By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
On Sunday, November 25, the world will observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. As the UN states: “Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today and remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
- intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
- sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
- human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
- female genital mutilation; and
- child marriage.
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“Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights.”
Such violence is an affront to the inherent dignity of each woman/girl and diminishes/dehumanises all of us. We will never know the true extent of this scourge which plagues all strata of every society, all religious and ethnic groups.
I wept for our world when I read of the recent case (November 6) of the 17-year old girl in Ireland who took her life after the 27-year old man who allegedly raped her, was acquitted.
In the trial, the defence lawyer, a female Senior Counsel, told the jury in Cork they should have regard for the underwear the young woman wore on the night:
“Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone? You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front.”
Does one’s choice of underwear mean that one consents to rape? There have been widespread protests as women in Ireland threaten to go on strike to show their displeasure with how rape trials are conducted there.
Victim-blaming continues apace. The media reported that MP Ruth Coppinger “brandished a black thong around Ireland’s parliament, the Dail, to air her outrage at how the case had been handled.”
The website of the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs), T&T, states: “Despite increased efforts of advocacy and service provision, Trinidad and Tobago continues to witness the most excessive use of violence against women.”
Do the following headlines in our media spur us to act to protect and promote the dignity of our women and girls? “Woman raped in home invasion.” “Baby raped and beaten to death.” “Man held for sex attack on daughter, 8”. “Husband beaten, wife raped in brutal robbery and attack.” Etc. etc.
Domestic violence continues to “cripple” the lives not only of the many women who feel the brunt of such violence, but also the lives of their children, their families, society, and of the perpetrators themselves who need help to turn their lives around.
S.3 of the Domestic Violence Act of Trinidad & Tobago (1999) defines domestic violence which: “includes physical, sexual, emotional or psychological or financial abuse committed by a person against a spouse, child, and any other person who is a member of the household or dependent”. How many of us ever ring the domestic violence hotline: 800 SAVE (7283)?
Violence against women/girls is often under reported. Therefore, we must step up and be our sisters’ keepers. There are many strategies that we could adopt if we are to prevent and respond to violence against women/girls e.g.
- offer solidarity and support in parishes to the victims of violence (form victim support groups);
- play our part in building a culture of life, love, and mutual respect: from an early age;
- address issues relating to the socialisation of boys and girls, unequal power relations between men and women, the need that some men have to control women and the frustrations that both men and women experience because of poverty and social exclusion;
- address the need for values/conscience formation and citizenship programmes – at home, in our educational institutions, in our parishes, in our workplaces etc.
- offer training sessions for men and women with the aim of promoting attitudinal and behavioural changes;
- review related legislation, procedures and practices used by institutions such as the Police Service for dealing with violence against women/girls;
- mobilise the media in efforts to eliminate such violence.
Let’s stand together, women and men, girls and boys, to end this shameful stain on humanity.
