Gender Violence: Causes, Effects and Solutions

The first ever Regional Tribunal on Violence against Women in the Caribbean was held in Barbados on November 20. The following is a sampling of activities planned around the region:

Antigua: Domestic Violence Awareness Week, including panel discussions, distribution of information leaflets and a candlelight vigil (November 22-28)

Barbados: Prize-Giving and Cultural Show, Regional Schools’ Poster Competition, as part of the UN Inter-Agency Women’s Human Rights Campaign (December 2)

Belize: Presentation of the findings of a study on domestic violence in Belize, conducted by the Belize Organisation for Women and Development (November 25)

St. Kitts: Motivational visit by American Olympic athlete, Gwen Torrence, will be linked with local activities as part of the UN Inter-Agency Women’s Human Rights Campaign (November 27-30)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: The Committee for the Development of Women has organised a series of activities on the theme, "Marginalisation of Males: An Incubator for Violence? Fact or Myth?" (November)

Trinidad and Tobago: Women Working for Social Progress is co-ordinating a solidarity rally, chain of hands and candlelight procession (November 25)

Why Focus on Gender Violence?

Gender violence causes more death and disability among women aged 15 to 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents or even war. It covers violence against females throughout every stage of their life cycle and is a timeless health and human rights problem.

Research undertaken in the past decade indicates that gender violence is endemic in the West and in developing countries and abusers and their victims come from all classes, nationalities and economic strata. Here in the Caribbean, available statistics suggest that the incidence is high.

Gender violence affects both women and men. In raising the issue of violence against women and girls, year after year, the intention is not to bash men. It is to educate all about the seriousness of the problem and galvanise action towards its elimination. "A Life Free of Violence-It’s the Right of All!"

Forms of Gender Violence

Female infanticide: A girl’s first encounter with gender violence may occur even before she is born. In China, for example, son preference arising from that country’s one child policy, ahs led to midwives bringing a bucket of water when attending to women in labour, so that girl babies can be conveniently drowned.

Many societies in Africa practice female genital mutilation (FMG), a bloody and dangerous operation carried out on the genitalia of girls and young women. Parents and communities perpetuate this ritual believing that it safeguards virginity and assures that daughters will be marriageable. Its opponents charge that it is a cruel attempt to control female sexuality.

Cost to Development

Gender violence, through its effects on a woman’s ability to act in the world, can serve as a brake on socio-economic development. Women cannot lend their labour or creative ideas fully when they are burdened with the physical and psychological scars of abuse. When one considers that women in poor countries carry out most productive labour and that women make up two-thirds of the unpaid labour force, the indirect costs of gender violence to development are very high indeed.

International Condemnation

Numerous international conventions and declarations already condemn gender violence, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence. In addition, the World Bank and the World Health have recognised gender violence as a serious health problem.

Most, if not all Caribbean countries have acceded to or ratified these conventions and State parties are expected to take action to ensure that women are free from violence in the home and in the community. State parties are also expected to punish perpetrators of violence as well as scrupulously desist from acts that result in the violation of women.

Although the international community has gone on record against gender violence, the battle is only beginning. No UN decree or other international fiat can bring about the fundamental changes, which are necessary to combat gender violence. Gender violence is still seen as an acceptable part of social life, even by many of its victims. Even when women do recognise the danger they are in, local customs and financial considerations often makes it difficult or impossible for them to leave an abusive relationship. Nevertheless, international human rights norms and instruments can lead the way to more concrete national actions carried out on a more local scale.

What Can Be Done Locally?

Several governmental and non-governmental organisations in the region provide medical, legal and counselling services for victims of rape and domestic violence. Others, such as CAFRA, advocate for change in existing laws and customs through education and lobbying. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), CAFRA, crisis centres, women’s organisations and Women’s Bureaux in 21 Caribbean countries, are currently collaborating on a Campaign for Women’s Human Rights, the theme of which is "A Life Free of Violence: It’s Our Right."

Health workers have a crucial role in helping victims of gender violence. In order to do so, they must learn to be alert to the signs of domestic violence and, when cases are suspected, they should ask discreet questions, listen to the woman’s story and put her in touch with support agencies.

The media has an important role to play in increasing awareness of gender violence in the general population. Extensive coverage is welcome and needed but care should be taken not to sensationalise and trivialise its coverage, minimise the cost or blame the victims.

While several Caribbean countries have reformed laws related to domestic violence and rape, the concomitant change in attitudes among law enforcement agencies has been slow because of piecemeal training.

A Regional Tribunal on Violence against Women in the Caribbean, held in Barbados last week, noted that some basic human right of all 14 testifiers had been violated: by the perpetrator; by law enforcement and judicial personnel who failed to act positively or at all; and by the State, in its failure to provide support services.

It recommended, inter-alia, that Caribbean governments:

• Comply with their reporting obligations under international conventions, to provide information on measures taken to combat gender violence.

• Amend or enact legislation to make "battered woman syndrome" available as a defence at trials involving crimes of violence committed by women.

• Enact, without undue delay, legislation concerning sexual harassment utilising the CARICOM model legislation as a guide.

• Establish family courts with support services for the hearing of matters pertaining to the family.

• Enact legislation to compel medical personnel to report all injuries, which they suspect, may be due to violence committed within a family situation.