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The Facts
"Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world. It is a threat to all women, and an obstacle to all our efforts for development, peace, and gender equality in all societies. Violence against women is always a violation of human rights; it is always a crime; and it is always unacceptable. Let us take this issue with the deadly seriousness that it deserves."
(Ban Ki moon, United Nations Secretary General)
What is violence against women?
Violence against women means 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 the arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life (Article 1).
Article 2 of the Declaration further states that violence against women encompasses, but is not limited to:
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution;
- Physical, sexual and psychological
Violence against women is a violation of internationally guaranteed human rights, rights which the UK has agreed to (such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action) and which are included in UK law under the Human Rights Act 1998.
According to the UN, violence against women is "Violence that is directed at a woman because she is a women or that affects women disproportionately". Each year across the UK 3 million women experience violence, and there are many more living with the legacies of abuse experienced in the past. In the UK it includes: domestic violence, rape and sexual violence, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, 'honour' crimes and murder, trafficking and sexual exploitation. It is mostly committed by men that women know or are in a close relationship with.
What's the cost of violence against women?
Violence causes physical damage ranging from death in extreme cases to miscarriages, broken limbs, and cuts and bruises. Sexual offences also bring the risk of HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and forced pregnancies. Violence can also cause lasting psychological damage.
- It is estimated that violence against women costs society £40 billion each year (New Philanthropy Capital, 2008)
- Government research estimates the direct cost to the economy of domestic violence alone in England & Wales in one year is £6billion a year
- In addition, the human & emotional cost is estimated at £17billion (Walby, The Cost of Domestic Violence, 2004)
- The cost of sexual offences in a year is estimated to be £8.46 billion pounds, with each rape costing an estimated £76,000 pounds