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YWCA Week Without Violence 15 - 21 October, 2006

YWCA Week Without Violence

published: 13 Oct 2006 — 9:59

last modified: 15 Nov 2007 — 9:35

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Imagine a week without violence. Imagine women walking the streets at night without fear. Imagine police officers not needing to use guns. Imagine domestic violence, rape and female genital mutilation as faded memories of a long gone era.

This is the vision of the global movement of YWCAs. This is what YWCA Week Without Violence works to achieve.

15 - 21 October , 2006 is YWCA Week Without Violence.

Over the last decade, in the third week of every October, YWCAs have promoted this campaign to encourage communities to think and act for a world free from all forms of violence.

YWCAs provide programmes addressing violence against women from Kenya to Canada, Japan to Colombia, and 40 countries participate in YWCA Week Without Violence
This year, the World YWCA would like to draw attention to violence against young women and girls, which will be a major focus of next year’s Commission on Status of Women (CSW).

What are the issues of young women and girls?

“Young women are more prone to sexual harassment, workplace discrimination and trafficking. Between one fifth and a half of all girls and young women around the world report that their first sexual encounter was forced. We must change these situations.”
(Musimbi Kanyoro, General Secretary of the World YWCA)
When it comes to gender-based violence, the situation of young women and girls tends to be downplayed because they are rarely considered in their own right. Young women and girls tend to be named with women, which can dilute their own reality.
There are overlapping problems of violence against women affecting all generations. However, young women and girls are especially vulnerable to being harmed physically, psychologically and sexually, because of lack of social experience, legal and financial dependence on their parents or husbands and comparative physical strength.
Young women and girls experience violence daily in such forms as, dating violence, sexual assault or sexual harassment in communities. They are also easily targeted for commercial sexual exploitation via the Internet. In armed conflict and post-conflict situations, sexual violence against young women and girls also prevails.
In the family, young women and girls are at risk of being abused and neglected by their parents or relatives simply by virtue of being female in certain cultures. In addition, the long-term impact on children of being exposed to domestic violence in the family cannot be ignored.
Moreover, the threat of violence dramatically increases the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV infection by making it difficult or impossible for women to abstain from sex, or to get their partners to be faithful or use a condom.
Because of the shame, trauma and fear often associated with violence and the inadequate legal support, young women and girl do not always report incidences of violence. Feelings of isolation and poor self-esteem increase vulnerability to violence.
Ignorance of these situations threatens the well-being and development of young women and girls and has long-term consequences on the society as a whole.
This is the time for YWCAs around the world to strengthen our leadership to bring about changes in every home and community where there is suffering.

What can you do?

Watch out for news reports on violence against young women and girls to be aware of the reality in your community and abroad.
Check out the World YWCA’s training manuals “EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN TO LEAD CHANGE” to develop programmes which empower young women and girls to respond to violence.
Hold a study session to examine if there are legal and social barriers that prevent young women and girls experiencing violence from seeking help in your country.
Start a campaign collaborating with local authorities, other organisations, and professionals to strengthen the response to violence against young women and girls in your community.

>> YWCA Week without Violence activities around the world