On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture - Why stand up to violence against women?

Sex matters
Even in progressive societies equipped with
legislation promoting gender equality, women are under-represented among
corporate or political decision-makers.
Glass ceilings quash their voices.
Women maintain a weaker position of power at home, as
80% of them worldwide perform household chores even when working full-time.
Some patriarchal societies overtly consider them as
second-class citizens: cultural prejudices and religious traditions often
legalize violence against them. From genital mutilation, to forced pregnancies,
to beatings and traditional practices such as dowry violence, forced or child
marriages to honour killings are tolerated or silenced.
Rape
victims’ family members punish them for having been raped. When they file a
complaint, police officers and courts consider rape victims partly responsible,
re-victimizing them.
Violence
against women (VAW) is commonplace and seems nowhere near being eradicated.
Women’s suffering is therefore invisible, silenced, tolerated or condoned.
Globally, one in three women
has experienced domestic or sexual violence in their lifetime, according to the
World Health Organization.
Women
are unlikely to speak up and seek justice; perpetrators of violence against
women continue hurting them unhindered.
Laws
are not made to help victims seek justice.
But
States have a duty to protect all citizens, or else they become complicit of
the violence.
Gender-based
violence constitutes torture when carried out by, or at the instigation of, or
with the consent or acquiescence of public officials.
In armed conflict it is a crime against humanity when
it is a widespread and systematic attack on civilian population.
We must provide survivors with medical, professional,
legal and psychosocial assistance to recover from their trauma. We must also
prevent discrimination and violence against women by educating communities and
holding perpetrators accountable
Our ask
To you
- Be
a positive role model and educate young boys and girls of the importance of
respectful relationships and gender equality.
- Be
aware of the signs and consequences of GBV, and denounce it when you see or
hear of it.
- Raise
awareness and mobilize your community to stigmatize and condemn those who are
the perpetrators, not the victims.
- Give
money now to OMCT’s Victims fund – all collections from today until June 27
will be dedicated to female victims of torture. We aim to raise 5,000 Swiss
francs to assist victims of sexual violence: (https://goo.gl/77hkd7)
- Share,
tweet, talk about this campaign around you. Get everyone involved. The more the
merrier.
To female victims of rape and violence:
- Have
the courage to denounce all violations – both in court and within your
communities.
- Understand
you have no shame to feel – they do.
To Governments:
- Educate
against gender-based discrimination and violence:
- States
must ensure that everyone, both girls and boys access education, and implement
mechanisms such as equality enhancing programs to prevent and respond to
violence. This will go a long way to reducing gender norms and stigmas.
- States
can encourage women to stay in the education system longer. Education is
positively correlated with women's employment opportunities and socioeconomic
status, which will reduce power relationship differences between males and
females.
- Educate
state officials and citizens to eradicate gender discrimination and raise
awareness about VAW.
- Provide
women equal economic access:
- Ensure
women have the opportunity to find a space in key sectors of the economy to
reduce their dependency on their male counterparts and hold important positions
in the progress of societies.
- In
low-income settings, strategies to increase women’s economic and social
empowerment, such as micro-finance combined with gender equality training and
community-based initiatives have shown some effectiveness in reducing intimate
partner violence.
- Use/change
the legislation to better protect women:
- Act
to stop violations against women by punishing culprits of VAW
- Allow
victims of rape to be able to file complaints without limit of time: Review
statutes of limitation to allow victims of violence to speak up against their
abusers in their own time, when they feel comfortable, protected and confident.
- Introduce
gender mainstreaming in national legislation and in particular enforce
standards against torture to better take into consideration the discriminatory
nature of violence against women. More systematically pick up on rape as a form
of torture or ill treatment.
- Better
address the reparation needs of victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
- Better
protect victims of violence from their own families and communities to ensure
they can recover and denounce culprits.
To the International Criminal Court:
- Consider
sexual violence and rape as violations of international law
- Systematically
pursue all perpetrators around the world of acts of sexual violence as a weapon
of war as crimes against humanity
To the European Union:
- Be
more receptive of women's rights in legislation. At the EU level, there is no
gender-based legislation to prevent gender-based violence, other than the
protection of women framed under non-discrimination.
- Improve
data collection on VAW.