women: international womens’ day 2006 – Hard facts

Compiled from United Nations and other reports

International Women’s day. The hard facts.

introduction

A world of violence against women

  • More than 135 million girls and women world-wide have been the victims of genital mutilation (female circumcision). A further two million are at risk of being subjected to this practice every year.
  • At least one in three women – or up to one billion – have been abused or forced to have sexual intercourse during their lifetime.
  • The perpetrator is usually a family member or somebody the woman knows.
  • In the USA, one woman is abused every 15 seconds, usually by her partner.
  • In Russia, every day 36,000 women are abused by their husbands or partners.
  • Around 70% of female homicide victims are killed by their male partner.
  • In Kenya, it is reported that more than one woman every week is killed by a male partner.
  • In Spain, every 5 days one woman is killed by her male partner.
  • Rape is the worst form of sexual abuse.
  • It often leads to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/Aids. Only a fraction of rapes are being reported and fewer still lead to court trials and convictions. One in five women globally will be a victim of rape or attempted rape during her lifetime.
  • In South Africa two rapes take place every minute.
  • In the USA one woman is raped every 90 seconds.
  • Violence against women in armed conflicts has reached epidemic proportions.
  • Mass rapes are systematically used as an instrument for terror.
  • In Bosnia/Herzegovina 20,000 – 50,000 women were raped during the civil war of 1992-95.
  • The bulk of refugees and people forcibly removed from their homes are women and children.

These facts alone constitute millions of reasons to battle against class rule and oppression!

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