Chithra* was just 20 when she married, and from the beginning, she was abused physically and verbally by her alcoholic husband.  For decades, she suffered in silence for the sake of her children.  Eventually, she could take no more and left him.  But Chithra’s past troubles followed her.  When she refused her husband’s demand to move back in with him, he threatened to kill her.  Then one day he attacked her again, causing serious injuries.  Thankfully, some villagers knew of a shelter and helped get Chithra there.  With a safe place, some legal assistance and counseling, she was able to heal and regain confidence in her life.  

 

Chithra survived to tell her story. Unfortunately, many do not.

 

From November 25 to December 10, countries around the world commemorate “16 Days of Activism” to raise awareness of gender-based violence, build solidarity and strengthen laws to protect women.  Violence against women takes many different forms: from domestic violence and sexual abuse to sexual harassment at work or in schools.  We also see it in sex trafficking and female infanticide, as well as harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation, “honor” killings, child and forced marriages, and bride kidnapping.  Whatever form it takes, the effects of violence are devastating – impacting a woman’s health, job performance and earnings, and the overall well-being of her family.

 

The statistics are sobering. According to a United Nations study, one out of every three women worldwide will be beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates of abuse reaching 70 percent in some countries.  The UN estimates 150 million girls worldwide experience sexual violence each year.  Studies from a range of countries also show that 40-70 percent of female murder victims were killed by their husband or boyfriend, often during an ongoing abusive relationship.  According to Oxfam, South Asia today has 50 million fewer women than there should be due to sex-selective abortions, violence and neglect.  In the United States, there has been renewed attention on the problem of sexual violence on college campuses.  An estimated one in five women has been sexually assaulted during her college years.  Of those assaults, only 12 percent are reported.  And of those reported assaults, only a fraction of the offenders are punished.  That is why U.S. President Barack Obama established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. 

 

In Sri Lanka, with its proud tradition of female achievement, such as the world’s first female prime minister, the statistics of violence against women are still shocking.  A 2006 Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs survey revealed that 60 percent of Sri Lankan women are victims of domestic violence.  Moreover, since perceptions of gender roles and responsibilities in Sri Lanka often remain fixed, women can become dependent on men for economic stability and well‐being.  Thus, in cases of separation or death of the husband or male family member, women are especially vulnerable to violence and trafficking and poverty. 

 

In order to stop sexual violence against women and girls, we need to change the mental models, attitudes and behaviors that lie beneath this problem.  Sri Lanka offers an example through Real Men Don’t Abuse (RMDA), launched in 2013 by 15 year old Birendra Siriwardhana and his sister Serika, to stand up against abuse of women whether it be domestic, in the work place or on the street.

 

Besides protecting women from abuse, we need to empower them to realize their full potential, and education is the lynchpin.  Education is a smart investment not only in girls’ future, but also in the future of their nations, as countries that do a better job of educating girls are – on average – more prosperous, healthier, more democratic, and more peaceful.  That is not a coincidence.  Supporting full security, dignity and opportunities for women, therefore, are important to a country’s development.  President Obama has made a commitment to work with our partners to help ensure full opportunities for women, saying  “We also know that countries are more likely to prosper when they tap the talents of all their people. And that’s why we are investing in the health, education and rights of women, and working to empower the next generation of women entrepreneurs and leaders. Because when mothers and daughters have access to opportunity, that’s when economies grow, that’s when governance improves.”

 

Eliminating violence against women is a longstanding goal of the United States.  Through our development arm, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), we are committed to help create an environment of equality for females to secure their well-being and reduce their vulnerability to violence around the globe.  Here in Sri Lanka, USAID supports psychosocial and medical services, as well as legal aid for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.  We work to build capacity for community-based organizations such as Women's Rural Development Societies and provide financial support, technical assistance, and equipment to restore livelihoods from the South to the North for female heads of households and small and medium scale businesswomen.

 

As citizens of the world – men and boys and women and girls – we all have a role to play.  Let’s make it possible for women like Chithra to live safely and have equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and employment.  As Secretary of State John Kerry said last week, “Simply put, we must all do more to end violence against women in all its forms, wherever and whenever it occurs, and it starts by acknowledging it. There can be no conspiracy of silence.”

 

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* The name of the beneficiary was changed to protect her identity.   The beneficiary was assisted by a USAID-grantee organization that provides psychological and legal counseling as well as safe houses for abused women.