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Congressional Research Service
Informning the IegisIative debarte since 1914
July 30, 2014
U.S. Efforts to Address Global Violence Against Women
Overview
During the past two decades, U.S. policymakers, as well as
many in the international community, have increasingly
recognized violence against women (VAW) as a significant
global health, human rights, and security issue.' Violence
against women, which includes random acts of violence as
well as sustained abuse over time, can be physical,
psychological, or sexual in nature. Many experts view it as
a symptom of the historically unequal power relationship
between men and women and maintain that over time this
imbalance has led to pervasive cultural stereotypes and
attitudes that perpetuate a cycle of violence.
There are many different types of violence perpetrated
against women, for example:
Intimate partner violence, one of the most common forms,
can include forced sex, physical violence, and
psychological abuse, such as isolation from family and
friends.
Honor killings can involve cases when women are stoned,
burned, or beaten to death, often by their own family
members, in order to preserve the family honor.
Dowry-related violence can arise when victims are attacked
or killed by in-laws for not bringing a large enough dowry
to the marriage.
Female genital cutting (FGC), a procedure that
intentionally alters female genital organs for non-medical
reasons, is a continued problem in some African and
Middle Eastern countries.
Violence against women occurs in all geographic regions,
countries, cultures, and economic classes, although some
studies have found that women in developing countries
experience higher rates of violence than those in developed
countries. A 2013 World Health Organization (WHO)
review of global data found that 35% of women worldwide
have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner
violence or non-partner sexual violence.2
' The term violence against women is often used synonymously
with gender-based violence (GBV). Violence against women
describes violence against women and girls, while gender-based
violence describes violence against an individual, regardless of
sex, because of his or her gender.
2 UN Women, Facts and Figures: Ending Violence Against
Women, and WHO, Global and Regional Estimates of Violence
against Women, 2013.
Violence against women is a key area of concern in many
humanitarian crises, armed conflict, and post-conflict
situations, where women and girls are often particularly
vulnerable. Many experts agree that current levels of
violence reported through studies and law enforcement
records underrepresent the number of actual cases.
Incidents are often not reported because of the shame
associated with being a victim, fear of reprisal, or lack of
adequate law enforcement infrastructure.
International efforts to address violence against women are
wide-ranging. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
other governments, and international organizations such as
the United Nations system implement large and small-scale
anti-VAW activities. International mechanisms, including
the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women and the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women, have also sought to
address the issue.
Administration Initiatives
President Obama and past Presidents have generally
supported efforts to combat global violence against
women-often as components of broader foreign aid
initiatives. Key implementing agencies and offices include:
* the Department of State, including the Office of
Global Women's Issues, and
* the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID), including the Office of Gender Equality
and Women's Empowerment.
The Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services,
Homeland Security, Justice, and Labor also support global
anti-VAW activities.
[Gender-based] violence ... significantly hinders the
ability of individuals to fully participate in and
contribute to their families and communities -
economically, politically, and socially. U.S. Strategy to
Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence Globally,
August 2012
The Obama Administration has expressed its commitment
to incorporating anti-VAW efforts into all aspects of U.S.
foreign policy. In August 2012, President Obama issued an
executive order to launch the multi-year U.S. Strategy to
Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally.
The Strategy calls on agencies to integrate prevention and
response into current programs; improve data collection and
analysis; and enhance existing government programs that
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