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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Joshua Leo.
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And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
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November 25 is the National Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. At least one out of three women in the world have suffered violence. They have been beaten, forced into sex, or abused in other ways. Often, women are abused by someone they already know. Violence against women affects communities everywhere in the world.
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But there is hope. Women and men are working to end this violence. And they are making a big difference in their communities. This program is part one of two programs about stopping violence against women. Over these two programs, we will look at seven different kinds of violence against women. We will also look at what some groups are doing to stop the violence.
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Domestic violence is one of the most common kinds of violence against women. Domestic violence is violence that happens in the home, in a family, or in a close relationship. And women are more at risk of experiencing violence in these situations.
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Studies have shown that of women who are killed, half are killed by their husbands or boyfriends. But it is only recently that domestic abuse has been considered a human rights issue. This was the case in the country of Tajikistan.
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For years, many people in Tajikistan did not consider violence against women a serious problem. Studies showed that at least two out of three women in Tajikistan suffered from domestic violence. Many Tajikistani men do not consider beating their wife as violence. Women suffer without telling anyone. Domestic violence is not viewed as a crime under the law, so many victims have no place to turn.
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Munira Odinaeva works at a medical crisis center. She sees many women who have tried to kill themselves. She says that the women want to escape their lives. One of these women is a girl named Mosharif. She was seventeen [17] years old when she tried to kill herself. She explains:
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“When I gave birth to my son, I thought my life would change, but it got even worse. They beat not only me but my baby as well, which I could not take.”
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Mosharif did not know what to do. So she tried to kill herself. Her husband did not offer her any support. Instead, he told her to keep the abuse as a secret. This is common. But secrecy just makes things worse. It makes women feel even more helpless.
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However, there are people working to stop domestic violence in Tajikistan. Kanoat Kamidova works for the Tajikistan League of Women Lawyers. The group has been working for years to protect the rights of women. In two thousand four she helped to write a law against violence in the family. But it was not easy. First, Kanoat had to convince people that the law was needed. The group talked to lawyers, police, and judges. They held many meetings to discuss the law. Then Kanoat and the group spread their message to the public. They gave out papers, put up signs on buildings, and spoke on television and radio.
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Kanoat and the League of Women Lawyers are working to tell women that they are not helpless. And the group continues to change public opinions about domestic violence. Kanoat is seeing progress. More women are coming forward to fight against the abuse. And there is more and more support for new laws.
Voice 2
Domestic violence in the home is a common problem, but sexual violence by strangers is also a big problem. Sexual violence is when someone forces sexual activity on another person. Rape, or forced sex, is one form of sexual violence. Studies estimate that one in every five women will become a victim of rape, or attempted rape. But many women feel shame for being victims of rape. And in some cultures women are held responsible for the sexual violence against them. Often, laws do not treat victims of rape fairly.
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Eramithe Delva and Malya Villard were both victims of sexual violence. They live in Haiti. Because of their political activities, they were attacked. Groups of men raped the women and murdered their husbands. Because of these terrible experiences, Eramithe and Malya decided to do something together to help other women.
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Eramithe and Malya set up a group to help rape victims - the Commission of Women Victims for Victims. This group treats the medical and emotional damage caused by sexual violence. Through community workers, they also encourage rape victims to get medical help and emotional treatment.
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In just one year, the group treated three hundred fifty [350] women. But women can get more than just medical help from the treatment center. The group provides literature about women’s rights. Support groups meet to discuss this material, and encourage members. Eramithe and Malya believe it is important for women to know their rights and what they can do to fight against violence.
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Fighting for women’s rights means changing the cultural understanding of violence. People need to view violence against women as a serious crime. But culture can also be the problem. In some cultures, violence against women is part of tradition. Dowry murder, honour killings and early marriage for young girls are examples of this kind of violence. You may have heard Spotlight programs about these issues.
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Female Circumcision, or Female Genital Mutilation is another example. This is a traditional act in countries in Africa and the Middle East. It happens when someone cuts a woman’s sex organs as part of a traditional ceremony. Often it is performed when a girl starts to become a woman. It can cause serious health problems for women. It can also cause emotional damage.
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Zipporah Kittony is fighting against female circumcision. When she was a young girl in Kenya, she planned to attend a traditional circumcision ceremony with the other girls from her area. But Zipporah’s parents stopped her from joining the ceremony. At that time, Zipporah was very angry. She wanted to be like all the other girls.
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Later, Zipporah learned about the damage the ceremony causes. Today, she is thankful for her parents. Zipporah is on the Kenyan Parliament. And she also works with a women’s right group. She teaches people about the dangers of female circumcision, of FGM.
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“FGM is one of the worst forms of violence against women. It makes the life of young girls unbalanced.”
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Zipporah is not stopping the ceremony. Instead, she is changing it. Many people believe the cutting ceremony makes a girl a woman. But Zipporah wants to replace the cutting with training on heath and human rights. She wants to celebrate the girls and make them feel strong.
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Violence against women takes many forms, from physical violence in the home, to ceremonial traditions. But there is hope for change. Women all over the world are working to change people’s opinions about what violence is. In an upcoming program, we will look at other ways that people are fighting violence in their communities.
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