T

he commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 coincided with the UN Commission on the Status of Women’s focus to bring an end to the worldwide “pandemic” of violence against women.

It is recorded that up to seven in 10 women globally, or 70 percent, would be beaten, raped, abused or mutilated in their lifetime. Michelle Bachelet, executive director of UN Women, called on the international community to deliver on their commitments and to protect the right of women to live a life free of violence.

I am embittered by the fact that up until the present today, violence against women and girls is still rampant around the world. They are subject to appalling hostility justified in the name of religion, culture and tradition. Practices such as gender discrimination, imprisonment, maiming, torture and death are ingrained as culturally authentic, required by religion or sanctioned by time-honored tradition.

The world untied in condemnation of the religious extremists who cowardly shot a 15-year-old Pakistani girl on her way home from school. Malala Yousafzai was a vigorous campaigner for education for women, something the Taliban considered against scripture! What a twisted sickening rationale.

It is their act of brutality that grossly transgresses the teachings of their religion.

Following the Arab Spring, women across the Middle East must now brace themselves against the harsh reality that they remain second class citizens.

They had actively participated in thwarting the autocratic regimes, yet the ruling governments seem to be restricting women from the mainstream of politics, the economy and any other aspect of life, all in the name of religion. It is really disheartening to see the widespread misuse of religion to excuse or condone abusive behavior toward women.

Images of domestic violence almost always wind up portraying the women as victims. The man seemingly has complete control over the life of a married woman, as reflected in a number of tragic stories from Afghanistan, Mali, India, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and many other countries where traditions and culture embedded in the deep rooted patriarchal societies are reinforced by false and misguided interpretations of religious texts.

It is also nauseating to learn that more and more women suffer life time trauma and humiliation from rape. The gang rape and death of a 23-year-old medical student in India, the gang rape of a high school student in Steubenville-Ohio, the rape of 17-year South African girl and the repeated sexual assault of the Indonesian fifth grader are sadly only the tip of the iceberg.

Rape is theologically, socially, morally and ethically wrong and constitutes a heinous crime. It is the most atrocious physical, psychological and spiritual violation of one person by another.

While the sadistic perpetrators got away, the victims were routinely blamed and made to feel shame for the violence committed against them. Often, they feared for their life if they reported the crime and often they sought in vain for justice.

For that reason, it is imperative for us to ask how many more women and girls need to be violated and ruined? How many more families need to suffer? It is time for us all to say enough is enough.

Herlina
Jakarta