Recent studies conducted by the World Health Organization have revealed that in Europe, the major cause of death among women aged 16 to 44 is violence in the home. Kofi Annan, UN General Secretary (1999) said, “Indeed, violence against women knows no boundary of geography, culture or wealth”. He said that, in fact, it is the most shameful human rights violation and perhaps the most pervasive. Domestic violence goes beyond the beating of a woman. Sexual harassment, marital rape, forced prostitution, intimidation at work, trafficking and forced prostitution are some of the atrocities that constitute domestic violence against women. The control of women and making them feel little sense of worth dates back to the time of the middle ages and up to the time of the Renaissance where women had no rights and were expected to cultivate the most passive nature and repress her aggressive character. In fact, the husband also had the right to beat his wife whenever he wants to (Sachs 9). Even more alarming, Sarah Stickney Ellis (author of Popular Guides to Female Conduct 1845) seeks to persuade women of their role and their inferiority. She said that women should accept their inferiority to men and should ‘devote themselves to the happiness and moral elevation of their brothers, husbands and sons’.
Domestic violence against women is not unusual in Africa. In a report done by the UN Population Fund in 2000, it was discovered that the husband had the right to beat or physically intimidate his wife. What is even more alarming, is that this was a conviction held by even the women themselves who saw nothing wrong in this act. Because there is an issue with domestic violence in Africa. Violence is rooted in their culture. A married woman is forced to be with other males in the husband’s family when her husband dies. A woman is considered “family property” because the family has contributed to paying the bride price. If a woman chooses to return to her family, she has to repay the bride price. In most cases, this is not possible and so the woman is forced to remain and is subjected to the injustices meted out by that family.
Bjornberg (2012) says violence against women is a part of a certain culture where regular rape and domestic violence happen with such frequency that the media and the public at large pay little attention to these occurrences. Africa has the highest death rate of domestic violence. The high rate of unemployment, poverty, socioeconomic inequality, substance abuse, the threat of HIV and AIDS, contribute to the domestic violence against women.
The laws are slow in coming and must be accessible to women. The police force pays little attention and is slow in investigating reports of violence. If a woman who makes the report is unable to show physical signs of abuse, the authorities are unwilling to believe and assist her. Many communities condone violence against women and silently approve of the abuse. The greatest challenge now is to change the social attitudes and beliefs that confine women to an inferior status (Kaba 2011) The effort is to get more women to know the legal rights that protect them. Also, teach citizens the importance of protecting women and how this move will benefit the entire community and the society when women are given better protection.
Education is the biggest challenge. The WHO found that 80% of women in Egypt believe that a man has the right to beat his woman if she denies him sex. In Africa, women feel that a woman deserves to be beaten if she uses a family planning method without her husband’s consent. In Uganda, the center for Domestic Violence Prevention is presently working with 73 community volunteers to educate its people. Cager (2006) posits that it is the responsibility of the Government and society to condemn violence against women and take action to eliminate it.
Bjornberg, Karin. "Violence against women in South Africa: a cultural and socio-economic issue." Culture and Human Rights Series Part II. 2012.
VanNatta, Mariame Kaba and Michelle. "Violence against Women 13; 1223." 2007; .