Violence against Women

25th November 2009 has been designated by United Nations as the International Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The date was chosen to commemorate the death of the three Mirabal sisters. These sisters became political activists against the dictator Rafael Trujillo, who had ruled the Dominican Republic as a dictator from 1930 to 1961. Because of their opposition and their growing participation in attempts to depose Trujillo of his power, he ordered the death of the three sisters (one of whom rejected his sexual advances) on the 25^th November, 1960.

A book entitled 'In The Time of the Butterflies' by Julia Álvarez tells the tragic story of the three sisters, two of whom were killed because of their opposition to Trujillo. One sister lives on to make sure the lives and deaths of her two sisters have some purpose today.

In 1999 the United Nations designated this day as a day to contribute to social awareness of this curse in today’s modern society.

It is astounding and horrific to think that world leaders are unable to find solutions to much of the violence being committed constantly around our globe. We are all only too aware of wars being waged and the hatred that there is in the world. How can there be any solution to ideological wars when it is proven that women are being mistreated by men in every country of the world, without exception?

Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, stated in 2007 that “Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world. It is a threat to all women and an obstacle to all our efforts for development, peace and gender equality in all societies.”

The United Nations Women's Empowerment Programme

Moreover, 25th November also marks the beginning another event which has been designated as “16 days of Activism against Gender Violence” and is designed to end on 10^th December, Human Rights Day. This two-week period was proposed by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in order make the world’s community aware that violence against women is a basic violation of human rights and must be addressed as such. Certainly all women must be made aware of these admirable attempts by some of the world’s institutions to heighten awareness of the abuse. However, these are merely drops in the great ocean of abuse. It will take far more than ‘International Days’ or even International weeks of awareness to eradicate this abuse. Will we ever?

In Spain alone already 49 women have met their death so far (November, 2009). We know that that is only the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of women are hospitalized and because of fear of men lie about the cause of the injury. Many, many more cover up the injury, hiding their bruises. Thousands of women live in fear of reprisals if they denounce their aggressor. Thousands of children witness this abuse and must remain silent. Some of these children are young boys who grow up to continue the pattern of violence or psychological abuse of females. Some of these young girls grow up and continue the pattern of submission and guilt. It is even too painful to write about.

If all we can do is support these small attempts to promote awareness of the issue, to prove to these violators of human rights that we know about them, that they won’t go unpunished then we can all add a drop of water to the immense ocean of awareness and liberation.

Young girls and all women must be encouraged to denounce, denounce and denounce when they believe they are being abused. Abusers must be seen to be treated with contempt and repugnance.

We cannot give up on this one. We must start in the home.