Widespread brutality against women uncontained

In Sri Lanka, women not only just suffer catcalls on the streets and widespread violence from their husbands and partners, but they are also subject to attack by state officials, politicians, and state agencies such as the police and military.

Gender-based violence in the island has increased along with the level of brutality.

Children are not spared. National agencies have reported more than 9,000 acts violence against children last year.

Even the European Parliament has highlighted increasing child abuse including child sex abuse at home, and neglect by the incumbent Government.

What makes this situation worse is there is a lack of latest data on the prevalence of violence against children and on its causes. There are an estimated 14,500 children in institutions, international NGOs report.

A recent case in Muttur in Trincomalee, where three primary school children were kidnapped and raped by a gang of men is just one of the thousands reported. The police are suspected of covering up this case.

A politician once told lawmakers that a woman is raped in Sri Lanka every 90 minutes.

Shanthi Jinadasa, a women’s activist working on prevention of gender- based violence, and sexual and reproductive health, said most perpetrators go scot free. The police, she said, brush aside complaints and instead turn on the women who fall victim.

The pervasive 'boys will be boy's mentality has encouraged males to be the predators, activists say.

Jinadasa said: “We have to teach our men to respect women.''

Women become traumatised through abuse at home, the workplace and even in public transport.

The United States Embassy recently issued a travel warning to its citizens visiting Sri Lanka to be cautious when using three-wheelers. The embassy asked its citizens to take photographs of the driver and the number plate so that they can be reported.

Ms Jinadasa called on parents and teachers to play a wider role in eliminating gender stereotyping that she said starts at age five. “We should all start teaching our children at that age our even earlier.''

The National Child Protection Authority, which has taken up the recent case of the three children abducted in Muttur and sexually abused by a gang, has demanded that police carry out a thorough investigation.

Chairperson Marini de Livera said that the justice system has to be strengthened. “They will know there is a place to report,'' she said.

Victims should be able to complain without fear and have the confidence that investigations will be impartial. “I want to have a new police desk where women's and children’s complaints are taken and acted upon,'' Ms de Livera said.

More importantly, prevention methods are needed including strengthening our Woman and Child Abuse Prevention Police Bureau. She also proposed surveillance systems.

“We want to prevent things from happening,'' she said. “For this we need a 24-hour response desk and a database of the complaints. Also there needs to be encouragement for victims to report any form of sexual harassment. Perpetrators need to know there is a watchdog.''

Professor Savithiri Gunasekera, a women’s activist and the chairperson of ‘ The Report of the leader of Opposition’s commission on Prevention of Violence against woman and girl child 2013’ said although several recommendations were made, nothing was implemented.

“Violence against women is continuing with impunity. The law enforcement is lacking. Not a single member of parliament took it up,'' she said.

The Women’s Affairs Ministry Secretary, Chandani Senarath, refuted the claim and said that several recommendations were being implemented.

She said a survey had been done recently on gender-based violence in public transport. Further, the ministry is carrying out various public awareness campaigns among three-wheel drivers and commuters using public transport.

She said the women’s and child police is also being educated and strengthened. University of Colombo, Department of Sociology, Professor Subangi Herath, said religious and cultural values are dampening the women’s spirit to be assertive when faced with abuse.

Women are brought up to be tolerant and submissive and they are ashamed and fearful of confronting or to be aggressive when being abused, she said. Also, attitudes related to the purity of a woman connected with religious and cultural beliefs guide them.

The society on the other hand will not hesitate to fault the women for being more daring in attitude and attire. “In Buddhism, men and women are given equal status,'' she said. “Women need support to talk openly of abuses. Families they belong to, neighbours, the society and legal institutions and law enforcement should give support. Law enforcers are not doing their duty.''