Speak out and stop violence against women

"[A] woman who lives in the shadow of daily violence...is not truly free." - Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, In Larger Freedom

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) ongoing effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to provide you with some valuable information on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Violence against women around the world
Every year, on 25 November, the world commemorates the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women. This day is marked to raise public awareness about violence against women, a problem that often does not receive enough attention.

There are many different types of violent acts committed against women: sexual assault, domestic violence, incest, forced prostitution and trafficking. Women are also faced with non-physical forms of violence such as emotional or psychological abuse, intimidation and harassment.

• The World Health Organisation calls violence against women "a problem of pandemic proportions" and states that one in every three women around the world has been physically abused in her lifetime - most often by someone she knows personally;
• 1 400 South African women die from abuse by their partners every year, according to People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA);
• One in six women in Gauteng who die are killed by an intimate partner (POWA);
• According to the United Nations Population Fund, violence kills and disables as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer, and its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

The violation of South African women
Rape is one of the most prevalent acts of violence against women in South Africa, with the most recent report from Stats SA stating that 55 000 women reported being raped in 1997, though this number is thought to be inaccurate due to the unreported number of rape cases. Estimates indicate that the incidence of rape is on the rise and that the 1997 statistic is considerably lower than what the real number is today.

Rape affects the lives of thousands of South African women, many of whom are infected with HIV from their assaulters. Lebo, who was raped by her uncle when she was five, shared her story with us: "It was the event that marked my childhood and for a long time I felt as if it defined me. No one will ever be able to undo what was done then but I have learnt how to move on. I take care of my health now and I'm glad that at least I know my status because the rest of my life belongs to me, not him, and I want to live it to the fullest."

Black and blue
Domestic violence is another serious problem in our society that is often brushed under the carpet. Most abused women are too scared to speak out about their situation, so they try to hide it from the rest of the world. Make-up, clothes and scarves are often used as camouflage.

Lisa, 34, is a victim of domestic abuse who hides her problem from her friends and family. "The end of the month is when I have to cover up the most. He always goes binge drinking after he has received his pay check and when he comes home he finds a reason to hit me. I can't stand the looks I get if anyone sees so I always wear long sleeved garments and plenty of make-up to hide it. On two occasions I have had to call in to work saying that I'm sick because of a cracked rib," she confides.

Psychological assault
Physical abuse in women often leads to injuries, some of which can sometimes lead to long-term health complications and, as indicated in the above statistics, even death. However, while many women die from violent acts, abuse does not always have to involve physical actions - it can be emotional too. Zanele, from Port Elizabeth, has recently left her husband who taunted and terrified her constantly. Looking back, she says she always thinks of a particular incident:

"He stood in the doorway, looking around the house with a disgusted look on his face even though he knew that I had been sick that day and had not been able to clean. He started picking things up and throwing them across the room, yelling at me, asking if this was what I wanted, over and over again. I was terrified."

While Zanele fortunately got away from her desperate situation and can talk about it openly, there are many women who have suffered from violent acts or are living with abuse who try to hide it even though what they need more than anything is support and help.

You can help
Whether a victim of psychological or physical abuse, or a combination of the two, abused women often suffer from depression, insomnia, lack of confidence, anger, fear, shame and self-blame, believing that it is their fault that they are being abused.

If you know a woman who has suffered or is suffering at the hands of a violent abuser, you may be able to help by talking to her about it and contacting POWA on 011 642 4345/6 or visiting their website at www.powa.co.za.

For any GEMS member queries, please contact the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or visit our website at www.gems.gov.za. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and wellbeing.

Sources:
Stats SA - www.statssa.org.za
People Opposing Women Abuse - www.powa.co.za
World Health Organisation - www.who.int
United Nations Development Fund for Women - www.unifem.org