International Law and Immigration
Ca. Int'l Law Journal 2019, VOL. 27, NO. 2
Content
- 2019 Cla Annual Meeting Report
- A Comparative Analysis of Data Protection Requirements In the European Union and the Us Focusing On Germany and California
- Can the Eu's Reform Proposal For the Wto Dispute Settlement Understanding Break the Impasse At the Wto?
- Cla International Law Section Celebrates Renewed Ties With Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association and Participates In Joint Seminar On International Arbitration
- General Disclaimer
- Glimmer of Hope or Shining Beacon? the Damages Directive In France
- International Law Section Executive Committee
- Introducing the 2019 Warren Christopher Awardee: Barry a. Sanders
- Letter From the International Law Section Chair
- The California International Law Journal Editorial Team
- The California International Law Journal
- The French Bill On Hateful Content Online
- The Importance of Knowing Who Is, and Who Is Not, My Client
- The International Law Section of the California Lawyers Association
- Welcome From the Journal's Editor-in-chief
- Violence Against Women In India and Its Impact Throughout the Years: Suggested Legal and Policy Reforms
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN INDIA AND ITS IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS: SUGGESTED LEGAL AND POLICY REFORMS
Payal Sinha*
The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines violence against women as, "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or psychological harm and suffering to women. This includes threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."1 Violence against women includes domestic violence in the form of physical or financial abuse, rape and sexual violence, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, acid attacks, stalking, female feticides, exclusion and deprivation of women from medical treatment and nutrition, trafficking and sexual exploitation, forced marriage, intimidation in the workplace, honor killing, and other violent acts committed against women that affect their well-being.2
These abuses can be categorized as interpersonal violence, which means the intentional use of physical force or power by a romantic partner, spouse, or family member that has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, or psychological harm.3Sexual violence is considered a subcategory of interpersonal violence, and involves an act of unwanted sexual activity imposed on another person, as a result of fear, age, disability, or other similar factors.4
Interpersonal violence and sexual violence against women are considered severe human rights violations under international law and have been recognized as such since 1993 by the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.5 They have also been widely recognized as problems of pandemic proportions.6 According to the World Health Organization, "more than 35% of women worldwide experienced either physical and/or sexual violence by a partner, or non-partner sexual violence throughout their lifetime."7The estimates of intimate partner violence range from 23.2% in developed countries to around 37.7% for countries in the South Asian region.8 Although the international community has made significant headway in addressing this issue through the enactment of legislation to prevent violence against women and to prosecute perpetrators, many challenges remain.9