The Right To Live Free From Sexual Abuse In 21St Century
Last Friday, two exceptionally brave individuals, Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, have been co-awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end rape as a weapon of war. Their courage and persistence deserve to be applauded with great honour. Their recognition has put a limelight on the ingrained and institutionalised violence against women in the cracks of the 21st century. It reveals the blight of deadpan government and the corrupt justice system that leave these savage beasts with total impunity. My heart crumbled as I read about the horror of sexual abuse in warfare.
The laureates elucidate that the rape is so brutal that it eviscerates the women’s insides, ripping apart their reproductive and digestive tracts. Colostomy bags and countless vaginal operations typically necessitate for the survivors to continue their lives. Dr Mukwege shared his heart-wrenching experience that the victims’ wounds are indicative of the location where the incident occurred. “In Bunyakiri, they burn the women’s bottoms, ” he said in a recent New York Times interview, “In Fizi-Baraka, they are shot in the genitals. In Shabunda, it’s bayonets. ” And some of the victims were as young as 3 years old, he said.
As a woman, a daughter, and a sister, I commiserate with the victim and ponder over why such brutal act could still possibly exist in this 21st century where some other parts of the world are all hyped about the advancement of technology and economic development. How could this world progress whilst being oblivion to such barbaric act that leave thousands of lives in endless agony? Countless incidents in the past have sparked international attention and widely condemned, but nothing much have changed – the 2012 Delhi gang rape, 2014 Chibok kidnap, and innumerable debates on whether the victim, sometimes less than 10 years old, can undertake an abortion.
Rape and other assault against women is a complex crime to analyse and the issues are not only severe in developing region, but also in other advanced nations around the world, exacerbated by women’s circumstances, cultures and economic status. Globally, more than one third of the women have experienced either physical or sexual intimate partner or non-partner violence. The United States, Canada, Sweden and England, for instance, are among the top countries that are immersed in this crime. Drawing on the patriarchal hierarchy in the society from thousands of years ago, the notion of male-dominated society has been instilled within many cultures, religion and societal beliefs that it has transpired to the exertion of masculinity over feminism seen today. Violence against women and misogyny has now become more rampant than ever, evidenced in wreckage and outdated social systems that still oppress, discriminate, ridicule and prevent women from having access to basic human rights.
The perception that women are less capable and more inferior is widely ingrained in many society and practices. Phrases such as “be a man” indicates one not to display the weakness and implies that macho strength is superior and more desirable than female qualities. I look around and I see advertising and films that often treat women as commodity. The society is programmed to objectify women as inferior beings with no voice to express their needs. Behaviours that fall under sexual assault can range from invasion of privacy, sexual jokes, unwelcome messages, inappropriate touching and sexual favouritism, to child marriage, domestic abuse, rape, incest, sexual torture, and sexual slavery, and the list goes on. However, women around the world still continues to struggle with sexual assault culture by denying its existence. Despite the suffering of physical and psychological trauma, sometimes women choose to refuse that the treatment they endured was abusive due to social stigma, fear of being reprisal, fear of being renounced by their families, the feeling of hopelessness due to the corrupt justice system, or in some case, being blamed rather than the perpetrator.
The president of the United States, for instance, has recently mocked and ridiculed survivors of sexual abuse amidst the crowds that cheered and laughed along with his revolting comments. He also loathingly called women who claimed they are the victim of sexual misconduct as “evil people. ” Few years ago, an Indian politician Mulayam Singh Yadav made a controversial remark that rape by four persons is not practically possible, referring to gang rape incidents occurred in his country.
It is beyond distressing to see anyone, especially those with power, to uphold such retrogressive notion with a clear sign of ignorance, let alone the attempt to support any policy that would help diminish the gender-based crime. While more victims have come forward over this past years, thanks to the prevalence of sororities, movements and activists which become a platform for women to disclose their traumas. In the wake of the #MeToo, #Whyididntreport or Timesup movements, many high-profile perpetrators have been swept in allegations of sexisms; however, the reported figure is still a tip of the iceberg. Many women still downplay and minimize how much they have been harmed; hence, many of these incidents remain underreported, insidious and hidden. Men are mostly perceived the headman and wage earner and women usually receive fewer educational and career opportunity, which prevent them from being liberalised from the dependency upon men. These opportunities are the basic human rights and are the keys to social liberation, economic independence and equality.
Governments must prioritize this crime against humanity and firmly stand against any forms of gender-based violence. Policy efforts must be implemented to remove any inappropriate regulations or barriers that impede the progressive path towards a healthier and safer environment for women. The leaders must ensure that they are committed to promote equal rights for women to have the access to education, health services, career opportunities and ultimately the right to live free from violence.
