STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET

ACTIVITY 1 Facts about violence against women

INFORMATION SHEET
Defining violence against women
What is violence against Violence against women in war including
women? • Rape
Violence against women can be defined as: • Kidnapping
Any act of violence that leads to physical, • Trafficking
sexual or psychological harm or suffering to • Torture
women, or the threat of such acts, including • Murder
the use of force and the arbitrary deprivation • Enforced pregnancy
of liberty, in public or private situations. • Forced abortion (In war violence
the military may deliberately target
Violence against women includes: women and girls to create terror and to
Violence in the family such as: dominate communities.)
• Battering by male partners
• The sexual abuse of girls in a household Does violence against women and girls
Violence related to dowry (property occur in only some countries, or affect
brought by a woman when she marries) only certain groups of women?
• Forced marriage No region, country or culture in the world
• Rape within marriage is free from violence against women. It can
• ‘Honour crimes’ (punishing women for affect women of every race, age, culture, faith,
behaviour that is perceived as damaging nationality, profession and financial situation.
the family’s reputation)
• Female genital mutilation (FGM), (a What are the causes of violence against
traditional practice in some countries women? These include:
where part of a girl’s genitals are cut) • Unequal power relations between men
• The abuse of women because they are and women
lesbian or transgender (eg rape and • Attempts to control women’s sexuality
‘psychiatric treatments’ to try to ‘change’ • Cultural traditions
their sexuality) • The idea that what happens in the home
is ‘private’
Violence against women at work and in • Military policy during conflict
• Lack of action by governments
Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum
the community including:
• Rape
• Sexual assault, abuse and bullying Discrimination and inequality are at the
• The abuse of domestic workers – root of violence against women.
including: physical abuse, sexual assault, Historically women have been seen as less
forced labour and slavery-like conditions important than men; lower than them; of less
• Trafficking and forced prostitution value than men politically, socially, economically
• The abuse of lesbians and culturally. In the past both law and custom
• ‘Honour crimes’ made women the property of men.
Wherever social attitudes devalue women,
Violence carried out by the state or its violence against women is more likely to
agents (police, prison guards, soldiers, be tolerated or less likely to be punished.
border guards, immigration officials and so Arguments to justify violent methods to
on) including ‘keep women in their place’ and to assert
• Forced sterilisation male dominance may call upon ‘religious
• Forced abortion principles’, or ‘cultural traditions’.
• Forcible psychiatric treatment to try to Until recently, domestic violence in the UK
‘cure’ lesbian women was seen as a ‘private matter’ outside the
• Torture, including rape and sexual abuse power of the law to intervene. Indeed it was
only after years of campaigning by women’s
groups and human rights organisations that
domestic violence was criminalised and
taken seriously.

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STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET

ACTIVITY 1 Facts about violence against women

INFORMATION SHEET
Global violence against women
Across the world over 60 million girl babies often disguised as ‘kitchen fires’ – the victim
are ‘missing’ – killed, aborted for being a is doused in kerosene and set alight. In
girl, or deliberately under-nourished and Bangladesh, acid attacks on women because
neglected.1 of dowry disputes are frequent, often leading
to blindness, disfigurement, and death.2
Each year, 2 million girls aged 5 to 15 are
trafficked (sold or coerced into prostitution).2 In 2006/7 65 per cent of female murder
victims were killed by their partner, ex-partner
More than a third of the world’s women and or lover. In comparision 11 per cent of male
girls have been beaten, raped or sexually murder victims were killed by their partner,
abused during their lifetimes.1 ex-partner or lover.10

About 130 million girls and women worldwide In Northern Ireland, one woman a day is
have suffered female genital mutilation (FGM). seriously assaulted by her male partner.
Another two million girls are subjected to this
every year.3 FGM is a traditional practice in In Scotland one woman in five will experience
some countries and involves cutting part of a domestic abuse during her lifetime.
girl’s genitals.
In 2006/7 there were 407,000 incidents of
In Europe domestic violence is the biggest domestic violence in England and Wales. 77
cause of death and disability for women per cent of the victims were women11
between the ages of 16 and 44. A quarter
of European women experience domestic In 2006/7 there were 48,801 incidents of
violence in their lifetimes. Every year 6-10 per domestic abuse in Scotland, a 7 per cent
cent of the women in Europe suffer domestic increase from the previous year. 87 per cent
violence.4 of the victims were female.12

Surveys around the world suggest that 40-70 In 2007/8 in Northern Ireland, the police
per cent of female murder victims were killed recorded 23,076 incidents of domestic abuse,
by their husbands, boyfriends or ex-partners. 9,203 of these were classified as crimes. 60 Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum
The crime always came after a history of per cent of the victims were women.13
abuse.5
Marital rape is now recognised as a crime in
In the USA one woman is battered every 15 just over 50 countries.
seconds, usually by her partner.6
In 2006 60 states had specific laws against
In Pakistan over 1,000 women a year are domestic violence an increase from 45 in
murdered in the name of ‘honour’.7 2003.14

During the genocide of Tutsis and others in 1 UN Study on The Status of Women, 2000
Rwanda from April 1994 to April 1995, over 2 UNIFEM, 2005
250,000 women and girls were also raped.8 3 International Stop FGM Campaign, 2005
4 Council of Europe, 2002
5 World Health Organisation, 2002
In the conflict in Bosnia between 1992 and 6 US Department of Statistics 2002
1995 over 40,000 women are estimated to 7 UN Human Rights Report, 2002
have been victims of war-rape.9 8 Human Rights Watch 1995
9 New Internationalist Jan/Feb 1998
In India, around 15,000 women a year are 10 Home Office, 2008
11 British Crime Survey, 2007
murdered in ‘dowry deaths’ at the hands
12 Scottish Executive, 2007
of husbands or in-laws, dissatisfied with 13 PSNI, 2008
the marriage settlement. These crimes are 14 UNIFEM 2006

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TEACHER NOTES

ACTIVITY 2

IS THIS OK?
Age group: 11 upwards.
Timing: Survey and Opinion poll - Two lessons.
Research into images and messages - One lesson.
Further activities - Homework
This activity could be linked to Activities 1 and 3 in Section 1 of this series of lesson plans on
women’s rights. You can download these activities from www.amnesty.org.uk/education.

Ask students to research and feedback on in the survey about what they considered to
different types of violence against women us- be OK. Results could be reported back, and
ing the website: www.amnesty.org.uk/svaw/ compared with the results in Glasgow. Fife
and Manchester.
Read the following passage with the class:
In 1998 the Zero Tolerance Trust conducted Research into images and
a major research study into young people’s messages
attitudes to violence, sex and relationships. Groups investigate how men and women
Over 2,000 young people aged 14-21 from are portrayed to the public through the
Scotland (Glasgow and Fife) and England media, how they behave and how they
(Manchester) were asked their opinions. relate to each other.
• Half the boys and a third of the girls in
the study said that it was acceptable Different groups research:
for a woman to be hit in certain 5 fairy tales 5 TV soap story lines
circumstances (eg if she nagged). 5 song lyrics eg country and western,
• Both boys and girls considered forced gangsta rap, rock etc
sex to be more acceptable than hitting a 5 films on current release
woman. 5 newspaper reports on celebrities
• More than half of those interviewed
thought that women provoked male Groups report their findings back to the
violence in a number of ways (eg by the class and explain how people of different
way they dress, by flirting). genders were being portrayed in their area

Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum

• Over half of those questioned knew of investigation. How were men and women
someone who had been hit by their shown to be relating to each other? Were
male partner. these images realistic? Students discuss the
• Exactly half the sample knew some-one evidence and draw their conclusions.
who had been sexually assaulted.
Further activities
Ask: Students search for a song, a story, a novel
• What do students think about these or a film that features a woman surviving
findings? domestic violence.
• Where do they think young people
learned these attitudes? Useful websites
• What steps would be needed to change Songs: http://creativefolk.com/affirm.html
such attitudes? Fairy tales: www.rosemarylake.com/#feminist

Opinion poll Book

Students could carry out their own (small- Clever Gretchen, Alison Lurie (ed)
scale) survey among a sample of young (for 11-14 yrs)
people of their age, perhaps in another class
in their school, to check out attitudes to CURRICULUM LINKS
aspects of gender and violence. The survey Ages: 11 and up. Subjects: English, Citizenship,
should be strictly anonymous. It would ask PSHE/PSE/PSD
similar questions to those that are quoted

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TEACHER NOTES

ACTIVITY 3

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Age group: 11 upwards.
Timing: Definitions. Esther Morgan - One lesson.
Further activities - Homework.

A website was launched in 2005 specifically

Definitions
to support children and young people
• Pupils, in groups, define the word ‘home’.
experiencing or witnessing domestic violence
• They share ideas about what the word
or concerned about such situations:
‘home’ means to them.
www.thehideout.org.uk/
• What would their ideal of home be like?
(Bear in mind that some pupils’ home
situations will be far from ideal.)
Further activities
• Write your own poem, song or rap about
• Ask small groups to define the words
stopping domestic violence.
‘domestic violence’.
• Research the history of women’s refuges
• Ask them to list all the things they can think
in the UK. The following website will be
of that could be described as domestic
useful: www.refuge.org.uk/
violence.
• Find out about UK legislation relating
to domestic violence and any initiatives
Esther Morgan
in your area (eg by the police) to tackle
Read the two poems by Esther Morgan with
domestic violence
pupils.
• There are perpetrator programmes
designed to help men who are violent
Discuss
to change their behaviour and develop
• How her vivid picture of the situation and
respectful, non-abusive relationships.
atmosphere is created.
Find out about the methods and
• Are there words or phrases that are
availability of such programmes:
particularly effective?
www.changeweb.org.uk/respect/htm
• Is it possible that the woman ‘talking’ in
www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/domestic_
the poem will ever be able to escape?
violence/ pphh_index.shtml
The article by Sue Lees (page 10) can be
Students could read and discuss Andrea
used alongside the poems, to explore how
Ashworth’s memoir, Once in a House on Fire
Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum
control and terror grow out of ordinary,
(1999, Picador). It tells the story of the lives of
everyday situations.
Andrea, her two sisters and her mother in their
Students can discuss why women might
battle with poverty and domestic violence in
find it difficult to leave. Many personal
Manchester during the 1970s and 1980s.
testimonies from survivors of domestic
violence, including children who have lived
in such situations, can be found on the web.
Men as victims of domestic
These highlight the horror of the situation
violence
Men, too, can suffer from domestic violence.
and the difficulties of escaping, but also
Statistics vary, making it difficult to gain
offer hope. For example:
an accurate picture. The vast majority of
• ‘Day by day I take a piece back of myself
domestic violence victims are women. A
and have grown stronger and happier
survey in 2006/7 found that 23 per cent of
than ever in the process.’
the victims of domestic violence in the UK
• ‘There is light at the end of the tunnel.
were reported to be male. The experiences
You don’t have to live like this, there is an
of male survivors of domestic violence (at
alternative and I never regret the day I left.’
the hands of male or female partners) can be
read at: www.bbc.co.uk/health/hh/real.shtml
Websites
www.bbc.co.uk/health/hh/real.shtml
www.hiddenhurt.co.uk/ CURRICULUM LINKS
Ages: 11 and up. Subjects: English, Citizenship,
Children living in situations of domestic PSHE/PSE/PSD
violence can be terrorised and traumatised.

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STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET

ACTIVITY 3 Domestic violence

INFORMATION SHEET
Poems by Esther Morgan
House Rules
They are absolute.
They are mandarin.
Sometimes merely folding a sheet
or making a bed
is to break them.

For instance there’s a right way

and a wrong way
to clear up this mess –
the spattered walls,
the tongues of broken china.

Which is which?
You spend the evening trying to guess
as you wait for his verdict,
hands resting on the table
like meat thawing for dinner.

Tonight he addresses your flesh –

Look what you made me do he says
as a flight of stairs
throws you full length,
a door walks into your face.

Imperative Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum

This morning don’t go down to the kitchen
in bare feet. Put on your gardening gloves,
Fetch the dustpan and brush from the cellar
and sweep these pieces up quickly but carefully,
making sure you get every last sliver
from the darkest corners of the room
(later they may be held against you).
Wrap the fragments in newspaper
so no one cuts themselves.
Put back the dustpan and brush, the gloves’
upturned, amputated hands.
Make yourself a cup of tea
with six sugars and a nip of whisky.
Stop shaking – he’ll be down soon –
heavy footsteps above your head, thudding down
stairs.
Stop shaking I said. Swallow this note.

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STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET

ACTIVITY 3 Domestic violence

INFORMATION SHEET
Men behaving badly (SUE LEES)
In a survey into domestic violence, abused first the attention women received had been
women reported that what they had suffered flattering. Women in the survey wanted
was systematic, deliberate, and at the to make clear that the men nevertheless
extreme, life threatening. So what had led appeared to be quite normal. Tanya, who
up to the violence? There is a common almost died from the violence, explained how
assumption about a man who hits his her ex-husband was initially ‘charming, he
wife: he must have been provoked by her had a good sense of humour. I just expected
unreasonable behaviour. But the abused it to be a happy relationship because I’d
women in the survey, reported that any never experienced violence before’.
annoyance could lead to a beating: He seemed over-attentive from the
• ‘A really silly example that led into a beginning – meeting her for lunch, from
beating: I’d made sausage casserole and work, rarely letting her out of his sight. ‘I can
I hadn’t put dumplings in it…’ see clearly now, but at the time, I wanted
• ‘I made a cup of tea and put maybe half someone to love and someone who loved
a sugar too much in.’ me. And my daughters were delighted to
• ‘I cooked too many potatoes for dinner.’ have a new loving daddy.’ Barely a year into
• ‘His dinner wasn’t ready on time.’ their marriage ‘he would unplug the phone,
• ‘There wasn’t enough butter on his toast.’ lock the doors, send the children out and I
• ‘Tins in the cupboard all had to be like knew I would be a punch bag. Sometimes
perfect. If there was one tin just not I would hit myself, saying “Here, I’ll do it
turned facing frontwards, the whole lot for you”. I had become nothing.’ It was five
would come out.’ years before Tanya finally left and went into
• ‘His bath hadn’t been the right hiding. Her eldest daughter suffered terrible
temperature.’ nightmares and tried to commit suicide by
• ‘Whatever way I went I couldn’t win. I leaping from the bedroom window. Two
knew that I was going to get it. Really years on they are coming out of therapy.
I should have just stood there and hit Many other witnesses had assumed that

Amnesty International Human Rights in the Curriculum

myself. It would have been easier.’ their new boyfriend was very much in love
with them, and were horrified when attention
turned into unreasonable jealousy and
One woman explained how the control that increasing control, leading to their isolation
the abuser exercised gradually increased from friends and family:
until:
You spend your whole time desperately • ‘I wasn’t allowed to talk to my parents – I
trying to keep them happy. ‘What would couldn’t see my parents.’
you like for dinner darling? Which • ‘I wasn’t allowed to talk to my family. I
shirt would you like to wear tomorrow wasn’t allowed to talk to my friends.’
darling? No of course I won’t do that • ‘Even talking to my neighbour across the
darling. Yes of course I’ll do that for garden was wrong.’
you darling... You’re just walking on • ‘I wasn’t allowed out of his sight.’
eggshells the whole time... Trying not
to give them an ‘excuse’ to be violent. Extract from ‘Television Research and Domestic
Violence’ by Sue Lees who researched
Though of course, they don’t really need
domestic violence for the Dispatches Channel 4
an excuse. If you’ve ironing their jeans documentary, Men Behaving Badly, 1998
the ‘wrong’ way, they’ll hit you. www.bunker8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Sue/tvdv.htm

Women all complained about how the

assailants had restricted their activity. At

10 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN