A 4 Country Comparative Study on

Sexual Violence towards Women:

Megan Martin
India, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Canada
How and Why this course started
Jterm Class: Art, Beauty and
Meaning
Trip to Chicago Art Museum
Lightening Testimonies Exhibit
by Amar Kanwar
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=JCzqCxXJQZw
Meeting with Brad
Formulating the course:

3 questions+4
countries=where
to go from here?

Picture from The Lightening Testimonies Art Exhibit at the Chicago Art Museum
3 Research Questions
Q1. Why does sexual violence happen in some
countries more than others?
Q2. What factors effect what laws are passed
and enforced?
Q3. How do some countries prevent sexual
violence more effectively than others?

Process of elimination: The creation of the G20 list
Polls were based on perceptions not statistics
The G20 list:http://www.trust.org/item/20120613010100-sk134/?source=spotlight

How the list of 19 countries was created:
1. The Thomson Reuters Foundation, also
known as TrustLaw, asked:
aid professionals
Academics
health workers,
policymakers,
journalists and
development specialists
with expertise in gender issues to rank
the 19 countries of the G20 in terms of
the overall best and worst to be a
woman.


2. Respondents came from 63 countries
on five continents and included experts
from:
United Nations Women
the International Rescue Committee
Plan International, Amnesty USA
Oxfam International
prominent academic institutions
campaigning organizations
Representatives of faith-based
organizations

Began researching and found the G20 list. First selected 12 out of the 19 countries to
further research. Realizing this would be overwhelming in the end, the research
narrowed down and focused only on 4 out of these 19 countries: the top 2 compared to
the bottom 2.
India G20 Facts


Key facts:
- 44.5% of girls are married before age of 18 International
Center for Research on Women (2010)
- 56,000 maternal deaths were recorded in 2010 UN
Population Fund
-52% of women think its justifiable for a man to beat
his wife UNICEF (2012)



In India, women and girls continue to be sold as chattels, married off as young as
10, burned alive as a result of dowry-related disputes and young girls exploited and
abused as domestic slave labour. This is despite a ground breakingly progressive
Domestic Violence Act enacted in 2005 outlawing all forms of violence against
women and girls.
- Gulshun Rehman, health programme development adviser, Save the Children UK


Saudi Arabia G20 Facts
Key facts:
2011: the year Saudi women were given the right to
vote
0: the number of women allowed to drive
64.6% of women with tertiary education are
unemployed World Bank (2007)






Legally as well as socially, women are second-class citizens. Women arent
allowed to drive, which is a symbol of larger restrictions on womens mobility,
there is no law against domestic violence and a mans testimony in court is worth
the testimony of two women.
- Lyric Thompson, advocate with Amnesty USA and International Center for
Research on Women


Germany G20 Facts
Key facts:
Female life expectancy is 83 years - UN Statistics Division (2010-2015)
21.6% is the gender pay gap for full-time workers OECD
(2009)
24.4% of convicted sex trafficking offenders received
jail time in 2009 US State Department





We have a female head of state, which shows women have opportunities to
advance in the public sphere. But only 12.5 percent of board members of publicly
listed companies are women. Meanwhile, a new law to take effect from 2013
giving every child under three the right to go to kindergarten isnt viable due to a
lack of places - this will have a disproportionate effect on women's ability to work.
- Ingrid Lebherz, CEO, AWO International


Canada G20 Facts
Key facts:
62% of university graduates female Statistics Canada (2008)
3/4 of women aged 15-49 use contraception UN (2005-
2010)
1/3 of federally appointed judges are female Office of
the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs (2012)



While we have much more to do, women have access to healthcare, we place a
premium on education, which is the first step toward economic independence and
we have laws that protect girls and women and dont allow for child marriage,
However, we have a long way to go in terms of equal pay for equal work.
-Farah Mohamed, president and CEO of the Canada-based G(irls) 20 Summit



Definition of Sexual Violence
Sexual Assault Definitions: (Legal definition)
Sexual assault is an act of physical, psychological and emotional violation, in the form of a
sexual act, which is inflicted on someone without consent. It can involve forcing or
manipulating someone to witness or participate in any sexual acts.





Sexual Violence is:
A sexual act that is completed or attempted against a victim's will or when a victim is
unable to consent due to age, illness, disability, or the influence of alcohol or other
drugs.
Creating an environment that feels unsafe based on sexual messages or images.
Any behavior perceived to be of a sexual nature which is unwanted and takes place
without consent or understanding.

Sexual Violence Includes:
A completed sex act
An attempted (but not completed)
sex act
Abusive sexual contact
Non-contact sexual abuse
Examples of sexual violence:
Rape, incest, molestation, intimate
partner violence, sexual verbal
harassment and assault, actual or
threatened physical force, forced
marriage, trafficking, sexual
exploitation, and more.

Q1. Why does sexual violence happen
in some countries more than others?
The government and criminal justice system
Laws
How women are seen in society
Rights: men vs. women
Race
Religion
Education
Job status
Class
Caste System (India)

Q1 Government: India
Largest democracy in the world
Union of 28 states and 7 union territories
Federal and state governments all have executive and judicial branches
Supreme Court (26 members all appointed by President)
Head of State= President
elected through the electoral college
Head of Government= Prime Minister
Elected by the President
3 Tiers of government:
1. Electoral College (Federal): upper house (the Council of States) and lower
house (The Peoples Assembly)
2. State: bicameral (2 houses) or unicameral (1 house)
3. Local: panchayats (village council) or municipalities (city or town that has
corporate/local government)
Both elected by local people
People are only allowed to vote if they are a citizen and 18 and older
First female President currently= Pratibha Patil
Women have talent and intelligence but, due to social constraints and prejudices, it
is still a long distance away from the goal of gender equality.

Q1 Criminal Justice System: India
Its the law enforcement system that is the problem and it is what needs the work. The law
enforcement system only really moves cases along if they know it will go to the top rung of power. If
the case will not be moved, then the case is forgotten or dropped.

Few Female Police:
Women are more likely to report a sex crime if female police officers are available
New Delhi only has 7% of women police officers
Out of 161 district police stations in Delhi only one has a female station house officer
Not enough police in general:
Delhi has 84,000 officers but only 1/3 are involved with actual policing at any time, the rest are
providing protection to various important people such as diplomats or other elites.
1 officer for every 200 citizens and about 20 officers for every VP
5 year process in court story
When women come to report their story they are not taken seriously
Lack of public safety (dim streets, not enough police patrolling)
Victim Blaming
Court System:
15 judges for every 1 million people while China has 159
A judge once estimated it would take 466 years to get through the backlog in the capitol alone

India has robust gender laws, but they are hardly enforced, partly because a feudal mindset is as
prevalent among bureaucrats, magistrates and the police as it is elsewhere. Politicians are also
unwilling to crack down on customary biases against women for fear of losing conservative votes.





Q1Laws regarding Women: India
1. The Married Womens Property Act, 1874: Wages made by the wife should be
kept for her and separate from her husband.

2. The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961: Prohibit the giving or taking of dowry
One bride was murdered every hour over dowry demands in 2010, says the National
Crime Records Bureau. Some are "stove burnings" where in-laws pour kerosene, the
commonly-used cooking fuel of poorer homes, over women and set them alight, making it
appear accidental.

3. The Indecent Representation of Women, 1986: Prohibits indecent representation of
women through advertisement or publications through the media

4. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005: To provide protection to
females from domestic violence from the males living in the same home.
A 2012 report by UNICEF found that 57 percent of Indian boys and 53 percent of girls
between the ages of 15 and 19 think wife-beating is justified.
In many cases, violence against women has a level of social acceptability. A government
survey found 51% of Indian men and 54% of women justified wife beating

5. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace, 2013: The Act will ensure that
women are protected against sexual harassment at all the work places. This will contribute to
realization of their right to gender equality, life and liberty and equality in working conditions
everywhere.

Q1 Women in society: India
Women are seen as second class citizens or as property of the men of the home

The problem with some men is that they do not think of women as humans but as things.

Low status of women:
Poor families must pay a marriage dowry which makes daughters a burden
Women are overall seen as having a lower status
India has one of the lowest female to men ratios in the world
Men are fed better than women throughout their lives
Men are more likely to go to school and are also more likely to have brighter career prospects

Women learn at an early age not to look men in the eye

Eve teasing: is a euphemism for public sexual harassment or molestation of women by men. The use of this
term needs to come to an end in order for sexual harassment against women to be taken seriously.

Every hour 2 women are raped, 1 is molested, and 4 are sexually harassed

"As a child, she faces abuse, rape and early marriage and even when she marries, she is killed for dowry. If
she survives all of this, as a widow she is discriminated against and given no rights over inheritance or
property.

A study done from 2009-2010 in Brazil, Chile, Croatia, India, Mexico, and Rwanda focusing on age population
of 18-59 including 8,000 men and 3,500 women showed that:
65% of men think women deserve to be beaten
68% of men think that women should put up with being beaten for the sake of the family
More than half of women feel that they end up losing more than winning when womens rights are promoted
Q1 Race, Religion, Education, Job
Status, Class, Caste System: India
Race: More than 2,000 ethnic groups




Religion: (according to the 2011 census)
Hinduism (80.5%)
Muslims (13.4%)
Christianity (2.3%)
Sikhism (1.9%)
Buddhism (0.8%)
Jainism (0.4%)
Other (0.6%)

Education for women:
To provide the education to
everyone, EFA (Education for all)
program was launched in 2002
by the Government of India
after its 86th Constitutional
Amendment made education
from age 6-14 the fundamental
right of every Indian child
Men are given more of a
priority of an education than
women are
Families consider it more
important to educate the men
of the family versus the women

Caste System:
Based on the division of labor
Dictates the type of occupations a person can
pursue and the social interactions that she
have
Ranked in hierarchical order
Lower castes are prevented from climbing
higher in the system
Castes are not changeable however
discriminating against someone because of
their caste is against the law

Q1 Government: Saudi Arabia
No political parties
Everything based on Islam

Hereditary Monarchy headed by the King
Current King= King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Kings duties: prime minister, chief of state, head of government, commander in chief, final say in court system
Appoints Crown Prince who assists him in everything and is next in line for the throne

Executive Branch:
Council of Members (Cabinet of King) that help King govern and make decisions- all appointed by him
Consists of 22 ministries that each head different parts of the government
In February 2009, King Abdullah appointed Norah Al-Fayez to be the first female cabinet-level official, a deputy minister for
women's education. She had formerly had worked as an official in the Saudi Institute for Public Administration.

Legislative Branch:
Consultative Council (150 members) appointed by King and split up into 12 committees
In September 2011, King Abdullah announced that women would have the right to be appointed to the Consultative Council.
And, in January 2013, the King appointed 30 women to serve four-year terms on the Council, following passing of a law stating
that women should constitute at least 20% of the Council's membership.

Judicial Branch: Supreme Council of Justice (12 members all appointed by the King)

Local elections in 178 municipalities were first held in 2005, and only male citizens over 21 were allowed to vote.
In September 2011, shortly before the municipal elections, King Abdullah announced that in subsequent municipal elections, women
would be allowed to run and to vote. The next municipal elections are scheduled for 2015.

Country is divided into 13 provinces which each have a governor and deputy governor with a council that helps with governing
Q1 Laws Regarding Women: Saudi Arabia
Regardless of age or marital status a male guardian is required

Authorities do not always inform suspects of the crime with which they are charged, nor of supporting
evidence. Saudi Arabia has no penal code, so prosecutors and judges largely define criminal offenses at
their discretion. Lawyers are not generally allowed to assist suspects during interrogation and face
difficulty examining witnesses or presenting evidence at trial.

Women can be penalized for talking to another man that is not of kin
The Supreme Judicial Council in 2007 condemned a 19-year-old woman to 200 lashes and six months in jail on a
charge of having been with a man she was not related to after she was attacked and gang-raped. She was
pardoned by King Abdullah.

August 26, 2013: Protection from Abuse law passed which is the countrys first domestic abuse law
Women used to have to bring in her male guardian to report a crime to the police, now she does not have to
bring him.
It provides shelter for victims of abuse and places the onus on law enforcement agencies to follow up on reports
of abuse.

Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan maid, was beheaded in the town of Dawadmy, near the capital Riyadh, in
January after she was sentenced to death in 2007. She was accused by her employer of killing his infant
daughter while she was bottle-feeding.
Q1 Women in Society: Saudi Arabia
Strict Dress Code

A woman cannot travel, attend school, work, or marry without the guardians
permission
If a woman comes from a more conservative family she may not be as
privileged to receive an education, travel or work
In July 2012, the Ministry of Labor issued four decrees regulating womens
work in clothing stores, amusement parks, food preparation, and as
cashiers, for which guardian permission was no longer required. However,
the decrees reinforced strict sex segregation in the workplace, mandating
that female workers not interact with men.

Any attempt women make to leave the country, a text message is sent to their
male guardian

current practice assumes women have no power to make their own decisions

in 2002 a fire at an elementary school in Mecca resulted in the deaths of 15
girls because religious police would not allow them to leave without their
headscarves.


Q1 Race, Religion, Education, Job
Status, Class: Saudi Arabia
Race: Arab (90%) Afro-Asian (10%)
Religion: Islam- there is no law that requires
citizens to be Muslim however almost all are
Education: open to all citizens, however for
women it is up to their male guardian whether or
not they can have an education
Not able to practice law
Job status
Class

Q1 Government: Germany
Federal Parliamentary Republic
President= Head of State:
has little influence on government
elected by a federal convention which consists on the Burndestag
and an equal number of members elected by state parliaments
Chancellor= Head of Government
elected by an absolute majority of the Bundestag
The Bundestag, Federal Assembly has 598 seats
elected by the people
The Bundestrat, Federal Council has 69 seats
Elected by the people
Divided into 16 states
Each has its own constitution, legislature, and government

Q1 Laws Regarding Women: Germany
Received the right to vote in 1919
During the war women assumed positions normally held by men because they were off
fighting the war. During this time women made large gains in equality of the sexes.
Women stopped needing the signature of their husbands for contracts in 1957
This meant that duties in the workforce and in the home became equal
Women no longer needed permission from their husbands to work
1977 women were granted equal rights in marriage , women could work outside of the
home and divorce her husband without his permission.
1980-law passed to implement equity in the workforce
Abortion has been legal since 1992

Supports international agreements and policy frameworks aimed at achieving gender
equality and empowering women
both at home and in its foreign and development policy.
This means it is committed to the aims of the UN Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

The Convention absolutely prohibits discrimination in all areas of life.
In signing it, states also pledged to implement tangible measures to guarantee legal
and actual equality between the sexes.




Q1 Women in Society: Germany
The majority think that women and men are
equals in society, however this is not yet the case.
One woman reporters mom named her with a
typical boy name because she did not want her
to have to go through discrimination while trying
to apply for jobs in the workforce later in life.
women make 91 cents to every mans dollar.
negative behavior toward women in the
workplace is ignored because it is not a priority.
Q1 Race, Religion, Education, Job Status,
Class: Germany
Education:
an estimated 88% of individuals with at least a tertiary education have a paid job,
compared with an estimated 46% for those without an upper secondary education
89% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 84% of
women.
Account for 56% of grammar school graduates
Total number of women perusing a higher education: over 50%
Job status:
Employment rates are generally higher for individuals with a higher level of
education
68% of women have jobs, 78% of men have jobs
Only 17% of professors with tenure are women
Class

Race:
German (91.5%)
Turkish (2.4%)
Italian (0.7%)
Greek (0.4%)
Polish (0.4%)
Other (4.6%)








Religion:
Christianity (50%)
Other (3%)
Islam (2%)
Buddhism (1%)
Non-religious (38%)
Not stated (6%)

Q1 Government: Canada
Canada= democratic constitutional monarchy
Canada= federal system of parliamentary government, where federal,
provincial and territorial governments share government responsibilities
and functions.
The Monarchy and the executive, legislative and judicial branches of
Government carry out federal responsibilities.
Head of State= sovereign- Queen Elizabeth II, also is head of both
executive and legislative branches.
Head of Government= Prime Minister who is currently Stephen Harper
Executive branch:
Enacts, applies and enforces all federal laws created by the legislative
branch.
It is composed of the Queen (represented by the Governor General),
the Cabinet (a group of high-ranking members of government that
includes the Prime Minister) and the administration.
The administration includes all government departments, the
armed forces, Crown corporations and other bodies.




Q1 Laws Regarding Women: Canada
Promotion and protection of womens rights and gender equality is the
center focus of their foreign and domestic policies.
Canada is committed to the view that gender equality is not only a human
rights issue, but is also an essential component of sustainable development,
social justice, peace, and security.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW): (1979) international bill of rights for women, defines
what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for
national action to end such discrimination.
Canada was one of the first countries to sign and ratify this.
They have worked hard on making womens rights a strong focus of the
Commission on the States of Women and the Human Rights Council.
Canada participated in the development of the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action in 1993: affirmed that womens rights are humans
rights, this also called for an action to integrate the equal status and
human rights of women in the mainstream media UN wide.
Q1 Women in society, Race, Religion,
Education, Job Status, Class: Canada
Education:
More women then men enroll in college and advanced schooling
programs than men do
Job status :
Even though women strive for more In education, their wages are still
coming up shorter than males across the board.
Class

Race:
British Isles (28%)
French (23%)
European (15%)
Amerindian (2%)
Asian, African, Arab (6%)
Mixed (26%)












Religion: (2001 census)
Catholic (42.6%)
Protestant (23.3%)
Anglican (6.8%)
Baptist (2.4%)
Lutheran (2%)
Other Christian (4.4%)
Muslim (1.9%)
None (16%)

Q2. What factors effect what laws are
passed and enforced?

Culture of Silence
What is the norm?
What is acceptable?
How women are seen in society
Sexual violence rates towards women
Reported vs. un reported
Criminal Justice System

Q2 Culture of Silence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP4bnwzeNTw#t=378
No one is born with a mentality. It is the social and cultural
factors that make up a mentality.
When women are sexually assaulted, talking about it is not
culturally acceptable.
People speaking about sex is almost unheard of. This leads
to an unhealthy sexual lifestyle which contributes to the
rates of sexual violence in all countries.
Womens abuse is a real taboo subject in the kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, said a statement by the campaign. Nobody
really knows the statistics, as it is never spoken about.
Breaking the barrier of silence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qKVj8Ib1Yo#t=38
Q2: How women are seen in society
India:
second class citizens
Story of 23 year old Medical Student
Saudi Arabia: second class citizens or property
Canada and Germany: have more equal rights,
but not yet 100% equal
Police Mentality towards women in India:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em8zqWIOCI
U#t=170
Q2 Sexual Violence Rates towards
Women: reported vs un reported?
Germany: average duration of a case in the court
system can take anywhere from three to five
months (Dakolias, 1999).
Canada: depending on the case in the court
system it can take anywhere from three months
to a year to process (Pereira, Grimes, 1999/00).
India: process time can take upwards of five
years, depending on the case.
Saudi Arabia: Some cases could take several
months depending on the case and who is called
to testify.




Q2 Criminal Justice System (India)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOClONuEW8M
More prosecutions, but not more convictions
706 cases of recorded rape with only 1 conviction in Delhi in 2012
When there are no prosecutions, then people think that they
can get away with it, therefore the number of rapes continues
upwards.
Number of rapes in Delhi has nearly doubled in the past year
This happened because woman gained hope from the rape and
murder in 2012, and they started reporting what was
happening to them more often.
Even though women were stepping up in greater numbers,
cases were still not being processed.
Rapes in Delhi 2011: 635 rapes reported, 1 conviction
Q3. How do some countries
prevent sexual violence more
effectively than others?

India what is changing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qKVj8Ib1Yo#t=138
FPA and Love Matters: largest reproductive and sexual health organization in India
Answer any and all questions, have news articles, personal stories, tips and quotes, dos and donts and
more
Other organizations associated with them:
SOA Aids Nederland
The National Institute for public Health and the environment
World Association for sexual Health
YP Foundation
Love Commandos also have a hotline
Police are patrolling streets more often
Women have gained hope since the 23 year old case in Dec of 2012, and they have started to report the crimes
more often which is why there has been such an increase in numbers
Laws of prevention towards sexual violence are in the works, but nothing has been officialized yet.
Started to work with men to stop the sexual violence towards women:
If we dont start to work with men, we might still be here in another 25 years, said Will Muir, co-founder
and CEO of the Pune, India-based nonprofit organization Equal Community Foundation (ECF).
ECFs approach is based on the belief that mens attitudes and behavior sit at the heart of the problem,
and that any efforts to change these attitudes must treat men not as perpetrators of violence, but as
agents of change.
Internation Womens Day
is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and
future.
Change in Saudi Arabia
Protection from Abuse law passed in August of 2013-
first law of its kind passed in kingdoms history
First campaign to stop violence against women was
launched in May of 2013

Putting womens rights on the global agenda is the key
to progress and to effective development. Countries
that restrict womens rights and freedoms or fail to
protect them from injustices will suffer long-term,
socially and economically. G20 list trustlaw


Germany Advocacy
As part of its efforts to promote womens rights, the Federal Foreign Office provides support to a large number of
projects aiming specifically at gender equality as well as other human rights projects furthering such objectives as
good governance, education and healthcare in various countries and regions.

Public awareness campaigns, conducted in collaboration with local non-governmental organizations, are at the
forefront of this work. These projects include providing womens rights instruction in Nicaragua and
FYR Macedonia, supporting measures to prevent violence against women in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay,
promoting internally displaced womens involvement in politics in Colombia, supplying advice on realizing womens
economic and social rights in Morocco and on their access to justice in Cambodia, promoting womens electoral
rights in Cte dIvoire, and running business-startup seminars for Kurdish-Iraqi women.

The German Government was also active in pushing for the adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on
preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention now provides a
comprehensive legal framework to prevent violence, protect victims and put an end to the impunity of those who
cause violence against women and domestic violence.

Public awareness campaigns, conducted in collaboration with local non-governmental organizations, are at the
forefront of this work. These projects include providing womens rights instruction in Nicaragua and
FYR Macedonia, supporting measures to prevent violence against women in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay,
promoting internally displaced womens involvement in politics in Colombia, supplying advice on realizing womens
economic and social rights in Morocco and on their access to justice in Cambodia, promoting womens electoral
rights in Cte dIvoire, and running business-startup seminars for Kurdish-Iraqi women.

#outcry- over 100,000 tweets shared and thousands of stories have been shared
Every major German news outlet has reported on the story
Women started identifying themselves in these stories and started sharing their own

Use of social media for positive

Canada: what they are doing better
Having an understanding of Canadian culture and tracking the work they're doing
around violence against women and gender equality, I believe that Canada really
has been emerging as a model for what most countries should aspire to for a long
time,
-Jimmie Briggs, journalist, author and founder of the Man Up Campaign that works
to engage youth to stop violence against women and girls.

Canada has been more proactive in its history as a country than the other three
in regards to womens rights, and equality for both genders.
They have been supporting laws for equal rights for women as well as
organizations for years before the other three countries.
Hotlines, shelters, help groups
There is more of an ease of reporting a sexual crime to the local authorities, and
women are taken more seriously than the other three countries
The processing time in the courts are quicker, more efficient, and provide more
convictions than dropped cases.

In Conclusion:
Sexual Violence happens because of the Culture of
the countries and everything that makes up that
country: the government, the laws, the people, the
norms, how women are seen, and the overall culture
of silence. Even though sexual violence has happens
and continues to happen on large scales, these four
countries are making steps by passing new laws, some
for the first time in their history, and by supporting
movements, and organizations. Each country has a far
ways to go, but some progress is better than no
progress.