The power of women to change their world, 2

BY FR. SHAY CULLEN

WE HAVE to ask why so many males in the human species are filled with anger and hatred of others and turn to violence against women and children? What other species on the planet sexually and physically abuse their own women and children? Is such sexual violence retaliation for their own bad childhood experience of abuse? Is it for revenge, vengeance, a violent way to inflict on others what they suffered themselves? Whatever the crime, it is inexcusable yet seems to be a generational cycle of abuse and violence. Can it ever be stopped and if so, how? 

The United Nations research team reports the following: “Globally 81,000 women and girls were killed in 2020, around 47,000 of them (58 per cent) died at the hands of an intimate partner or a family member, which equals to a woman or girl being killed every 11 minutes in their home. In 58 per cent of all killings perpetrated by intimate partners or other family members, the victim was a woman or girl.”  A male shooter with an automatic rifle shot dead eight women, six of them were Asian, last March 2021 in Atlanta.  

Some psychologists say males inflicting extreme violence on women were likely abused in their childhood, perhaps denied love by their mother, or beaten or sexually abused by their father or relatives. Others, especially those that turn to gun violence, were perhaps humiliated, hurt, shamed, bullied and rejected in school or at home. It is high time to educate youth and teachers and parents in the values of loving kindness and respect for everyone and end verbal and psychological abuse and humiliation of youth. 

In the United States, where there are available credible statistics by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 11,000 women were murdered by gun violence between 2015 and 2019. Women are the targets of male partners and 57 women are killed with a gun every month by them. In 2016, research showed that one million women survivors had been shot by a partner and 4.5 million women had suffered death threats.

Weapons are used to inflict fear, intimidation and control over women. Women with disabilities, women of color and members of the LGBTQ community, have especially been targets. 

Male dominance and the striving for total control over women is seen in some societies like Afghanistan where women are violently controlled and strongly discriminated against and cannot study, hold many jobs or now even go to a playground with their children. However, in many other societies especially in Asia, female success and empowerment and greater equality is prevalent. In the Philippines, for example, women have risen to leadership roles although there is much yet to be achieved to get equality. 

In the Philippine congress since 2012, the percentage of seats held by women was 22.89 percent but in 2013 this had risen to 27.32 percent. That has slightly increased to 27.96 percent by 2021. The women in congress have been strong advocates of women and children’s rights and successful in passing legislation protecting women and children against violence. In the Philippines, women have greater control over their lives than ever before. Dozens of laws protect their rights and children’s rights although not all are properly implemented. Two presidents and two vice presidents have been women. The vice president today is a woman and secretary of education also. Last November 29, 2022 the Philippine congress passed yet another bill protecting women in the workplace.  House Bill No. 4470, also known as the Anti-Discrimination of Women in their Workplaces Bill, was approved with votes of 248 members of the House of Representatives.

While violence against women is on the increase worldwide, so is the pushback and there are greater efforts to promote, protect and empower more women and children to stand and fight back against violence and abuse and assert their dignity and rights to equality and justice. (preda.org)/PN