Gender Based Violence
Episcopal Relief & Development recognizes that Gender Based Violence (GBV) affects the health and well being of women in every country. Almost all of our partners identify violence against women and girls as a community problem, and there is a great need for the voice and presence of faith communities and institutions to prevent such violence, and restore the health, dignity and livelihoods of those already affected.
Although GBV is often associated with countries experiencing war and confict, it is present everywhere, through illegal trafficking, domestic violence, rape, and the marginalization of girls and women across cultures and nations. The facts are staggering.
FACTS:
- Worldwide, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime; as many as one in three – are beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetimes.
- On the basis of data collected from 24,000 women in ten countries, between 55 and 95 per cent of women who have been physically abused by their partners have never contacted NGOs, shelters or the police for help.
- 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.
- Survivors of sexual assault are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.
- An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM).
- It is estimated that close to 90% of current war casualties are civilians, the majority of whom are women and children, compared to a century ago when 90% of those who lost their lives were military personnel.
Episcopal Relief & Development recognizes that this global epidemic impedes the transformation of just societies, erodes the human assets and strengths of a community, causes severe health problems for women and children, and stunts health economic activity. Our current strategic plan focuses on supporting our church partners to strengthen and improve their efforts by:
Prevention |
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Provision of services for survivors |
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Prosecution or Perpetrators |
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Policy |
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