As we draw near to the end of the 16 Days of Activism to eliminate violence against women and girls, it’s useful to reflect on why this campaign is so important. All of us can experience domestic and sexual violence, whatever our age, backgrounds or gender, but this particular campaign is about the massive cost to women and girls. Here are 16 reasons why we must keep highlighting this issue:
- In the UK, two to three women a week are murdered by their partner or ex-partner.
- One in four women will experience domestic abuse during their lifetime.
- Men are also abused, but it’s still important to highlight the huge numbers of rapes, deaths and serious assaults against women.
- One in five women are stalked at some point in their lives.
- According to a 2022 study, only 1% of reported rapes of women result in a conviction.
- Women experience high levels of forced marriage, honour-based violence and sex trafficking.
- One in nine girls experience molestation or sexual assault.
- It was not made illegal to rape your wife until 1993. Most rapes of women and girls are by someone close to them.
- One in five women do not feel safe to walk alone at night.
- During military conflict, women and girls are at high risk of rape and sexual assault but this is routinely downplayed as a war crime.
- Breakdown companies know that lone women are at risk, that’s why they prioritise them if their vehicles breakdown.
- Most women escaping violence cannot access a refuge because they are usually full.
- Male violence against women is the leading cause of premature death globally.
- More than 650 million women alive today, were married as children.
- Girls who witness the abuse of their mother are more likely to become victims in later life.
- Domestic abuse is rarely viewed as a reason to stop child contact and some family courts penalise the mother for even mentioning it.
STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS!
Charlotte Woodward
National Training Manager, NCDV
