International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

White Ribbon Day - 25 November 2004

www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk

On 25 November 2003, NUS Women’s Campaign held a ‘Stop Violence Against Women Conference’ in partnership with the Government Office for the South East and Portsmouth Domestic Violence Forum. The Conference was an opportunity to learn more about the issues relating to violence against women, to learn about the support services available and to plan campaigns. It was an open event for student officers, male and female, and for representatives from relevant external bodies such the local Rape Crisis Service, the local Domestic Violence Forum, Social Services and the Police.

For a full review of the day, photos and a transcript of the key-note speech by Hugh Marriage OBE (the Home Office Director for the South East Region) go to the archives at:
http://www.nusonline.co.uk/campaigns/womenscampaign/Archive/268354.aspx

The myths and facts about violence against women

MYTH: This is just about physical assault

FACT: Our campaign is about opposition to violence against women in all its forms, whether physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial.

This extract from Women’s Aid web site spells out the diverse ways in which women can be manipulated and controlled in a violent relationship:

"Domestic violence is physical, psychological, sexual or financial violence that takes place within an intimate or family-type relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. (www.womensaid.org.uk)

MYTH: There is no need for a specific violence against women campaign because men experience violence too

FACT: NUS Women’s Campaign believes that the female students it represents are part of a society that discriminates against their gender and has a long history of doing so – violence against women is part of this undesirable culture.

Men do experience violence, including domestic violence, and this should not be treated any less seriously than when it happens to women. [There is information for male victims of domestic violence on the BBC’s ‘Hitting Home’ web site at www.bbc.co.uk/health/hh/men.shtml] Statistics show, however, that it is women who are most likely to experience domestic violence; it is predominantly women who suffer the most serious harm and repeated attacks in abusive relationships; it is women who are more likely to be killed by domestic violence; it is women who are most likely to be raped. Have a look at the following statistics:

• The 2001/02 British Crime Survey (BCS) found that there were an estimated 635,000 incidents of domestic violence in England and Wales. 81% of the victims were women and 19% were men. Domestic violence incidents also made up nearly 22% of all violent incidents reported by participants in the BCS. (Home Office, July 2002)
• A 2002 report on research conducted with male respondents to the Scottish Crime Survey 2000 found that men were less likely to have been repeat victims of domestic assault, less likely to be seriously injured and less likely to report feeling fearful in their own homes. The survey retraced men who were counted as victims in the Scottish Crime Survey and found that a majority of the men who said that they were victims of domestic violence, were also perpetrators of violence. A significant number of the men re-interviewed later said they had actually never experienced any form of domestic abuse. (Scottish Executive Central Research Unit, 2002)
• Women are at greatest risk of homicide at the point of separation or after leaving a violent partner. (Lees, 2000, cited in Women’s Aid’s Domestic Violence Statistical Fact Sheet 2002).
• 42% of female homicide victims, compared with 4% of male homicide victims, were killed by current or former partners in England and Wales in 2000/1. (Home Office statistics 2001 cited in Women’s Aid’s Domestic Violence Statistical Fact Sheet 2002)
• 93% of police recorded rapes happen to women. (‘Key indicators of Women’s Position in Britain’, November 2002 – Women and Equality Unit, Department of Trade and Industry)

MYTH: Violence against women isn’t that prevalent

FACT: The statistics speak for themselves – violence against women is alarmingly prevalent:

• Violence against women causes more deaths and disability among women aged 15 to 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents or war. (Heise, Pitanguy and Germain, World Bank Discussion Paper 225, 1994)
• Women worldwide aged 15 to 44 lose more than two life years due to post-traumatic stress disorder, 60% of which is attributable to domestic violence and rape. (World Bank Data)
• An analysis of 10 separate domestic violence prevalence studies by the Council of Europe showed consistent findings: 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence over their lifetimes and between 6-10% of women suffer domestic violence in a given year. (Council of Europe, 2002)
• Every minute in the UK, the police receive a call from the public for assistance for domestic violence. This leads to police receiving an estimated 1,300 calls each day or over 570,000 each year. (Stanko, 2000, cited in Women’s Aid’s Domestic Violence Statistical Fact Sheet 2002)

MYTH: Domestic violence only happens to a certain sort of woman

FACT: The only thing you can say about a typical victim of domestic violence is that she is female. Research has repeatedly shown that domestic violence crosses all boundaries and can happen to women from all social, economic, and cultural backgrounds, whether they are co-habiting with a partner or not.

"Any woman can experience domestic violence regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, sexuality, disability or lifestyle." (Women’s Aid – www.womensaid.org.uk)

MYTH: Some women ask for it /deserve it/provoke it

FACT: Zero Tolerance’s ‘Excuses’ campaign ran with slogans such as:

• Blame the woman, blame the drink, blame the weather. Domestic Violence - There is No Excuse
• Whoever, wherever, whatever Sexual Assault – There is no excuse
• What’s love got to do with it? Violence against women and children – there is no excuse (www.zerotolerance.org.uk)

We’re in strong agreement with this message: no one deserves to be abused or assaulted – without exception, without excuses.

From ‘Domestic Violence. The Myths.’ - published by Women’s Aid Federation of England:

"No one ‘deserves’ being beaten or emotionally tortured, least of all by someone who says they love you. Often prolonged exposure to violence has the effect of making the woman believe that she deserves to be hurt. It distorts your confidence and some women may start to rationalise their partner’s behaviour. Often, the only provocation has been that she has simply asked for money or food, or not had a meal ready on time, or been on the telephone too long."

Women often blame themselves because they have been consistently told that violence is all their fault.

There is no justification for violence.

MYTH: This has nothing to do with students

FACT: Unfortunately, violence can and does happen to female students. This campaign is also about raising awareness among students about the facts about violence against women and encouraging them to make a stand on this important issue.

Last February, several students’ unions organised Reclaim the Night marches to peacefully protest against violence against women and to highlight the dangers that women students face. An article in the Guardian online, entitled ‘Marching against crime’, reported on how students in several UK towns were marching to reclaim the night as a safe space for women:

"The atmosphere among the marchers was one of quiet indignation about the nightly dangers facing women. Sarah Dilly, a second-year medical student, said she was disgusted that people seemed not to take the issue seriously...

'Attacks simply aren't reported enough. What is most shocking is that it's taken for granted that these things happen - there seems no impetus to change it. Attacks against women are so run of the mill it's not even news.'"

The Guardian online, 28 February 2004

The format for this section was inspired by Women’s Aid’s ‘Domestic Violence. The Myths’ leaflet. For more information about Women’s Aid go to www.womensaid.org.uk

Useful contacts

Here is a list of organisations who offer support/advice/campaigns on the subject of violence against women.

Disclaimer: Whilst NUS Women’s Campaign has been careful to check the suitability of these organisations as contact points for students, it cannot be held responsible for the work or advice of any external organisation. Neither should this list be treated as exhaustive.

Useful phone numbers:

Wales Domestic Abuse Confidential helpline, freephone: 08 08 80 10 800

Northern Ireland Women's Aid 24 Hour Helpline (028) 90 331818

For the phone numbers of local Scottish Women’s Aid Groups: http://www.scottishwomensaid.co.uk/groups/index.html

Belfast Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre: Tel 028 90 249696

Useful web links:

‘Hitting Home – Domestic Violence’ [BBC web site] www.bbc.co.uk/health/hh

Amnesty International’s ‘stop violence against women campaign’: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/svaw
http://web.amnesty.org/actforwomen/index-eng

V-Day UK: Until the violence stops [V-Day promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalise the spirit of existing anti-violence organisations]
www.vdayuk.org

Zero Tolerance [charity campaigning for the prevention of male violence against women and children]: www.zerotolerance.org.uk

Women’s Aid England [domestic violence organisation]: www.womensaid.org.uk

Welsh Women’s Aid [domestic violence organisation]: http://www.welshwomensaid.org

Women’s Aid Scotland [domestic violence organisation]: http://scottishwomensaid.co.uk

Nothern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation [domestic violence organisation]: http://www.niwaf.org

Refuge [domestic violence organisation]: www.refuge.org.uk

Suzy Lamplugh Trust [personal safety experts]: www.suzylamplugh.org

Local Rape Crisis Centres in England and Wales: www.rapecrisis.org.uk/centredetails.htm

Local Rape Crisis Centres in Scotland: www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/local_centres.htm

The Truth About Rape www.truthaboutrape.co.uk & www.rapecrisis.org.uk

Rape Crisis Scotland www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk

Rape Crisis Network Ireland: http://homepage.eircom.net/~nrcci/contents.htm

Justice For Women [a feminist organisation that campaigns for changes in the defences to murder so that they encompass and reflect women's experiences of domestic violence]: http://www.jfw.org.uk

The Roofie Foundation [organisation addressing the situation of drug related rape]: http://www.roofie.com

Southall Black Sisters [a not-for-profit organisation that was established to meet the needs of black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women. Its aims are to highlight and challenge violence against women; empower them to gain more control over their lives; live without fear of violence; and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom]: http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk

Newham Asian Women's Project (NAWP) [provides advice and support for Asian women and children experiencing domestic violence]: http://www.nawp.org

Panahghar [an Urdu word meaning 'Safe House', is a registered charity based in Coventry, England. Panahghar provides refuge accommodation for Asian women of all ages who are being subjected to violence in the home] http://www.safehouse.org.uk

Broken Rainbow LGBT Domestic Violence Service (UK) [provides services to LGBT people experiencing domestic violence]: http://www.lgbt-dv.org/html/rainbow.htm