By Sumaiyah Ali

Violence against women renders them miserable and unsafe. It is a global pandemic. Violence affects 1 in 3 women in their lives. 35% of women experience intimate or physical violence. Recent or previous partners oppress them. In other words, 70% of them.

Others, not partners assault 7% of women. Intimate partners assassinate 38% of women. Half of the time, families or partners assassinate women worldwide. 200 million experience female genital mutation. Moreover, the majority of these girls remain not even 5 years old.

Parents wed 650 million women off in childhood. While 1 out of 3 get married before 15. Girls and women make up 71% of human trafficking victims around the world.

This issue is devastating for families and survivors of violence themselves. It has long-term harmful effects on the lives of societies and communities too. However, it entails vital economic and social costs too. It costs countries 3.7% of GDP. Failure to address it entails a vital cost for the future. Children growing up with violence become penetrators of violence or survivors themselves in the future.

Violence against women represents a hidden crisis. It knows no boundaries of culture and geography too. Moreover, marginalized women experience it more. For instance, penniless girls. Partners or husbands oppress them often.

Violence against girls and women possesses alternative forms. For example, domestic violence, harassment, and brutal assault. In addition, sex trafficking, honor crimes, and female genital mutation too. That is to say, forced or child marriages remain other forms of violence against women. This is because of the gender inequality that women face throughout their lives. For instance, childhood and mature age too.

Many penetrators believe that violence against girls and women is normal. They think that it is appropriate behavior because society supports it. They believe that they can oppress women without disapproval. Violence against women is among the most widespread violations of human rights too. Violence against girls and women devastates the lives of women. It divides communities too.

Violence against women is among the most vital barriers to ending poverty. This undermines the efforts for development too. People cannot establish robust democracies. They cannot construct peaceful and classless societies too. It locks girls and women into poverty. It limits their choices too.

Oppressed women are not capable to benefit from education. They cannot earn a living. They cannot take part in public and political lives too. When someone oppresses a deprived woman, then she lacks options.

Violence against women causes deaths commonly. This causes incapability for those of reproductive age too. This is a more substantial cause of wrenched health than malaria and road accidents together. Violence against women remains an issue that prevails. Therefore, friends, family members, and co-workers might have experienced violence.

The reason for intimate violence against girls and women remains male domination, patriarchy, and chauvinism. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly issued the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against women. It says that violence against women remains an act of gender-based violence. For example, threats of coercion in public or arbitrary deprivation of freedom in private life. Violence against women renders them miserable and unsafe.

United Nations Women’s Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka said that a rape reverberates in memory and damages flesh. It might gain life-changing results. For instance, transmitted diseases or pregnancies.  Rapes affect friends and families. They affect partners and colleagues too.

The World Health Organization says that those women who experience sexual or physical abuse are twice as likely to plunge into depression and have abortions. They are 1.5 times more likely to achieve HIV in certain regions. According to evidence, sexually assaulted women are 2.3 times more likely to have substance abuse addictions. According to the Women’s wing of the United Nations, intimate partners sexually or physically abuse 70% of women in America. A quarter of feminine college students reported misconduct or vicious assault there. The ratio of people who harm or target girls and women remains countless.

According to the World Health Organization, partners oppress 65% of women in certain regions of sub-Saharan Africa. 40% of women in the Andean parts of Latin America and South Asia. In Western Europe and East Asia 19% and 16% of husbands abuse women. According to a study, 82% of women experience gestures and remarks. They experience threats and sexist comments too.

Individuals abuse women who identify as refugees and migrants. Those belonging to indigenous minorities or experiencing humanitarian crises are vulnerable to gender-based harm too. People do not report or punish rapists. Reporting requires a great deal of resilience for women. They have to re-live that attack.

Women know that people will denounce them in most countries. They know that no one will believe that someone assaulted them. Therefore, it is challenging to achieve equality. Violence against women remains a crime. Therefore, violence against women should end. People must place women in a position of power. They should strengthen the capacity of law enforcement too to end the violence.