Family Violence Against Women in Thesis

Komisi Nasional Anti-Kekerasan Terhadap Perempuan - KNAKTP

National Commission on Violence Against Women addresses policy reform at the national level, which may or may not prove to be effective in Cambodia, depending on officials leading government. (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) Findings from the survey reported by Knight (2006) stress that the challenge "to establish and implement a culture-sensitive standard of justice," is at times difficult. Forum Pemerhati Masalah Perempuan - FPMP, which focusing on raising awareness in a rural area (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) could benefit Cambodia, provided the awareness includes relating feasible solutions. Malaysia's efforts include All Women's Action Society (AWAM), Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) and Women's Crisis Centre (WCC) in its campaign against domestic violence (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) may not be as effective in Cambodia, due to potential noted delays and challenges experiences in Malaysia.

Service Oriented

In Indonesia, Gerakan Anti-Kekerasan Terhadap Perempuan Indonesia - GAKTPI, Anti-Violence Against Indonesian Women's Movement Women's Journal Foundation, works to create networks of services for abused women, (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) which could prove to be a positive effort in Cambodia. Kongres Wanita Indonesia - KOWANI, Indonesian Women's Congress, attempts to prevent VAW by teaching women self-defense, could also be effective. In Malaysia, One-Stop Crisis Centers at Government Hospitals include: All Women's Action Society (AWAM); National Council of Women's Organisations (NCWO); Women's Aid Organisation (WAO); Women's Crisis Centre (WCC). Female survivors of domestic violence can obtain medical attention during their crisis periods, as well as, protection, a safe place to stay, emotional support, counseling, and legal assistance. (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) These type services, available in one place, could prove effective in the Cambodian context, as well, to family violence survivors needing help and not knowing where to go.

Behavior Focused

Flower Aceh utilizes economic empowerment to prevent VAW (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) and appears to have potential to be an effective tool in the Cambodian context, as the study by Yount and Carrera (2006) links economics to relate to family violence.

In Cambodia, the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC); Agir pour le Femmes en Situation Precaire (AFESIP); Young Women's Crisis Center (YWCC); Cambodian Center for Protection of Children's Rights (CCPCR) all provide rehabilitation services for victims and their families. As the majority of domestic violence victims are reportedly illiterate, lack skills, possess low self-esteem or are unemployed, they may continue to remain in their abusive circumstances unless they receive to rehabilitate themselves. These organizations help women develop skills to can earn an income. (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008) These type programs appear to definitely offer strategies that could prove effective in the Cambodian context. The Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC), which provide counseling for victims and perpetrators, implementing a unique approach in domestic violence cases, as staff counsel all the parties involved in family abuse. (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008)

One success story CWCC relates reflects the potential for changing behaviors, while helping save a family:

woman came to the CWCC shelter after escaping from her husband who drank heavily, raped her, beat her and her children, and never helped with the housework. She wanted help to change her husband, so CWCC gave him counselling to identify the problem and possible solutions.After individual and couple counselling, the couple signed a contract in which they agreed to reunite, and the husband promised to stop beating his wife and to help with the housework. The local authorities witnessed the contract, and agreed to monitor it and take appropriate measures if the husband broke it. In follow-up visits, the neighbours advised that the husband has totally changed, and the couple is now living happily together. (Organizations Addressing VAW, 2008)

This unique strategy could also prove to be effective in the Cambodian context, as the victim and the abuser both receive help to address and change their harmful behaviors. Current and future considerations to counter family violence in Cambodia and other parts of the world, this researcher contends, need to first shed light on the past darkness that contributed to family abuse: "...due to low levels of education, lack of knowledge regarding their [domestic violence victims'] rights, and poor access to legal assistance" ("Women's Anti-Discrimination...." 2006), or for whatever reasons. When light exposes the darkness, then those in and/or outside the hurtful situations can begin to see what needs to be done to counter this cruel problem. In turn, strategies proven to work to encourage change in other South East Asian countries, can be replicated to begin the healing process in Cambodia where families hurt the most when abuse is given full reign...in the home.

South-East Asia, which covers approximately 4,100,000 square kilometers, includes the countries: http://sunsite.nus.sg/SEAlinks/brunei-info.html" Brunei,

Burma,

Cambodia,

Indonesia,

Laos,

Malaysia,

Philippines,

Singapore,

Thailand, and Vietnam. The following figure (1) depicts these areas. http://sunsite.nus.sg/SEAlinks/maps/sea_map.gif

Figure 1: South East Asia Countries (South East Asia Information, N.d.)

Works Cited

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International Statistics on Violence Against Women. (N.d.). Domestic Abuse Shelter of the Florida Keys. 4 June 2008 http://www.domesticabuseshelter.org/InfoDomesticViolence.htm#intstatistics.

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Organizations Addressing VAW. (2008). 4 June 2008 http://www.hotpeachpages.net/asia/asia1.html.

South East Asia Information. (N.d.). SunSITE. 4 June 2008. http://sunsite.nus.sg/asiasvc.html.

Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee Considers Cambodia's Report; 'Code of Conduct', Trafficking, Quotas Among Issues Addressed." U.S. Fed News Service, Including U.S. State News, January 19, 2006. 4 June 2008 http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3984079031.html.

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Yount, Kathryn M.;Carrera, Jennifer S.. "Domestic violence against married women in Cambodia.," Social Forces, September 1, 2006. 4 June 2008 http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152373429.html......