Stop violence against women in relationships and the community
A woman takes part in a demonstration for the elimination of violence against women in Guatemala City on November 26th, 2007, in the framework of the international campaign '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence', which runs from November 25th to December 10th. ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images
Violence in intimate relationships
One of the most common forms of violence against women is that which takes place at the hands of intimate partners and others. Included in this category are sexual abuse of female children and young women, marital rape and traditional practices harmful to women. The abuse of domestic workers – including involuntary confinement, physical brutality, slavery-like conditions and sexual assault – also fit into this category. Violence that takes place in the family is often physical, psychological and sexual.
For countless women, home is not a refuge but a place of terror. All too often, family violence is considered a private matter and not treated by the authorities as a crime.
Amnesty International has produced dozens of reports* that document this type of widespread and grave violence against women and girls. Some examples are:
- Albania: Violence against women in the family ‘It’s not her shame’
- Turkey: Women confronting family violence
* see links to all related reports in the right sidebar
Violence in the Community
Rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and assault at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere are all forms of violence in the community. Police, soldiers, employers, teachers, schoolmates and strangers all inflict this violence. One key project in the global Stop Violence Against Women campaign is Safe Schools – Every Girl’s Right. Some of the other reports* Amnesty International has documented on this subject are:
- Guatemala: No protection, no justice: Killings of women and girls in Guatemala
- Mexico: Ending the brutal cycle of violence against women in Cuidad Juarez and the City of Chihuahua
* see links to all related reports in the right sidebar
Violence in Flight
Due to armed conflict or violence in the home, women are often forced to flee on their own or with family members,.When there are few options for a good income for themselves or their families, women often leave to find employment.
Women in flight face numerous challenges:
- They are often the main providers of food, shelter and care for children and other family members. Just accessing food and shelter, particularly during an armed conflict, puts women and girls at high risk of violence.
- Women fleeing without the protection of their communities or male relatives face a higher risk of sexual violence, including rape.
- Women may be forced to offer sex in return for safe passage, crossing borders, food, shelter, refugee status or documentation.
- Women and girls who seek refuge or employment in cities are often at grave risk of other abuses including trafficking, exploitation and sexual violence.
Amnesty International has produced reports and actions demanding protection of women’s human rights when they are on the move. These reports* and actions* deal with violence against refugees, migrant workers and trafficked women. Here are a few examples:
- Greece: Uphold the rights of women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation [Report]
- Chad/Sudan: Violence against displaced women [Action]
- Kosovo : Trafficking of women and girls [Action]
* see links to all related reports and actions in the right sidebar
Updated: 18 March 2008