Violence against women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Violence against women - Essay Example Domestic violence against women reaches all the socioeconomic levels. Poverty, education background as well as culture and religion have contributed largely to cases of domestic violence against women in different parts of the world (Peter et al, 446). There is an urgent need for a clear solution to this social problem and create an environment where both men and women respect each other and shun any forms of violence. This essay examines various literature detailing cases of domestic violence against women from various parts of the world in a bid to showcase the magnitude of the problem and provide solutions based on the cases studied. The essay will also attempt to give an overview of the policies, rules and regulations enacted in various jurisdictions to cub the problem of domestic violence against women. A historical perspective of domestic violence against women can be traced back to the 20th century with the emergence of women’s movements aimed at bringing issues affecting women to the forefront in the context of feminism and women’s rights (Peter et al, 455). Attention was drawn towards the concern of the wives being beaten by their husbands. The political agitations occurring in the countries of United States and United Kingdom led to amendments in both legislation as well as popular opinion. Jordan has attracted international attention in the recent years as far as violence against women is concerned. In Jordan for instance, honor killing is almost a normal thing. Honor killing refers to the killing of women by their partners (Peratis 15). Women risk their lives if they are alleged to engage in certain acts considered immoral in the community such as adultery. Culturally, women who engage in such shameful acts are humiliated and even killed ruthlessly in order to s erve as an example to other women who may engage in such acts (Peratis 15). There are several reported cases in Jordan of women who have been battered and in some instances killed by their own husbands. In a male dominated society such as Jordan, men are always left to go scot free if found engaging in similar acts (Peratis 15). The legal structures in Jordan do not expressly deal with the issues of violence against women. This has led to concerns over whether the authorities in the country support domestic violence. In Brazil, the situation is almost similar to the experiences of women in Jordan. For a very long time, women have received inconsiderable support from authorities in Brazil when they report cases of domestic violence (James 23). Lawyers always seem to argue their case up and keep men out of punishment for violence against women. The legal structures in the country have lots of grey areas that need to be cleared in order to ensure that women enjoy mutual respect and lov e in relationships. Cases of honor killing often drag for so many years therefore delaying justice (James 23). In a recent ground breaking and historical judgment, a Brazilian court ruled in favor of women in an honor killing case by stating that a man who kills his wife can never be acquitted (James 23). This judgment is expected to give Brazilian women a glimpse of hope in to the future. The concept of human rights emerged from the idea of the political theories prevalent in the western world about the rights of humans to freedom and autonomy (Lila 119). It can be stated that the emergence of the human rights aimed to protect the individual and the state. The human rights stay