vaw in the phil

Violence against women is a significant public health problem, as well as a fundamental violation of women’s human rights. Physical or sexual violence affects more than one third of all women globally according to a new report released by World Health Organization (WHO). Some 35% of all women will experience either intimate partner or non-partner violence. The study finds that intimate partner violence is the most common type of violence against women, affecting 30% of women worldwide. The findings confirm the fact that intimate partner violence is a major contributor to women’s mental health problems, particularly depression and suicidality, as well as to sexual and reproductive health problems, including maternal health and neonatal health problems.
In the Philippines, Violence against women (VAW) is a serious problem. Quoting the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office, De-partment of Social Welfare and Development confirmed that one out of five women, aged 15-49, has experienced physical violence, 14.4 percent of married women have experienced physical abuse from their husbands; 37 percent of separated or widowed women have experienced physical violence. VAW has turned into a pervasive human rights violation. It violates the fundamental freedom of women and impedes the development of their full potential. (DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman).
Violence against women throughout their life cycle is a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations between women and men. It is perpetuated by traditional and customary practices that accord women lower status in the family, workplace, community and society (United Nation (2010) The World Women 2010: Trends and Statistics). This imbalance in power relationship between women and men often means that men are influenced by their notions of masculinity, including the use of and acceptance of violence in various aspects of his life includ-ing within the context of