Statement by Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs
"Man shoots at wife in domestic dispute", "Curaçao suspects raped two additional women" ….are some of the headlines in last week’s paper.
Violence against women and girls is a global epidemic that kills, tortures, and maims – physically, psychologically, sexually and economically. It is one of the most pervasive human rights violations, denying women and girls equality, security, dignity, self-worth, and their right to enjoy fundamental freedoms.
The global dimensions of this violence are alarming; violence against women is present in every country, cutting across boundaries of culture, class, education, income, ethnicity and age. The only variation is in the patterns and trends that exist in different countries and regions. However, certain groups of women are more vulnerable to it, examples are; women from minority groups, indigenous and migrant women, refugee women and those in situations of armed conflict, women in institutions and detention, women with disabilities, female children, and elderly women.
According to the United Nations (U.N.), worldwide, up to six out of every ten women experience physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. A World Health Organization study found that the prevalence of physical and/or sexual violence by a partner varied from 15 percent in urban Japan to 71 percent in rural Ethiopia, with most areas being in the 30–60 percent range. It is estimated that worldwide, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. And based on several surveys from around the world, half of the women who die from homicides are killed by their current or former husbands or partners. So it’s no surprise, World Bank findings show that, globally, among women and girls aged 16 to 44, violence causes more death and disability than, cancer malaria, traffic accidents or even war. Studies further reveal increasing links between violence against women and HIV and AIDS.
Recognizing the severity of the problem of violence against women the U.N. designated November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in 1999. This day is used to create awareness and move people in to action to eliminate violence against women. To a lesser degree, 25 November is also used to call global attention on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), for there is a close connection between discrimination against women and gender-based violence. Originally the date marked the day three of the four Mirabal sisters were killed because of their opposition to the Trujillo dictatorship in 1960 in the Dominican Republic. November 25th was first used to pay tribute to the Mirabal sisters, and later, as recognition of gender violence the world over.
Violence against women and girls has far-reaching consequences, harming families and through them societies at large. Gender-based violence not only violates human rights, but also hampers productivity, reduces human capital and undermines economic growth. There is a growing recognition that countries cannot reach their full potential as long as women’s potential to participate fully in their society is denied.
The most visible form of violence against women on Sint Maarten is domestic violence. Domestic violence can be broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation. It is about one person using a pattern of behaviors to control and manipulate the other person. Domestic violence can manifest itself in many forms; e.g. physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse and/or economic/financial abuse. But naturally violence against women is not limited to domestic violence.
Violence perpetrated against women also includes physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere. Furthermore it includes physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State.
For decades now, research has show the high incidence of domestic violence in our region. According to CAFRA in the Dominican Republic, two women are killed every week by an intimate male relative, partner or friend, 70 per cent of Haitian women have been brutalized in one form or another. Approximately 30% of women surveyed in Trinidad & Tobago experienced domestic violence; in Suriname 67% of women have experienced violence in a cohabiting relationship. In Antigua and Barbuda 70% of female murder victims are killed by male partners. A study conducted by the GGD on Curaçao in 2009, found that well over 30 percent of adults have experienced domestic physical abuse, some 30 percent have experienced domestic psychological abuse and 11 percent experiences sexual intimidation or violence in the domestic realm.
Even though there is little reliable and representative data available about the situation in Sint Maarten, due to –among other things- serious underreporting, lack of structural data collection and at times rigid cooperation between different departments and organizations, the assumption that Sint Maarten follows the Caribbean trend is not farfetched. Local health workers and other professionals in the social and legal field recognize the high incidence of gender violence, as well as large scale underreporting of it. There are several reasons for underreporting; firstly, the notion that everything which occurs within the four walls of a home is private and should not be disclosed to outsiders is widespread on the island. Secondly, fear of further abuse, shame and embarrassment, threats of financial deprivation or lack of options. And thirdly, distrust of formal support and aid services, such as the police.
What can be done to encourage more people to step forward and speak out, in order for proper help to be offered? And more importantly what can be done to eradicate violence against women? An important role is set aside for the government of country Sint Maarten. Not only does the government have the power and means to implement and enforce legislation that prevent and combat gender violence, in particular violence against women, the availability of services for victims of violence largely depends on government. On an international level the government has already shown its awareness of its responsibilities, and its will to eliminate (gender) violence. Amongst other, our government -as part of the Dutch Kingdom- had ratified numerous international conventions and declarations that condemn gender violence, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Women in Beijing, and of course the Universal Declaration of International Human Rights. Through such ratifications Sint Maarten government is expected to take action to ensure that women are free from violence in the home and in the community. Furthermore government is expected to combat impunity of perpetrators of violence. However, nor government, nor international treaties on its own can bring about the fundamental changes which are necessary to eliminate gender violence. We as a society, we as neighbors, we as friends, we as family members have to come together and acknowledge our responsibility. For only together we can overcome this ill in our society. Now is the perfect time to start building a strong society and a strong country; 10-10-10 has opened up avenues for us as a country to address and readdress strategies to combat gender violence.
The most important step we can take today, is to make gender violence, and in particular domestic violence, a public issue. We on Sint Maarten need to break the silence! Knowledge and open dialogue are pivotal in this process.
That’s why it is important to invalidate some of the common myths surrounding domestic violence:
v Domestic violence happens in low-income families, or people with substance abuse problems, or only to people who grew up in a violent family
Domestic violence occurs in every country in the world, in every socio-economic class, within every religious or spiritual faith, in every culture, within every ethnic group, and in both hetero- and homosexual relations. Within "middle" and "upper" income households secrets of domestic violence may be better kept, as the stakes are high, shame and embarrassment are great, especially for people with public profiles.
Even though studies show that men who have witnessed their parents’ domestic violence are three times more likely to abuse their own wives then are the children of non-violent parents; however, anybody can turn violent.
v Some people deserve to be hit
No one deserves to be abused. Period. The only person responsible for the abuse is the abuser. The abuser is the only one who has the ability to stop the abuse. There is no such thing as "I provoked him (/her) to abuse me". Provoking your partner does not give him (/her) a valid reason to actually hit you.
v Alcohol, drug abuse, stress, and mental illness cause domestic violence
Alcohol use, drug use, and stress do not cause domestic violence; they may go along with domestic violence, but they do not cause the violence. Abusers often say they use these excuses for their violence. Generally, domestic violence happens when an abuser has learned (and chooses) to abuse. Domestic violence is rarely caused by mental illness, but it is often used as an excuse for domestic violence.
v Domestic violence is a personal problem between a husband and a wife
Domestic violence affects everyone. Detrimental on effects on direct bystanders, such as children have been proven in countless studies. But, domestic violence also affects the wider community, for human beings continuously interact with one another. An abused person cannot lend their labor or creative ideas optimally when they are burdened with the physical and psychological scars of abuse. Furthermore domestic violence is responsible for considerable expenses in medical, health and social care services, as well as police and other ambulant care services. Moreover violence between two (former)partners can have enormous detrimental effects on such as children.
v If it was that bad, she would just leave
There are many reasons why women may not leave, the most important being:
– To avoid more violence: Leaving a violent relationship often triggers more violence. Research indicates that a woman who leaves the abuser is at 75 percent greater risk of being killed by her barterer that a woman who stays. The abuser may threaten to kill the children and/or other family members. The abuser may vow to follow the victim wherever she/he goes and kill her/him.
– Shame: A victim of abuse is often ashamed to leave. They might ask themselves how they could have let it happen; "they should have known better". They are pressured by society, and sometimes religious institutions, to keep the family together or to have taken action the first instance of abuse, to avoid escalation.
– Lack of support: Victims frequently do not feel supported or understood, afraid nobody will believe them: "You must be exaggerating." "You were asking for it." Abuse victims are often isolated; their abuser may have kept them away from family and friends. Furthermore victims may not have enough financial resources and other social securities to leave. Not leaving an abusive relationship does not mean that the situation is okay or that the victim wants to be abused!
– Love: Though abused, victims may genuinely love their partner. They might remain hoping that a magic moment will arrive when the abuser will change.
We can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand and hope that domestic violence will go away. Abuse is stopped only by intervention. Victims can only be helped if they can admit they are being abused. As a society we must strive to create conditions to realize this. All abusers, no matter how prominent or powerful, no matter how wealthy or highly educated, must be held accountable. We must work together to help victims and perpetrators find safety and healing from these abusive relationships. As a community we must be alert and attentive, speak up and seek help, because as an individual one will probably not be capable of offering adequate help on his own.
If you are being abused, KNOW that
1. You are not alone
2. It is not your fault
3. Help is available
Break the Silence on Domestic Violence
Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs
Tel. 5422802/ 03/ 04