Allyson Wozniak

SpeechII

InternationalViolenceAgainstWomen

PurposeStatement:Toinformmyaudienceabouttheinternationalimpactofviolenceon
women.

CentralIdea:Todiscussthreetypesofculturalviolence:domesticviolence,forcessexual
slavery,andchildmarriage,examplesofwomenwhosufferfromviolence,andhowthe
InternationalViolenceAgainstWomenActhasaffectedtheissueofabuse.

Introduction
I. Doesanyoneinthisroomknowawomanwhohasexperiencedabusefroma
lovedone?Ifso,thatsbecauseaccordingtoAmnestyUSA,anactivist
community,oneinthreewomenworldwidewillbephysically,sexually,or
otherwiseabusedduringherlifetime,withratesreaching70percentinsome
countriesacrosstheworld.(AMUSA)TheUnitedNationsdefinesviolence
againstwomenasanyactofgenderbasedviolencethatresultsinorislikelyto
resultin,physical,sexual,orpsychologicalharmorsufferingtowomen,
includingthreatsofsuchacts,coercionorarbitrarydeprivationofliberty,whether
occurringinpublicorprivate.(UN)Violenceagainstwomenandgirls
destabilizescountries,impedeseconomicprogress,andpreventswomenfrom
contributingtotheircommunities.Someexamplesofthisviolenceincludesexual
slavery,domesticviolence,andchildmarriage.

Transition:Nowthatyouunderstandthedefinitionofviolenceagainstwomen,Iwillnow
talkaboutthreedifferenttypesofviolencethatoccurindifferentcultures.First,sexual
slavery.

Body

II. SexualSlaveryistheactofimprisoningapersonandforcingtheminto
prostitutionagainsttheirwill.
a. AccordingtoMinimumEstimateofForcedLaborintheWorld
publishedbytheInternationallaborOrganization,womenandgirlsmake
up98percentofvictimsofsexslaveryandabouttwomillionoftheseare
children.(ILO2005)
b. Eventhough134countrieshavecriminalizedsexslavery,itisthefastest
growingcriminalenterpriseintheworld.(ILO2005)
c. AnexampleofsexualslaveryliesinastoryofagirlnamedSweta.Her
storycanbefoundatcareinternational.org.Swetawasayounggirlwho
wasraisedbyhergrandmotherduetohermothersstrugglewithmental
 illness.WhenSwetaturned17,hergrandmotherneglectedtocareforher
anylongerandlockedherinaroomwithmen.Shewashelpless.Her
grandmotherthensoldSwetatoherteacherwhereshehadtoserveathis
liking.Shefoundsanctuaryatashelterandisnowworkingtowards
becomingapoliceofficersothatshecanhelpothergirlsinherposition.
(careinternational.org)

Transition:NextIwilltalkaboutDomesticviolence

III. Domesticviolenceisdefinedasaviolentoraggressivebehaviorwithinthehome,
typicallyinvolvingtheviolentabuseofaspouseorpartner.
a. Domesticviolenceandabusecanhappentoanyone,regardlessofgender,
race,ethnicity,oranyotherfactors.
b. Itisaverybroaddefinitionthatcanincluderape,emotionalabuse,and
evenstalking.AccordingtotheNationalCoalitionAgainstDomestic
Violence,awomenintheUSisbeatenevery9seconds,oneinfive
womenarerapedintheirlifetime,and19.3millionwomenarestalked.
(NCADV2016)
c. Gladysstoryisaprimeexampleofdomesticviolenceoutsideofthe
UnitedStates.Gladyswasabusedbyherhusbandof14years.Hewould
beatherbecausehethoughtshewascheatingonhim,andthisbecamea
cycle.Everytimehewoulddrinkhewouldbeoverwhelmedwithjealousy
andbegintobeather.Shenowhidesinashelterwithherdaughter.She
travelstoandfromworkinfearthathemayfindher.Herhusbandstillhas
custodyof3ofherchildrenbutsheislearningtostandupagainsther
culturalnormsandisfightingforcustodyofherchildren.Shesaysthat
sheforgiveshimforthesakeofshowingZambiantraditionthat
womencanfighttoo.(Careinternational.org)

Transition:IwillnowtalkaboutChildmarriage.

IV. Childmarriageistheunionoftwoindividualsbeforeoneofthemisovertheage
of18.AccordingtoUnicef,eachyear,15milliongirlsaremarriedbeforetheage
of18thatis28girlseveryminute.(UNICEF)
a. Unicefdatareleasedin2014showsthatmorethan700millionwomen
alivetodayweremarriedaschildren.
b. Beingmarriedatsuchayoungagedeprivesgirlsofeducationanda
childhood.Manytimestheyarenotemotionallyorphysicallyreadytobe
married.
c. Youngergirlsaremorelikelytosufferfromchildbirthcomplicationsand
infantshaveahigherriskofbeingstillborn.(UNICEF2014)
d. AnexampleofchildmarriageliesinthestoryofTume.WhenTumeMida
was10yearsold,her25yearoldsisterwastobemarriedtoamannamed
 Dida.Hersisterdecidedtorunoffwithanothermanandgetmarried.
However,inherculture,onceafamilyhaspromisedagirlforamanto
marry,theymustcomethrough.Tumeendedupbeingthesolution.Tume
attenyearsoldwasnowmarriedtoa22yearoldman,Dida.Tumedoes
notseetheharminhersituation,sheclaimstobehappywheresheiseven
thoughsheisnowapartfromherfamily.(Careinternational.org)

Transition:Nowthatwetalkedabouttheissueofviolenceinitself,Iwillnowprovide
youwiththeUnitedNationsInternationalViolenceAgainstWomenAct(IVAWA).

V. TheInternationalViolenceAgainstWomenActof2015(H.R.1340)integrates
genderbasedviolencepreventionandresponseeffortsintoallUnitedStates
governmentprogrammingoverseasbyensuringtheU.S.hasastrategyinplace.
Thismakesendingviolenceagainstwomenandgirlsaforeignassistancepriority
fortheUnitedStates.However,thisisstillonlyabillincongressandmust
undergoalongprocessbeforeitbecomesalaw.
a. Thisactaddressesviolenceagainstwomenandgirlsbysupportinghealth,
legal,economic,education,lawenforcementandhumanitarianassistance
programming.
b. Itsupportspublicawarenessprogramstochangeattitudesthatcondone
violenceagainstwomenandgirls,aswellasmenandboys,and
emphasizescommunitybasedsolutions.
c. Itwillincreasethecosteffectivenessofforeignassistancebyinvestingin
women.
d. Buildtheeffectivenessofoverseasnongovernmentalorganizationssuch
asnonprofitsinaddressingviolenceagainstwomen.

Transition:Eventhoughthereisanactinplacejustyet,thewomensufferingeveryday
stillmatter.

Conclusion
Overall,violenceagainstwomenisntamatterthatisgoingtohaveasolutionanytime
soon.Formany,itisaculturalnorm.Manyindividualsarestillexperiencingviolence
todaybecausetheirabusersareactingonimpunity.Theinternationalviolenceagainst
womenactisnotyetineffectbutjustabill.IthasbeenintroducedintheHouseof
Representativesbutisstillintheprocessofbeingpassed.
 WorksCited

NationalStatistics.(n.d.).RetrievedApril4,16,from
http://www.ncadv.org/learn/statistics

GlobalSexTraffickingFactSheet.(n.d.).RetrievedApril06,2016,from
http://www.equalitynow.org/node/1010

Childmarriage.(n.d.).RetrievedApril06,2016,from
http://www.unicef.org/protection/57929_58008.html

SupporttheInternationalViolenceAgainstWomenAct(IVAWA).(n.d.).Retrieved
April06,2016,fromhttp://www.amnestyusa.org/ourwork/issues/womens
rights/violenceagainstwomen/internationalviolenceagainstwomenact

H.R.1340InternationalViolenceAgainstWomenActof2015

16DAYSOFACTIVISMAFRICAStoriesaboutgenderviolence.(n.d.).Retrieved
April07,2016,fromhttp://www.careinternational.org/news/storiesblogs/16daysof
activismafricastoriesaboutgenderviolence#16DaysofActivismagainstSexualand
GenderViolence,Balkans