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Recent analyses world-wide have shown that conflict and violence in wider society are reflected in gender relationships within the family (and vice versa). Gender equity tends to correspond to a more collaborative and peaceful society. Increased levels of violence in society tend to equate with increased levels of violence against women (both in the domestic and public spheres). The level of gender conflict can therefore be seen as a good indicator for general levels of conflict in society and can act as an early warning sign.Numerous studies have been carried out on levels of violence against women and girls and all the findings emphasize that this continues to be a serious everyday problem world-wide. Here are some selected statistics: At least one in three women and girls has been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime. (UN Report on the Commission on the Status of Women, February 2000) A woman is raped every 26 seconds in South Africa. (UNISA, 1998)
More than 130 million girls and women worldwide have been subjected to female genital cutting, and a further two million girls are at risk. (World Health Organization, 1997)
Over one million women and children are trafficked each year worldwide for forced labor, domestic servitude, or sexual exploitation. (Congressional Research Service, February, 2001)
(In the Philippines) there are an estimated 300,000 women in prostitution and 75,000 prostituted children. (The Factbook on Global Sexual Exploitation, 1999)
The brothels of India hold between 100,000 and 160,000 Nepalese women and girls, 35% were taken on the false pretext of marriage or a good job. (Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Report on Violence Against Women, Gustavo Capdevila, IPS, April 2, 1997)
Every minute in the United Kingdom, police receive a call from the public for assistance for domestic violence. 81% of these are female victims attacked by male perpetrators. (Economic and Social Research Council's Programme on Violence, Royal Holloway, September 28, 2000)
At least 60 million girls who would otherwise be expected to be alive are "missing" from various populations, mostly Asia, as a result of sex-selective abortions, infanticide or neglect. (United Nations Study on the Status of Women, 2000)
70% of the men and women interviewed in a Kenyan survey said they knew neighbors who beat their wives. Nearly 60% said women were to blame for the beatings. Just 51% said the men should be punished. (Kenyan Women Rights Awareness Program survey, 1997)
Women who were physically or sexually abused as children are far more likely to enter into abusive relationships as adults, British researchers report. (Study conducted with British women by researchers at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK; reported in The Lancet, August 2001)Taken from the VDay website 2002
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