16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence
As the Minister responsible for Gender Affairs, it is fitting to take the opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s and the country’s firm stance against gender violence during the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence Campaign (November 25-December 10). For the past twenty-two years, the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), which is dedicated to advocacy and coordination of work in support of ending violence against women at all levels, has led this global campaign.
The dates November 25 (International Day against Violence against Women) and December 10 (Human Rights Day) are chosen to emphasise the links between ending violence against women and human rights values and highlight that violence against women is an international human rights violation. The 16 Days Campaign is used as an organising strategy to call for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence by individuals and groups throughout the world.
Gender-based violence is a problem of significant proportions that affects not only the Cayman Islands but all societies. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least one of every three women globally will be beaten, raped, or otherwise abused during her lifetime, and in most cases, the abuser is a member of her own family. Violence against women is viewed by many as the most pervasive yet least recognised human rights abuse in the world; a public health crisis; and an obstacle to gender equality, sustainable social and economic development, security, and peace.
According to the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership, forms of gender-based violence include, but are not limited to: domestic violence, sexual abuse, rape, sexual harassment, trafficking in women, forced prostitution, and harmful practices. These forms of violence can result in physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health and other health problems. Across the Caribbean, the rates of these crimes are increasing and studies also reveal an alarming escalation of sexual abuse of children and social tolerance of this violence, as many adults fail to take action or deny or minimise the abuse.
Carrying on from 2012, this year the international theme is “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!” In the Cayman Islands, we are fortunate enough to not live in a country torn apart by war or violent civil unrest. However, this does not mean that there are not victims of gender-based violence living among us who have experienced the ravages of their own psychological battle scars or feel as though their homes are in fact not a sanctuary but a war zone. It is therefore appropriate for our local participation in this global campaign to focus on the message of creating peace in our homes so that we can contribute to peace in our country and indeed the world.
Domestic violence is a grave concern to me because attitudes of acceptance toward gender inequalities are considered risk factors for perpetrating and experiencing domestic violence. Successfully addressing gender-based violence requires that we all challenge the way that gender roles and power relations are expressed and accepted in our society. Yet changing people’s attitudes on issues such as gender-based violence, gender equality or domestic violence is neither an easy nor quick task. To address these root risk factors, the Gender Affairs Unit within the Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs carries out public education and awareness activities to promote gender equality.
While we recognise that females are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence and domestic violence, it is Government’s responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all women and men, and girls and boys. States are the main duty bearers for addressing violence in all its forms, including gender-based violence in its various manifestations, and it doesn’t matter whether this violence takes place within the privacy of homes or in public spaces.
Just this month, the Government demonstrated that it will not tolerate such violence. The Members of the Legislative Assembly unanimously supported a Private Members Motion brought by Hon. Anthony Eden, OBE, JP, MLA and Mr. Alva Suckoo, MLA to introduce a mandatory minimum sentence for sex offences categorised as indecent assault on women and girls and to increase the maximum sentence available for such offences. The Government’s responsibility to protect persons from non-violence and sex crimes must be met with standards of non-discrimination; this is why I proposed during the debate on the Motion that the Penal Code should be reviewed and amended to ensure that boys and young men are also protected against such crimes, and the Government wholeheartedly supported this suggestion.
Every one of us has a role to play in eliminating gender violence and domestic violence, yet we often consider it a private matter. In addition, if we aren’t perpetrators, we don’t see ourselves as part of the problem. Sadly, many perpetrators also do not consciously accept the harm that they cause as they seek to justify their actions anddeny the negative effects they have on their victims and on society. During this 16 Days Campaign, I encourage you to think about how we all can be a part of the solution. If you know sexual abuse, coerced prostitution of children, or sexual harassment is occurring, speak out and report it. If you witness or suspect domestic violence, act. Do not sit back and think that it’s not your place to get involved in reporting gender-based crimes. If you are a victim, please seek help from the many organisations and individuals that are able to assist you.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the government and non-government organisations – such as the Department of Counseling Services’ Family Resource Centre, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Community Rehabilitation, Business and Professional Women’s Club Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation and many others – that work on a daily basis with these issues and help to raise the public’s level of awareness about gender-based violence. Throughout the next 16 days, I encourage the public to support the efforts of the Business and Professional Women’s Club’s awareness raising campaign and to visit the District Health Clinics in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac where the Family Resource Centre’s Clothesline Project will display the stories of victims, survivors, and those who love them.
We all play a crucial part in developing peaceful understandings and collective safety. Let us unite and support these efforts in building peaceful and safe homes, schools, communities in our country- today, tomorrow and forever.
Category: Viewpoint
Snore…..snooze…….is she done yet?
As long as people believe there was a god that created the first man as his image and then took a rib to create a wife as a helper and playmate, there will be gender violence and inequality.
Those beliefs have nothing to do with gender violence. Nothing in scripture enjoins violence against women, and there are plenty of irreligious people who are violent. Quite the opposite, scripture says that husbands must love their wives and not be harsh with them. Ephesians 5:25-33; Col. 3:19. As long as God is not in your heart there will be violence.
Your statement reflects your own bigotry, pure and simple.
"Let the women learn in silencewith all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (I Timothy 2:11-14)
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:22-24)
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (I Corinthians 14:34-35)
And? I am still waiting to hear how Christian beliefs cause gender violence which was the point of the post to which I was responding.
By expressly referring to women as inferior to men and answerable to them too.
1. The bible does not say that women are inferior.
2. Obviously that is complete leap in logic which ignores the rest of the text saying to love your wives and not to be harsh with them.
I didn't see anything which said women were inferior, but let's explore the logic of your conclusion. I am also answerable to my boss who may be referred to as my superior. Would you equally conclude that such a relationship causes physical violence? Do you see why your statement is nonsensical?
2:01, so what's wrong with any of that, bobo?
That mindless aggressively anti-Christian mentality is exactly why expats should never gain control in Cayman.
Yep and when you ladies step out of line I want my rib back.
But what a rib you have become.
The bigest problem with the Christian teaching of having the man in the leadership position is that many many men do not deserve it and the woman is more deserving in such cases.
What a crock.
Studies show:
1. "Women are also often initiators of intimate partner violence and initiate violent acts almost as often as men".
2. “Conservative Protestant men who attend church regularly are found to be the least likely group to engage in domestic violence"
"Patriarchy and Domestic Violence: Challenging Common Misconceptions" (2007) – Steven Tracy.
So much for that theory.
No. Try again. This is a case of you taking a study (that you probably pulled from the biased Wikipedia page on domestic violence and Christianity) completely out of context. Did you think no one would call you on it? Two Google searches and 5 minutes of reading your source show that you just had an agenda to defend Christianity and take a swipe at what good people are trying to do to prevent violence by bringing in the red herring (in this case it is a red herring) of "women abuse men too!" Yes, women abuse men too. Yes, that is bad too. No one is denying either of those things.
But how about we put those quotes of yours in their full context? (see: http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/50/50-3/JETS_50-3_573-594_Tracy.pdf for the full document) I'll also add some emphasis on the parts you seem to have missed that I think are particularly important:
1. "While women are also often initiators of intimate partner violence and initiate violent acts almost as often as men, gender parity is non-existent when it comes to violence. The fact is that male violence against women is far more damaging; generally occurs in a far different context (aggressive dominance versus self defense); and typically has a more pernicious meaning (establishment of control) than does female violence. For instance, according to a Justice Department analysis of crime, more than 40% of adult female hospital emergency room visits are caused by violence at the hand of a male intimate partner, whereas violence by intimates caused less than 5% of male emergency room visits. According to the National Crime Victimization survey, in 1998 women experienced almost 900,000 violent offenses at the hands of an intimate partner—a rate five times higher than the violence men experience from female partners.Other research reveals that for every one man hospitalized due to being assaulted by a female intimate partner, forty-six women are hospitalized due to being assaulted by a male partner."
2. "Conservative Protestant men who attend church regularly are found to be the least likely group to engage in domestic violence, though conservative Protestant men who are irregular church attendees are the most likely to batter their wives."
Also: "In another study of 1,000 battered women, 67% indicated they attend church"
So, nope, the theory still holds up. The original poster was specifically referring to the problematic idea that women are inferior to men because God created them that way, which is commonly taught or implied in Christianity whether you want to admit it or not. He/she was not talking about conservative Protestants who go to church regularly. The fact that he/she linked gender violence and inequality make that perfectly clear. You can't make a straw man argument and expect no one to notice.
And, as a final note, it would have been much more accurate for you to say "a study shows" – singular – not "studies show" – plural – because that is one study, by one author. There are numerous other studies that indicate correlation and causation the other way.
Overall, there is no consensus on the effect of RELIGION or CHRISTIANITY in general on domestic violence because those two words have such broad scope and variety of meanings. But there is consensus on the effect of IDEAS ABOUT GENDER EQUALITY. Actually, let's see what Tracy himself has to say about that, shall we? "While patriarchy may not be the overarching cause of all abuse, it is an enormously significant factor, because in traditional patriarchy males have a disproportionate share of power. At its core, domestic violence is the abuse of male physical and often social/religious power."
So to be clear, I'm not saying Christianity per se is a risk factor for domestic violece (or, for that matter, sexual assault, rape and child abuse – though studies also link religion/religious ideas to those abuses), but that rigid gender norms are risk factors. And they are taught by many denominations/churches/pastors, though to varying degrees. That is what the original poster was also saying. And that is a proven fact.
The original poster was blaming Christian beliefs however you would like to spin it. Since we are talking about leaving out relevant portions of the text hwo about this one?:
"…we may be able to make sense of the research studies cited earlier that reveal an inverse relationship between conservative Protestant church attendance and wife abuse. We might surmise from the fact that conservative Protestant men who are regular church attendees have the lowest spouse abuse rates that (1) regular exposure to balanced biblical teaching and preaching on family life detoxifies abusive misbeliefs about male headship; (2) Christian community offers salutary models of loving, nondominating masculinity; (3) the experience of Christian community increases men’s sense of confidence and masculinity which in turn decreases their need to control women and children".
Women as perpetrators of domestic violence is not of course a red herring. First of all, that is one statistic that is woefully underreported because, unlike female victims, male victims are likely to be ridiculed. Second, that destroys the entire notion that domestic violence is caused by biblical teaching as to the roles of men and women.
Try again.
"…good people are trying to do to prevent violence by bringing in the red herring (in this case it is a red herring) of "women abuse men too!".
How on earth would you know the poster's motives or whether they are a good person or not? Certainly not from the little they have written which was obviously to ridicule Judaeo-Christian teaching about creation by pretending that religion is THE cause of gender violence. That is defamatory and disgusting.
The bits you have added do nothing to change the basic points which were made. A great deal of gender violence obviously has nothing to do with any such teaching and nothing to do with religion, hence the point about female on male gender violence, and so it is clearly nonsense to suggest that it would all go away if only there no such teaching.
We should all be concerned about gender violence, but raising these sorts of ridiculous arguments does nothing to help the cause since it divides those of us who oppose it.
I challenge you to put forward these "numerous studies" that indicate "causation the other way". Note that the article which you have cited with approval states:
"Perhaps the most powerful refutation of the feminist thesis that patriarchy is the underlying cause of all abuse of women is the consensus of several studies in the past decade which assess religion, gender views, and domestic violence. While relatively few studies have been conducted which specifically assess the relationship between religion, patriarchal beliefs, and abuse, mostof the studies that have been conducted do not support the global feminist hypothesis. For instance, a comprehensive meta-analysis of various studies showed that adult male batterers could not be differentiated from non-abusive men on the sole basis of traditional (patriarchal) gender attitudespopulation studies did find that the least egalitarian states had the highest rates of violence, and a few studies that gave very extreme definitions of patriarchy found higher abuse rates among patriarchal men. But several recent studies are more nuanced in their assessment of religion, patriarchy, and abuse. These studies do find a link between conservative religion and domestic violence, but it is not the simple causal relationship the feminist model would predict.Rather, there is an inverse relationship between church attendance and domestic violence.".
This was the context of the original quote. So much for your attempt to mislead.
So in a dicussion about gender violence any information regarding female on male violence is a "red herring"? Wow. What a mindset.
No. (Original replier who mentioned the red herring here.) In a discussion about gender-based violence, bringing up female-on-male violence to say that domestic violence is not a "gender" issue is a red herring. Saying "women beat men too!" when someone brings up the specific sub-point that gender inequality often leads to violence against women is a red herring.
Not all domestic violence is the same. Not all men hit women for the same reasons and not all women hit men for the same reasons, and not all women hit men for the same reasons that men hit women. However, many incidences of domestic violence where a man hits a woman are the result of gender inequality. Gender inequality is a problem that can cause certain types of domestic violence.
That is why I said it is a red-herring in the precise context of the first commenter's point, to which I was replying directly and not speaking broadly.
The original poster suggested that Bible teaching about gender roles was THE underlying cause of gender violence. The point being made was that a Bible teaching about gender roles does not explain a great deal of gender violence in particular female upon male violence. Obviously that is not a red herring at all butgoes straight to the heart of the issue.
Your 2nd para is spot on.
Protestant Conservative men select subservient and compliant wives?
Allow me to finish the text you quoted in your point #1, and this is a direct quote from the report. This pick up directly after where you ended your quote and makes the meaning significantly different.
"gender parity is non-existent when it comes to violence.The fact is that male violence against women is far more damaging; generally occurs in a far different context (aggressive dominance versus self defense); and typically has a more pernicious meaning (establishment of control) than does female violence. For instance, according to a Justice Department analysis of crime, more than 40% of adult female hospital emergency room visits are caused by violence at the hand of a male intimate partner, whereas violence by intimates caused less than 5% of male emergency room visits.According to the National Crime Victimization survey, in 1998 women experienced almost 900,000 violent offenses at the hands of an intimate partner—a rate five times higher than the violence men experience from female partners."
"Patriarchy and Domestic Violence: Challenging Common Misconceptions" (2007) – Steven Tracy.
That has already been posted and anwered, Len. It doesn't change any of those basic points. What you have omitted is the part that comes before which only amplifies my point.
"Patriarchy and Domestic Violence: Challenging Common Misconceptions" – Steve Tracy
"…we may be able to make sense of the research studies cited earlier that reveal an inverse relationship between conservative Protestant church attendance and wife abuse. We might surmise from the fact that conservative Protestant men who are regular church attendees have the lowest spouse abuse rates that (1) regular exposure to balanced biblical teaching and preaching on family life detoxifies abusive misbeliefs about male headship; (2) Christian community offers salutary models of loving, nondominating masculinity; (3) the experience of Christian community increases men’s sense of confidence and masculinity which in turn decreases their need to control women and children".
"My fellow Americans. . . "
Can we have a new section deadicated to "Pointless Goverment Statements"? That way people interested in these empty platitudes can read them.
No kidding! If you google the headlines of these viewpoints you can get the original press releases for these cut-and-paste-add-some-crap-pertaining-to-Cayman fluff pieces.
All these things achieve is bumping some ongoing discussions on other viewpoints off the front page of CNS.
It's not pointless at all. Maybe it is your understanding that is deficient.
No, I have no problem understanding what Americans write.
Tara is a U.S. Citizen. Get over it.
Funniest thing I have read all week and so true!