What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual violence is an act of aggression and intimidation, designed to control and humiliate. It is an act of power against a person, group or community and it can take many different forms including assault, rape, stalking, grooming, sex trafficking, and other types of abuse. It can occur in public, in the home and at work. It can be physical, psychological or emotional and can leave lasting impacts on victims. It happens to people of all ages, races, cultures, religions and sexualities but it is more likely to happen to women, girls, children and people with disabilities.

People who have been sexually abused are more likely to have health problems including depression, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are also more likely to self-harm or be involved in criminal behaviour. They are at greater risk of being passed around a network of abusers, known as sexual exploitation.

Sexual assault and rape can have serious, long-lasting effects on the victim, their family and friends. It can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and feelings of shame and guilt. It can have a significant impact on their education, career and relationships and they can struggle to form trusting relationships with others. It can have a major impact on their financial situation as they may need to take time off from work and face high medical bills.

Survivors can feel isolated, alone and ashamed, especially when their attackers are known. They can be afraid to report the crime or talk about it with their families, friends and colleagues. It can be difficult to find support and help, especially in rural communities where there are few health centres and the survivors might be worried about the effect of publicity or being seen as weak.

People can do lots to reduce sexual violence and exploitation. Make sure all windows and doors can be locked securely, particularly at night. Ask for proof of identity from anyone who might come to the house e.g. salesperson or repair man. Don’t open your door to strangers and make it clear you don’t give consent to being kissed or touched without explanation.

It is important to educate young people about sexual health, safety and responsibilities. They can learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy sex, develop respectful relationships, be active listeners and identify possible signs of sexual violence. It is also essential that they understand the importance of seeking help if they are concerned about themselves or their friends.

Preventing sexual violence requires tackling attitudes and behaviours that embolden inappropriate interpersonal interactions. Successful prevention programs challenge those beliefs, encourage effective communication skills and a strong sense of empathy, accountability and respect for each other. They should also focus on teaching and reinforcing respectful and non-violent conflict resolution techniques.

Sexual assault and exploitation affects us all and we must do our part to prevent it. Support organisations working to end sexual violence by donating money or volunteering your time. Teach everyone you know that consent is vital and no one deserves to be hurt.

Understanding Victim Blaming

Whether it’s a three-year-old whining that their sibling got a better toy or an older adult criticizing someone for being the victim of a crime, human beings have a tendency to blame victims when a negative outcome occurs. This is known as victim blaming, and it’s an important part of our evolutionary history as social creatures.

People use victim blaming as a way to maintain their sense of the world being a just place. As Lerner and Simmons’ experiment demonstrates, when people see an innocent person get hurt — or even die — without resolution, it threatens their perception that the world is fair. In order to combat this threat, they may reframe the situation so that the victim deserves their fate.

For example, if a person loses their job, they may assume it’s their own fault because they should have applied for more jobs or worked harder. Or, if they are the victim of a sexual assault, they might be criticized for wearing provocative clothing or getting too drunk. This is called “the fundamental attribution error,” and it’s a natural psychological reaction to crimes that focuses on internal, personal traits instead of external factors like location, time of day or cultural norms.

Research has shown that it’s possible to minimize victim blaming by empathizing with victims and focusing on the actions of perpetrators. In one study, researchers asked people to read stories about a robbery or a rape and then rate how much they blamed the victim. When the story focused on the perpetrator, people tended to blame them less (Niedermeier & Young, 2017). This finding is also consistent with the theory that binding values play a role in victim blaming — i.e., what you believe about the world and how it works shapes your empathy towards others.

Victim blaming has been tied to feelings of shame and stigma experienced by survivors. This makes it harder for them to seek help and support after a traumatic event and can increase their risk of post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. It can also make it harder for them to report an attack or crime.

In addition, victim blaming can contribute to what is often described as a rape culture where perpetrators are celebrated and defended. This is largely due to the pervasiveness of victim blaming, which can lead to a lack of faith in law enforcement and other authorities who have the power to hold offenders accountable. This can also discourage survivors from coming forward for fear of being abused again or dismissed by their community or employer. This is why it’s so crucial to support victims and speak up against victim blaming.

What Does it Mean to Be a Woman?

Women are a special part of our society and they play multiple significant roles in a family as daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother etc. They work for the betterment of people and nation. They fight for the rights of children, poor and needy. They run social awareness programmes. They have stronger social networks than men. They are also strong fighters against social atrocities like female foeticide, child marriage, dowry system and other social evils. They have a natural gift of understanding emotions of others and this help them to support people in their difficult times.

They are natural multitaskers and can handle many things at the same time. They have a multidimensional mind that makes them unique and creative. Women are known to bring new ideas and topics to the table at work and they can analyze problems from different angles. These skills make them effective team leaders. Women are very passionate about their work and they can contribute a lot to the growth of the company.

Women also have a tendency to be more emotional than men and this can be advantageous at work. They are able to talk about their feelings without being ridiculed or made fun of. This can also be helpful when working with teams because they can empathize with each other and understand each other’s perspectives.

In ancient days, it was generally assumed that you were either a man or a woman. Even the modern Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster have definitions of woman that simply state “an adult female person.” But now, there are factions claiming to define what a woman is independent of a man. One of them is Matt Walsh, a self-described “theocratic fascist.” Walsh recently released a video in which he asks various people — including politicians, doctors, and therapists — to explain what it means to be a woman.

Throughout most of human history, religions have played an enormous role in gender definitions. Depending on the religion, some have considered people with XX chromosomes to be property or sources of bad juju magic and treated them with consideration ranging from that accorded to an ox to that given to a treasured grand piano.

While it’s easy to dismiss those who don’t neatly fit into a male/female category as outliers or anomalies, it’s important to consider the possibility that perhaps gender, and thus womanhood, is not determined by external factors such as legal documents, external rules, biology, genital organs, and internal body parts (except for the brain). In other words, maybe the only thing that defines you as a woman is what’s inside your head.

Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Women and girls have the right to live free of violence, with equal opportunities to access health services, economic and political power. This means they should be able to own property, vote in elections, run for office and be paid fair wages for their work. They should also be able to determine whether, when and with whom they have children, and how many. They have the right to education, to safe abortions, and to not be subjected to harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage. Gender equality is a human rights issue that has enormous socio-economic ramifications and is essential to building thriving economies.

Through much of history, women have been denied the same rights as men. They were enslaved and often suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. They were thought to be naturally weaker and less intelligent than men, and some myths and religions presented them as evil. But once women were granted some freedoms, they made tremendous achievements. Queen Elizabeth I ruled England in the 1500s, and Catherine the Great ruled Russia in the 1700s.

Then, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, people began to agitate for women’s rights. Women’s suffrage was first introduced in New Zealand in 1893, and the movement grew rapidly all around the world. Today, the right to vote is a fundamental human right in most countries, but still, discrimination keeps women from exercising this right. In some countries, women are not allowed to participate in political processes at all, and others face barriers like military conscription and laws that limit the types of jobs they can take.

In the same way, women’s economic rights are often not respected. They are less likely than men to be employed in the formal economy, and more likely to do unpaid work, such as care and domestic duties. They are also more likely to be poor, and more likely to suffer from discrimination in the workplace. And if they do work, they are usually paid significantly less than their male counterparts.

Across the globe, more than 2.7 billion women do not have legal rights to economic independence and security. Across all sectors of the economy, gender inequality is pervasive. And the lack of economic rights leaves women vulnerable to violence, including spousal abuse and gender-based violence, such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage and other forms of oppression.

At Global Fund we support the tireless and courageous efforts of women’s groups who are fighting for these rights every day. These groups are working to ensure that women can own property, vote in elections, run for public office and be paid fair wages for their work. This is the only way to truly empower women and girls to change their lives and those of their families and communities. But we have a long way to go before all women have these rights. Only then will women and girls be able to achieve their full potential.

Gender Inequality and Women’s Health

The world has made progress toward gender equality since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995 – but substantial hurdles remain. Harmful gender norms fuel discrimination and violence against women, including sexual assault and trafficking in human beings. Gender inequality also hinders the health of women and children, as well as economic growth.

Almost everywhere, women earn less than men. But gaps in wages are narrowing, even in high-income countries. The gap between the average hourly earnings of men and women is largely explained by differences in worker characteristics: education, experience and occupation. When these factors are taken into account, the gender wage gap disappears. This is why the GII measures both raw and adjusted pay gaps, as well as the ratio of female to male labor force participation (a proxy for unemployment).

While the proportion of women in the workforce has been increasing globally, progress in this dimension of gender inequality has stalled. This is partly due to “sticky floors” – social and cultural expectations that prevent women from entering higher-paying jobs and male-dominated industries, and a lack of opportunities for skilled training. In addition, in the developing world, the gender gap in wages is often exacerbated by lack of access to finance and capital — particularly for women who want to start their own businesses.

Women’s health is often compromised by the same issues that undermine their economic prospects, such as limited access to quality healthcare. This is reflected in poor maternal and child outcomes, such as low birth weight and infant mortality rates. This is partly due to lower levels of medical coverage, and to the fact that more women than men live below the poverty line in low- and middle-income countries.

In addition, women and girls have fewer assets than men, as demonstrated by this chart showing the percentage of household wealth owned by each gender across countries. The lack of assets can be explained by a number of factors, such as the greater prevalence of men’s inheritance rights, a higher propensity to invest in land and other fixed assets, and the fact that more women live in poverty than men.

The good news is that governments can take steps to reduce gender inequality. For example, they can implement policies to ensure equal pay for women, and provide more flexible work arrangements. They can also make it easier to access affordable healthcare and promote research into diseases that affect women disproportionately. And they can support initiatives such as Prime Minister Modi’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign to empower women to have a say in their own lives. Ultimately, however, the key to achieving gender equity lies in people themselves – becoming allies, reporting instances of injustice and giving honest feedback to leaders. By doing so, we can create a world in which everyone has the opportunity and means to thrive.

How Sexual Violence Affects Victims

Sexual violence is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on victims. Survivors may experience many different reactions such as depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Sexual assault is not something that anyone should be forced to endure or feel alone in dealing with.

Sexual assault affects people of all ages, gender identities, socio-economic status and religion. It can happen to infants, adults in later life, women and men and people who define themselves as LGBTQIA+, as well as those with disabilities.

Perpetrators use a variety of motives when they commit sexual assault. Some believe they are entitled to sex and sexual privileges or that they need the power and control it provides them with. Others may be influenced by the beliefs, desires and values of those around them such as sexism or racism.

Despite the fact that many perpetrators are friends or family of the victim, they can often be identified and prosecuted based on their behavior toward others. A major issue in sex crimes is the failure of bystanders to take action. People who witness or experience sexual violence are sometimes intimidated by the perpetrator, afraid of hurting the offender’s feelings, or they believe it is not their responsibility to intervene and stop the abuse.

Victims of sexual assault may develop PTSD, which can include nightmares and flashbacks, or struggle with depression and anxiety. They can also lose interest in romantic relationships or have difficulty forming friendships. They may have long-term eating disorders and digestive problems or find it difficult to stay enrolled in school because they fear being assaulted again.

College students who are victims of sexual assault drop out at higher rates than those who do not experience this traumatic event. They can have difficulty focusing in class, getting along with their peers and feeling safe on campus.

Survivors can experience a variety of physical effects, including abdominal pain, headaches, trouble sleeping and sexual dysfunction such as low sperm count or vaginal discharge. Sexually transmitted diseases can also be present in the body of survivors.

It is important to understand that everyone reacts differently and that they must heal at their own pace. It is important to let them know you are available for them if they want to talk about the assault. When they do decide to talk, it is important to listen and be a good listener. Survivors must also be reminded that they cannot be blamed for their attacker’s actions.

You can help end sexual violence by supporting community efforts to prevent it. Advocate for consent and boundaries to be taught in schools, support laws that hold perpetrators accountable and speak out about the importance of reporting sexual assault to authorities. Donate to a local advocacy center to support survivors and to educate the community about prevention. Join a local movement to raise awareness by creating posters and promoting events on social media. You can also get involved by contacting your legislators and asking them to support legislation that supports survivors and holds perpetrators accountable.

Victim Blaming

Victim Blaming is a common phenomenon in which victims of crimes, tragedies or other negative experiences are held partially or completely accountable for their misfortune. This is a very harmful attitude and often deters victims from coming forward for fear of being blamed or judged. It also shifts the focus away from holding the perpetrator accountable.

It can be very subtle and difficult to detect. For example, blaming a victim of insurance fraud for taking too much risk or not being careful with their money. It can also be subtler, like telling someone who got mugged that they should have been more cautious and prepared in case of an attack. Victim blaming can be done to any victim, but it is most commonly seen with raped or assault victims, people in poverty and those from minority groups.

Many people are unaware that they are victim blaming. It is a normal human tendency to feel protective of our worldview and want to believe that our experiences are fair. When this doesn’t happen, it feels like a threat and we look for rationalizations to make the experience seem more normal.

The problem with victim blaming is that it not only makes us feel safer, it also reduces the likelihood of reporting the crime or incident to police. Whenever we blame victims, it makes them less likely to report the crime and creates a cycle of victimization that can be very difficult for survivors to break free from.

One of the main reasons victims of crimes and other negative experiences are blamed is because it comforts us to think that our worldview is fair and that good things only happen to good people. Sadly, this is not the case and bad things can happen to anyone at any time. The most common reason that victim blaming occurs is when people are confronted with evidence that their personal worldview is being challenged.

This is why it is so important to be aware of victim blaming, even when you don’t think you are doing it. We all have the capacity to victim blame, but when we recognize it in ourselves, we can stop it.

Examples of Victim Blaming

Rape or sexual assault victims are frequently blamed for “promiscuity”, alcohol or drug use, their state of dress, being out after a certain hour, etc. This explains why so many victims do not come forward to report a crime, as they are afraid of being blamed and made to feel ashamed about their experience.

It is also very common to blame victims of theft and other crimes for their poor decisions or lack of caution. People who are robbed might be blamed for not being more careful, or for leaving items out in the open, or for living in a dangerous area where burglaries occur frequently. Likewise, disaster victims might be blamed for not preparing adequately or moving to a safer location. The list goes on and on, but the point is that blaming the victim can make it harder for survivors to get help and support after experiencing a traumatic event and may prevent them from coming forward altogether.

5 Unique Challenges Women Face

Women (and girls) face unique challenges that men and boys do not. While the #MeToo movement has begun to smash down centuries of patriarchy, there is still so much work to be done for gender equality. Women face a myriad of daily struggles, from the mundane to the utterly absurd, that only other women truly understand.

1. The sex discrimination they endure.

It’s a fact: women are the target of sex discrimination on a scale unparalleled by other minorities. Cis and trans women alike are subjected to misogynistic comments, verbal abuse, sexual assault, and countless other forms of sexism. These attacks make it hard for women to feel safe at home, at work, and in public spaces. This is an ongoing struggle that has no end in sight.

2. The constant need to prove themselves in male-dominated fields.

It can be challenging to find a workplace that values the skills and experiences women bring to the table. The sexism that female employees experience at work can cause them to be less likely to get promoted and have a harder time finding a well-paying job, all because they are women. Even in industries that are supposedly “neutral” or ”inclusive,” many women still feel like they aren’t valued.

3. The juggling act of career and family responsibilities.

Women often choose to work to improve their financial situation and gain more prestige in the workforce, but that can mean putting in late nights and missing important family events. This can have a negative effect on their mental health and can lead to burnout over time.

4. The fact that they are more expensive to maintain than men.

Women tend to have more expenses than men, especially when it comes to clothing and hygiene products. It can also be difficult for them to find affordable housing in cities where rents are sky-high. This can disproportionately impact poor women, who are already at a disadvantage in the labor market due to lower wages.

5. The fact that women are more susceptible to certain diseases.

There are some medical conditions that are more common among women than men, including reproductive cancers and autoimmune diseases. These illnesses can have a serious impact on a woman’s life, but it’s impossible to predict the future.

As such, it’s essential for women to stay educated about their health and know how to best protect themselves. Women also need to support each other and fight for gender equality. The sexism they experience can have a profoundly negative impact on their lives, but if we stick together and fight for our rights, we can overcome this societal injustice.

Women’s Rights and Gender Justice

Women and girls continue to face widespread violence, discrimination and injustice across the globe. Although great strides have been made by the international women’s rights movement over many years, inequalities remain. Across the world, women and girls are denied equality in areas including economic security, political participation, health, education and social protections like reproductive rights. They are at greater risk of sex-based violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and are more likely to die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth.

An ACLU survey shows that nearly nine-in-ten Americans agree that women should have equal rights with men, and Democrats and Democratic leaners are more likely to say this than Republicans and Republican leaners. However, a majority of adults also think the country has not yet gone far enough to ensure women’s rights.

Some progress has been made, for example in recent years it has become legal for women in Saudi Arabia to drive and vote. But there is much work to do: globally, women are paid less than men for the same job and are more likely to experience violence in their lives. Millions of girls around the world are still married as children, many are subject to female genital mutilation or live with ‘honour’ killings.

Gender justice is at the heart of our work and is an integral part of human rights. The rights of women and girls are intertwined with the right to health, economic equality and other universal human rights, and they cannot be fully achieved without addressing inequality in those areas. This is why a gender lens is essential to any human rights approach.

In order to achieve gender justice, the international community must commit to advancing women’s rights, take action at the national level and hold leaders accountable for their commitments, including through the new sustainable development goals that include a target on gender equality. We must also invest in the solutions of grass-roots women’s groups and ensure that the data necessary to track progress is available.

There is no aspect of human society that would not hugely benefit from empowering women and ending the oppression of their rights. By investing in women and enabling them to participate fully as citizens, we can build a safer, more prosperous world for everyone. Learn more about our work to advance women’s rights here.

The Causes of Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is a worldwide phenomenon that afflicts women and girls everywhere. The problem is rooted in how society perceives men and women, and it’s manifested in a number of ways. The most obvious way is through pay gaps and discrimination, but it also affects the educational system, health care, business ownership, and access to land and credit.

Gender equality is a fundamental human right that’s necessary for peace, prosperity and sustainability. While there have been many advances, the world is not yet on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 5 target of achieving gender equality by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for bold action, such as the promotion of laws, policies, budgets and institutions that advance gender equality.

The global economic cost of gender inequality is massive. For example, the Gender Inequality Index (GII) estimates that, if women and girls were equal earners, global GDP would increase by $160.2 trillion. The GII also includes a loss in potential human development due to the fact that women are more likely than men to spend time on unpaid care and domestic work, be denied reproductive rights and harmed by violence.

In addition, a lack of education and jobs can lead to fewer opportunities for healthy dietary choices and lower levels of exercise, which leads to poorer overall health. This results in a disproportionate number of women dying from preventable diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer. Women are also less likely to have adequate access to quality healthcare, and more often than men suffer from non-communicable chronic conditions like autoimmune disorders.

One of the most serious causes of gender inequality is a culture that defines men and women differently, whether it’s hostile or benevolent sexism. These beliefs influence how individuals and groups treat each other, with the most damaging impact on the most vulnerable.

Another major factor is the lack of resources and support to empower women and girls. For instance, girls are more likely to drop out of school than boys because they can’t afford the fees and other living costs. Moreover, they’re more likely to be victims of sexual violence and not report it because of stigma and shame. This can also lead to poor health outcomes, such as malnutrition, infant mortality and poor mental health.

Finally, when religious freedom is restricted by extremist ideologies, such as ISIS or Islamist extremism, women suffer the most. According to a study by Georgetown University and Brigham Young University, these restrictions make it harder for women to participate in the economy. This leads to poverty, illiteracy, and poorer health and economic outcomes for all.

Gender inequality is complicated and multifaceted, but addressing it will require all sectors of society to work together to change attitudes and behaviours. This will be difficult, especially when it comes to changing mindsets — even after progress has been made, such as better representation of women in leadership roles. However, tackling the root causes of gender inequality is worth the effort to build a world where everyone is treated fairly and with dignity.