Tuesday, October 11, 2011
[IWS] CRS: INTERNATIONAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: U.S. RESPONSE AND POLICY ISSUES [26 July 2011]
IWS Documented News Service
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Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
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Congressional Research Service (CRS)
International Violence Against Women: U.S. Response and Policy Issues
Luisa Blanchfield, Coordinator, Specialist in International Relations
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy
Tiaji Salaam-Blyther, Specialist in Global Health
Nina M. Serafino, Specialist in International Security Affairs
Liana Sun Wyler, Analyst in International Crime and Narcotics
July 26, 2011
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/170507.pdf
[full-text, 34 pages]
Summary
In recent years, the international community has increasingly recognized international violence
against women (VAW) as a significant human rights and global health issue. VAW, which can
include both random acts of violence as well as sustained abuse over time, can be physical,
psychological, or sexual in nature. Studies have found that VAW occurs in all geographic regions,
countries, cultures, and economic classes, with some research showing that women in developing
countries experience higher rates of violence than those in developed countries. Many experts
view VAW as a symptom of the historically unequal power relationship between men and women,
and argue that over time this imbalance has led to pervasive cultural stereotypes and attitudes that
perpetuate a cycle of violence.
U.S. policymakers have generally focused on specific types or circumstances of VAW rather than
view it as a stand-alone issue. Congress has authorized and appropriated funds for international
programs that address VAW, including human trafficking and female genital cutting. In addition,
past and current Administrations have supported efforts to reduce international levels of VAW—
though many of these activities are implemented as components of broader foreign aid initiatives.
There is no U.S. government-wide coordination of anti-VAW efforts. Most agencies and
departments do not track the cost or number of programs with VAW components. Therefore, it is
unclear how much money the U.S. government, or individual agencies, spend annually on VAWrelated
programs. Some experts have suggested that the U.S. government should re-examine, and
perhaps enhance, current U.S. anti-VAW activities. They argue that VAW should not only be
treated as a stand-alone human rights issue, but also be integrated into U.S. assistance and foreign
policy mechanisms. Other observers are concerned with a perceived lack of coordination among
U.S. government agencies and departments that address international violence against women.
This report addresses causes, prevalence, and consequences of violence against women. It
provides examples of completed and ongoing U.S. activities that address VAW directly or include
anti-VAW components, and it outlines possible policy issues for the 112th Congress, including
• the scope and effectiveness of U.S. programs in addressing international VAW;
• further integrating anti-VAW programs into U.S. assistance and foreign policy
mechanisms;
• U.S. funding for anti-VAW activities worldwide, particularly in light of the global
financial crisis, economic recession, and subsequent calls to reduce the U.S.
budget deficit; and
• strengthening U.S. government coordination of anti-VAW activities.
Information on United Nations (U.N.) anti-VAW activities that previously appeared in this report
is now published in CRS Report RL34518, United Nations System Efforts to Address Violence
Against Women, by Luisa Blanchfield.
This report will be updated as events warrant.
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................1
Defining Violence Against Women..............................................................................................1
Scope and Context ......................................................................................................................2
Social and Health Consequences ...........................................................................................2
Prevalence and Circumstances ..............................................................................................3
Types of Violence .......................................................................................................................4
Harmful Traditional Practices................................................................................................6
Administration Actions ...............................................................................................................6
Obama Administration ..........................................................................................................7
Bush Administration .............................................................................................................8
Interagency Activities............................................................................................................9
Key Issues and Related U.S. Activities ........................................................................................9
Global Health......................................................................................................................10
Related U.S. Activities .................................................................................................. 11
Humanitarian Crises and Protection of Displaced Populations .............................................12
Related U.S. Activities ..................................................................................................13
Foreign Military Training....................................................................................................14
Related U.S. Activities ..................................................................................................15
Trafficking in Women and Girls ..........................................................................................16
Related U.S. Activities ..................................................................................................18
Legal and Political Rights ...................................................................................................19
Related U.S. Activities ..................................................................................................19
Selected International Activities ................................................................................................20
U.N. System Efforts ............................................................................................................21
Other International Efforts ..................................................................................................21
Policy Issues for Congress ........................................................................................................22
Scope, Effectiveness, and Funding of U.S. Programs...........................................................23
Integration into Foreign Assistance Programs and Additional Funding................................23
Coordination Among U.S. Agencies and Departments .........................................................24
Collaboration with International Organizations....................................................................24
Possible Program Implementation Challenges .....................................................................24
Infrastructure and Priorities ...........................................................................................24
Most Effective Approaches?..........................................................................................25
Program Evaluation ......................................................................................................25
Lack of Comparable Data..............................................................................................26
Current and Emerging Issues...............................................................................................26
Links to Security...........................................................................................................26
The Role of Men and Boys............................................................................................27
Violence and HIV/AIDS ...............................................................................................27
Discrimination and Violence .........................................................................................27
Possible Economic Impacts ...........................................................................................28
International Violence Against Women: U.S. Response and Policy Issues
Congressional Research Service
Tables
Table 1. Examples of Violence Against Women ...........................................................................5
Appendixes
Appendix. Selected U.S. Agencies and Offices/Bureaus that Address Global Violence
Against Women......................................................................................................................29
Contacts
Author Contact Information ......................................................................................................30
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Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
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New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 262-6041
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