An endemic disease: Violence against Women in Tunisia
One in five women, is abused at least once in her life reports La Presse de Tunisie.The first national survey on violence against women in Tunisia, conducted in 2010 by Onfp with support from the Spanish Agency for International Development and CAWTAR, has revealed the extent of the problem.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/An-endemic-dise...
A meeting was held by the National Family and Population Association in the presence of Mr. Abdellatif Makki, Minister of Health, His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain Mr. Antonio Perez Cosano, the Director General of AECI, Mr Guillermo Caro and representatives of relevant ministries, UN organizations and other governmental and nongovernmental and civil society. Conducted among a representative sample of the Tunisian population consisting of 3,873 women aged 18 to 64, seven living areas (District of Tunis, Northeast, Northwest, Central East, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest), the survey, based on a questionnaire, reveals that violence comes in many forms (physical, psychological, sexual and economic) and that physical violence is the most common followed by emotional abuse. Sexual violence is third followed by economic violence.
The subject is still taboo. 42 per cent of abused women have never spoken about their experience. The reasons range from shame and fear or resignation many women keep the violence suffered especially from their husband. 73 per cent expect no help from anyone and the most common incidence of the of abuse is the family. Nearly 18 per cent have complained. The extent of violence against women in Tunisia, always sensed but never quantified, is now known.The figures are alarming as 47.6 per cent of women aged 18 to 64 reported suffering at least one form of violence during their lifetime.
The survey reveals that the intimate partner (husband, boyfriend or friend) appears as the main aggressor: 47 per centof cases of physical violence and 68.5 per cent of cases of emotional abuse, 78 per cent of cases of sexual violence and about 78per cent of cases of economic violence. The intimate space is designated by the survey as the first sphere of violence against women, followed from the family responsible for 43 per cent of cases of physical abuse, 22 per cent of cases of economic abuse and 16 per cent of cases of psychological violence. Public spaces including the workplace are in third place with 21 per cent of cases of sexual violence, nearly 15 per cent of cases of emotional abuse and nearly 10 per cent of cases of physical violence. The survey also indicates that by marital status of women, the prevalence of violence in all its forms is more important against divorced women followed by married women. Unmarried women are the least victimized. It is in the south-west of Tunisia that the prevalence is highest (up to 72 per cent) while the lowest is in the Central East (nearly 36 per cent). The results of the survey show that one in five women has experienced physical violence at least once in a lifetime and one in six women had been sexually abused.
The violence rankst economic difficulties first with unemployed husbands and low educational level of women for couples, jealousy for singles the prevalence of violence increases with age but decreases when the partner's educational level of the latter increases.Very few women go to NGOs.
The consequences of violence on women are physical, mental and social. 27 per cent of abused women interviewed report difficulty concentrating, 56 per cent have difficulties in their daily life and 2 per cent said they had abandoned their work. Yet many women do not speak of the violence, do not trust and do not complain, the survey indicates. 55 per cent of women surveyed said that "violence is a regular feature that is not worth talking about." However, fear of aggravating the situation and are ashamed to speak also of the reasons mentioned but less frequently. For these women, the only recourse is the family. The proportion of women who turn to NGOs does not exceed 5.4 per cent. As for the police and health facilities, the survey indicates that they are poorly identified by women.
For health professionals, sociologists, psychologists, feminist organizations and the Ministry of Women, the survey is of paramount importance. Establishing an inventory, the first of its kind, violence against women and identifying the determinants and consequences of violence as well as profiles of women most at risk and the effects of violence on their health and their daily lives, "it will be possible relevant structures and associations to take care of this problem," says Dorra Mahfoudh, sociologist. But not without the aid of the abused woman who, according to Ms. Rim Ben Aissa, gynecologist and director at Onfp must be aware of the interest to talk about and denounce. "If she does not mention it, this phenomenon will continue," she says while stressing the need to discuss this problem and to demystify it. "It is unacceptable that people who yearn for democracy continues to conceal this problem for half of the company," she adds. For the CEO of Onfp, Habiba Ben Romdhane, the challenge is that the diagnosis of violence against women in Tunisia will allow us to develop an effective action plan and strategy to revitalise national fight against violence against women that has yet to be implemented.
The subject is still taboo. 42 per cent of abused women have never spoken about their experience. The reasons range from shame and fear or resignation many women keep the violence suffered especially from their husband. 73 per cent expect no help from anyone and the most common incidence of the of abuse is the family. Nearly 18 per cent have complained. The extent of violence against women in Tunisia, always sensed but never quantified, is now known.The figures are alarming as 47.6 per cent of women aged 18 to 64 reported suffering at least one form of violence during their lifetime.
The survey reveals that the intimate partner (husband, boyfriend or friend) appears as the main aggressor: 47 per centof cases of physical violence and 68.5 per cent of cases of emotional abuse, 78 per cent of cases of sexual violence and about 78per cent of cases of economic violence. The intimate space is designated by the survey as the first sphere of violence against women, followed from the family responsible for 43 per cent of cases of physical abuse, 22 per cent of cases of economic abuse and 16 per cent of cases of psychological violence. Public spaces including the workplace are in third place with 21 per cent of cases of sexual violence, nearly 15 per cent of cases of emotional abuse and nearly 10 per cent of cases of physical violence. The survey also indicates that by marital status of women, the prevalence of violence in all its forms is more important against divorced women followed by married women. Unmarried women are the least victimized. It is in the south-west of Tunisia that the prevalence is highest (up to 72 per cent) while the lowest is in the Central East (nearly 36 per cent). The results of the survey show that one in five women has experienced physical violence at least once in a lifetime and one in six women had been sexually abused.
The violence rankst economic difficulties first with unemployed husbands and low educational level of women for couples, jealousy for singles the prevalence of violence increases with age but decreases when the partner's educational level of the latter increases.Very few women go to NGOs.
The consequences of violence on women are physical, mental and social. 27 per cent of abused women interviewed report difficulty concentrating, 56 per cent have difficulties in their daily life and 2 per cent said they had abandoned their work. Yet many women do not speak of the violence, do not trust and do not complain, the survey indicates. 55 per cent of women surveyed said that "violence is a regular feature that is not worth talking about." However, fear of aggravating the situation and are ashamed to speak also of the reasons mentioned but less frequently. For these women, the only recourse is the family. The proportion of women who turn to NGOs does not exceed 5.4 per cent. As for the police and health facilities, the survey indicates that they are poorly identified by women.
For health professionals, sociologists, psychologists, feminist organizations and the Ministry of Women, the survey is of paramount importance. Establishing an inventory, the first of its kind, violence against women and identifying the determinants and consequences of violence as well as profiles of women most at risk and the effects of violence on their health and their daily lives, "it will be possible relevant structures and associations to take care of this problem," says Dorra Mahfoudh, sociologist. But not without the aid of the abused woman who, according to Ms. Rim Ben Aissa, gynecologist and director at Onfp must be aware of the interest to talk about and denounce. "If she does not mention it, this phenomenon will continue," she says while stressing the need to discuss this problem and to demystify it. "It is unacceptable that people who yearn for democracy continues to conceal this problem for half of the company," she adds. For the CEO of Onfp, Habiba Ben Romdhane, the challenge is that the diagnosis of violence against women in Tunisia will allow us to develop an effective action plan and strategy to revitalise national fight against violence against women that has yet to be implemented.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/An-endemic-dise...