one in three women experiences some form of violence during her life
• Between 4 and 12 per cent of pregnant women reported being beaten during pregnancy
• Most violence against women is committed by a husband or male partner. This type of violence is frequently invisible since it happens behind closed doors and is treated as a " private" family matter. However, in this case efforts should not be spared to respond to domestic violence as a crime.

In 1993, the United Nations formally acknowledged violence against women as a public policy concern in the Declaration on Violence Against Women.  The Declaration cites violence as, "one of the crucial mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men."

The UN has designated 25 November as the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women . On this day in 2005, Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations said, "Violence against women remains pervasive worldwide. It is the most atrocious manifestation of the systemic discrimination and inequality women continue to face, in law and in their everyday lives, around the world. It occurs in every region, country, and culture, regardless of income, class, race or ethnicity."

Franciscans International encourages Franciscans around the world to become a part of this global effort to eradicate violence against women year-round. Franciscans must work to change societal perceptions that uphold abuse, and move people from uncomfortable silence in the face of such violence to active condemnation.