Human rights are basic rights and freedom that every person is entitled to. It includes social, economic, political, and civil rights. We have entered 2021 and you will be surprised to know that basic human rights are still violated in every part of the world. The girls and women of the world face the biggest challenge as they are subject to physical and emotional violence every day in name of culture and religion. Keeping this in mind Brag Social team curated a list of violations of human rights against women.
Domestic Violence
Many women out there must be familiar with the feeling of being scared of their partner. They live under constant fear of being physically and sexually assaulted by their partner. Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner violence is the common threat faced by women in the world. It is a sign of an abusive and toxic relationship. When we talk about domestic violence people always assume that physical abuse. However, according to the UN women, domestic violence comprises economic, psychological, emotional, physical, and sexual violence. COVID-19 crisis had made this situation worse. According to United Nations Women, 243 million women had been abused by a partner in the previous 12 months. Thus, this is a violation of human rights.
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Signs of an Abusive Relationship
The signs of an abusive relationship are when your partner:
- controls who see and what you wear.
- blames you for everything.
- accuses you of cheating.
- threatens to hurt you or your pet.
- does not respect your boundaries and makes you do things without your consent
These skyrocketing numbers do not show the whole picture as less than 40% of women report these cases. Domestic violence cases are very hard to identify because the perpetrator is usually someone you love. This makes it very difficult to even accept that they are victims of violence.
How to get help?
If you are a victim of domestic violence, please inform your family and friends. Here are some resources you can use to seek professional help:
- Contact National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233) or visit their website.
- A local women’s shelter or crisis center.
- Get in touch with the local court
- Visit a counselor
Femicide
Femicide means killing a girl or woman simply for being a woman. The countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe have a high number of Femicides. Honor Killing the most common form of Femicide where the family kills the women of their house in the name of saving honor. The data shows that 66,000 women are murdered every year. Femicide is higher in the countries with great gender inequality and less representation of women in positions of power.
Sexual Violence
Sexual violence means any sexual activity committed by a person without the consent of another person or when consent cannot be given because the person is a child or mentally disabled or intoxicated by drugs and alcohol.
According to UN Women, sexual violence includes:
- Sexual Harassment (Non-Physical sexual contact like grabbing, pinching, rubbing, sexual comment, demanding sexual favors, stalking, and flashing one’s sexual organs)
- Rape (non-consensual oral, anal orvaginal penetration)
- Corrective rape (rape perpetrated because of another person’s sexual orientation)
- Rape culture
Around 35% of women have experienced sexual or physical assault in the world. In such cases, the victim usually knows the abuser. They can be their friend, neighbors, boss, family members, and even their husbands. The fear of victim-blaming prevents women to report these crimes. However, people usually demand stricter punishment like the death penalty when such cases come to light. But we feel that it is not a long-term solution. The best way to combat this problem is to remove rape culture from society. The glamorization of sexual violence, objectification of women, misogynic language, traditional gender roles set up by patriarchal society and pop culture is equally responsible here. We should provide sex education to children at the right age so that they understand the concept of consent.
Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an illogical inhumane practice that has zero medical and religious backings. It is a non-medical process of partial or total removal or other injuries to the external female genitals. The various communities in Africa, the Middle East, Asia follow this practice in the name of culture. The minor girls and young women are the victims of FMG. The ignorant people who follow this inhumane practice consider it a necessary part of raising a girl. These communities believe that a girl is clean and feminine after the removal of her body parts. They also believe that it prevents pre-marital sex and will help her resist extramarital sexual acts. Most societies view it as a part of a cultural tradition that must be carried on.
This cruel act is very harmful because women will not be able to enjoy sex as penetration will be painful. They will have complications in their period cycle and childbirth. Many times women and girls lose their life during the procedure. Female Genital Mutilation Violates the right to health, right to life, and right to be free from torture. All countries should ban FMG as it a violation of human rights.
Child Marriage
Child marriage means marrying girls before the age of 18. The countries in South Asia follow this practice. It risks the safety of the child as they can be prone to exploitation, and abuse. This reflects that societies in South Asia do not value the human rights of girls. It also reflects the socio-cultural environment of these countries where they think girls are the burden of the family.
Digital VIolence
Cyberbullying is against women has increased ever since accessing information using the internet became easy. The gender divide that exists in society is visible on the internet. Even though we have laws to prevent these crimes, they are not effective. We need revision in our cyber laws so that, we can offer a safe environment to women on the internet.
Women from every part of the world at some point faced these awful conditions. These violations of basic human rights are not acceptable and we should take them seriously. We all have to be a part of this change and support women globally.
