Abuse against women...

There are many forms of abuse against women; domestic, sexual or physical. A study conducted by a relatively new organization has found that as many as twenty-three percent of women they surveyed have been abused by their partners.  And while victims may not be rushing to make reports, a higher number of persons know of victims who have suffered from domestic violence.

The Women’s Circle of Belize is a community based organization advocating to end violence against women.  The group has completed a survey to gain a better understanding of how grave the situation has gotten.

Debra Lewis, Member, Women’s Circle of Belize said : “This really was an issue that we could take on and move forward over the long term. So one of the things that we thought was important was that we need to be in the community talking to the women to find out what experiences they are having, what do they need, what do they think would help their situations and so that’s basically why we did the survey. We had decided we wanted to survey a hundred women; we ended up with a hundred and sixteen women that the two surveyors went out and did the surveys in the community. Together we looked at all the figures and we spent two very long meetings putting all the numbers together and then we took it and wrote up the report that we released today.”

The surveyors made several observations about the response of the women they interviewed, including that many of them do not fully understand what “violence against women” is. Some of the more startling results include that twenty-three point three percent of surveyed women had been beaten by their partner and fifty-four point three percent knew someone it happened to. Six percent of those women were hospitalized because of the beatings while forty-four percent knew of others who experienced the same. In the area of sexual offences, two point six percent of participants had been raped while thirty-eight point eight percent said they knew rape victims. One point seven percent said they were sexually harassed at their job while sixteen point four percent knew other victims. 

Reaction:

I can see where this is coming from.  I cant relate since I have never been abused.  I feel like it has to do with our culture.  Back in the day when women only lived to serve the man because of what is now known as sexual discrimination.  Back in the day it was a way of life but now it is a crime.  There is no need for women to have to go through that.  I am a young lady and I hope never to be a victim of that. Sincerely I understand that some women might have gotten in that situation by not knowing what they were truly getting into. Probably the now sweet boyfriend ends up being a abusive psychopath. I have seen that one happen.  My advice to those women wouldn’t be considered because their first response would be how would I know if I don't know what they are going through.  Many women are practically disowned by their parents when they refuse to take them back.  Its sad and I am glad to know that my family has a futuristic but traditional view on things.  My mom once told me that I wasn't raised to be beaten by man. 

The rate is alarming, I had hoped to not stumble through it as many women might have hoped to.  We as women need to know our rights and be able to defend ourselves.  We already know that women are being abused.  The answers of what I want to hear is why do they allow such a thing.  That is what it might take us a step closer to avoiding women to be abused.