United Kingdom
06.08.03
Urgent Interventions
United Kingdom - Press Release - Violence against Women
PRESS RELEASE
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expresses its concern regarding violence against minority women in the United Kingdom at the 63rd Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Geneva, 6 August 2003
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will today begin its examination of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in the United Kingdom. In its alternative country report entitled "Violence against Minority Women in the United Kingdom," which has been submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expresses its grave concern at reports of violence against women at the hands of both private individuals and state officials.
Although Russia has ratified most international human rights treaties, which prohibit discrimination against women, sex discrimination persists in the United Kingdom, particularly against minority women. The multiple discriminations faced by minority women in the United Kingdom limit their opportunities in all spheres of life, and potentially make them more vulnerable to violence.
Although minority women are not more likely to be victims of violence within the family than women from the majority population, minority women experience and respond to this violence in different ways. For example, Asian women in the United Kingdom are less likely to report incidents of domestic violence, and are more likely to be abused by family members other than their husbands. Additionally, for some minority groups, stereotypes concerning their community serve to normalize violence (e.g., the notion that Irish violence in the family stems from alcohol abuse) or disbelieve the victim (e.g., the notion that violence does not exist in the supportive networks of South Asian or Jewish communities), among other deleterious effects. Immigrant women victims of domestic violence find themselves in a particularly grave situation as they risk losing their residency permits if they leave their violent husbands.
Forced marriages and crimes committed in the name of honour are also increasing problems in the United Kingdom for minority women. With respect to forced marriages, women from minority groups, frequently from South Asia, are sometimes sent to their country of origin, and then abducted and forced into marriage. The concerned friends and family members of the victim often have no way of finding the victim and the victim has tremendous difficulties in reporting or escaping from the marriage. Additionally, at least 20 women have been killed in the name of honour over the past five years in the United Kingdom. These killings take place when a woman steps out of her alleged role, particularly with respect to her sexuality.
Women also experience violence at the hands of state agents, particularly women in detention. Minority women represent a disproportionate portion of the female prison population in the United Kingdom. Female prisoners reportedly experience sexual harassment by prison guards. Women prisoners are also frequently survivors of domestic violence and child abuse, and few services are offered in prisons to help women handling histories of abuse.
Overall, the government has failed to protect women from violence whether at the hands of private individuals or state officials. OMCT’s report concludes that while the United Kingdom has a duty under international law to act with due diligence to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish all forms of violence against women, irrespective of whether this violence is committed by public or private individuals, this obligation has not been adequately implemented at the national level.
For copies of the alternative report on “Violence against Minority Women in the United Kingdom” or for further information on OMCT’s programme on Violence against Women please contact Lucinda O’Hanlon at + 41 22 809 4939 or loh@omct.org.
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expresses its concern regarding violence against minority women in the United Kingdom at the 63rd Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Geneva, 6 August 2003
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will today begin its examination of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in the United Kingdom. In its alternative country report entitled "Violence against Minority Women in the United Kingdom," which has been submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expresses its grave concern at reports of violence against women at the hands of both private individuals and state officials.
Although Russia has ratified most international human rights treaties, which prohibit discrimination against women, sex discrimination persists in the United Kingdom, particularly against minority women. The multiple discriminations faced by minority women in the United Kingdom limit their opportunities in all spheres of life, and potentially make them more vulnerable to violence.
Although minority women are not more likely to be victims of violence within the family than women from the majority population, minority women experience and respond to this violence in different ways. For example, Asian women in the United Kingdom are less likely to report incidents of domestic violence, and are more likely to be abused by family members other than their husbands. Additionally, for some minority groups, stereotypes concerning their community serve to normalize violence (e.g., the notion that Irish violence in the family stems from alcohol abuse) or disbelieve the victim (e.g., the notion that violence does not exist in the supportive networks of South Asian or Jewish communities), among other deleterious effects. Immigrant women victims of domestic violence find themselves in a particularly grave situation as they risk losing their residency permits if they leave their violent husbands.
Forced marriages and crimes committed in the name of honour are also increasing problems in the United Kingdom for minority women. With respect to forced marriages, women from minority groups, frequently from South Asia, are sometimes sent to their country of origin, and then abducted and forced into marriage. The concerned friends and family members of the victim often have no way of finding the victim and the victim has tremendous difficulties in reporting or escaping from the marriage. Additionally, at least 20 women have been killed in the name of honour over the past five years in the United Kingdom. These killings take place when a woman steps out of her alleged role, particularly with respect to her sexuality.
Women also experience violence at the hands of state agents, particularly women in detention. Minority women represent a disproportionate portion of the female prison population in the United Kingdom. Female prisoners reportedly experience sexual harassment by prison guards. Women prisoners are also frequently survivors of domestic violence and child abuse, and few services are offered in prisons to help women handling histories of abuse.
Overall, the government has failed to protect women from violence whether at the hands of private individuals or state officials. OMCT’s report concludes that while the United Kingdom has a duty under international law to act with due diligence to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish all forms of violence against women, irrespective of whether this violence is committed by public or private individuals, this obligation has not been adequately implemented at the national level.
For copies of the alternative report on “Violence against Minority Women in the United Kingdom” or for further information on OMCT’s programme on Violence against Women please contact Lucinda O’Hanlon at + 41 22 809 4939 or loh@omct.org.