Violence against women 'severe, pervasive' worldwide

Violence against women is "severe and pervasive" worldwide, with at least one in three women experiencing abuse by an intimate partner at some point in their lives, according to a U.N. report, the SAPA/Independent Online reports (SAPA/Independent Online, 10/10).

The report was compiled from numerous studies conducted in at least 71 countries, BBC News reports (BBC News, 10/11).

According to the report, 102 U.N. member states lack specific laws against domestic violence, 53 member states cannot prosecute marital rape cases and only 93 member states have laws prohibiting female trafficking, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

Many of the highest rates of violence against women were found in developing countries -- including Zambia, where 49% of women said they had been abused during their lives, and in Papua New Guinea, where 67% of women said they had experienced abuse.

However, more developed nations, such as Lithuania and Australia also showed high rates, with 42% and 31% of women reporting abuse, respectively.

According to the report, 19% of disease among women in developing countries can be attributed to domestic violence and rape (DiLorenzo, AP/International Herald Tribune, 10/10).

The report also found that 89 U.N. member states have developed legislation on domestic violence, 140 have prosecuted marital rape and 90 have created legislation against sexual harassment, according to Jose Antonio Ocampo, U.N. under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs.

However, half of all member nations do not have such legislation, and implementation remains weak among those that do, he said (U.N. release, 10/10).

According to the Hindu, the report calls on states to take "urgent and concrete measures to secure gender equality and protect women's rights"; to demonstrate leadership "to end violence against women"; to eliminate the "gaps between international standards and national laws, policies and practices"; to "build and sustain strong multisectoral strategies, coordinated nationally and locally"; to "allocate adequate resources for programs to address and redress" gender-based violence; and to strengthen the "knowledge base on all forms of violence."

The report also said the U.N. should "increase the allocation of resources" for anti-violence efforts (Jayanth, Hindu, 10/10).

"We cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace" until progress is made in the prevention of violence against women, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a release.

Rachel Mayanja, the secretary-general's special adviser on gender issues, said, "We are going to try to end impunity -- (ensure) that those who are violating women will be prosecuted, will be punished, and that none of them will be allowed to continue to prey on their women," adding, "This is the hope -- that this study can galvanize this kind of action" (AP/International Herald Tribune, 10/10).