2016.03.03
A Quarter of Women Have Faced Violence: Ministry
【By Lee I-chia】
About one out of every four Taiwanese women has faced “violence” at the hands of an intimate partner, a Ministry of Health and Welfare survey showed.
The first official survey on violence against women by an intimate partner conducted by the ministry referenced method, indicators and respondents used by the UN, the EU and the WHO, gathering responses from women aged 18 to 74 who had or have an intimate partner.
The survey showed that 25 percent of respondents have faced at least one type of violence by an intimate partner, with 10.3 percent saying such incidents had occurred in the past year.
Department of Protective Services Director Chang Hsiu-yuan said that 21 percent of women have faced psychological violence — mental or emotional abuse — the most common type reported in the survey, followed by physical violence (9.8 percent), economic violence (9.6 percent), sexual violence (7.2 percent) and stalking or harassment (5.2 percent).
Chang said most of the conflicts between respondents and their intimate partners began with emotional or verbal violence — such as slander, humiliation and threats — while physical violence could occur as the relationship worsened.
Economic violence is also a common form of violence and should not be neglected, Chang said.
Examples include the assailant being the main earner, but would not give the woman money, punish her before giving her money, or force her to provide a guarantor or borrow from others.
Chang said that 42.9 percent of women aged 71 to 74 have faced violence by an intimate partner, the highest rate across the age groups, a result that needs attention as the nation’s population is aging.
Chang said some women are incapable of leaving an intimate relationship even when faced with violence because they are economically dependent.
To help women to leave a violent environment and live independently, the ministry has assisted local governments in developing shelter and housing plans, and cooperated with non-governmental organizations to help women gain employment.
The ministry said the preliminary survey results do not necessarily reflect the general situation of violence against women by an intimate partner, but are a starting point for long-term research to understand the subject and develop responsive measures to improve the situation.
[Taipei Times, 2016-03-04]
About one out of every four Taiwanese women has faced “violence” at the hands of an intimate partner, a Ministry of Health and Welfare survey showed.
The first official survey on violence against women by an intimate partner conducted by the ministry referenced method, indicators and respondents used by the UN, the EU and the WHO, gathering responses from women aged 18 to 74 who had or have an intimate partner.
The survey showed that 25 percent of respondents have faced at least one type of violence by an intimate partner, with 10.3 percent saying such incidents had occurred in the past year.
Department of Protective Services Director Chang Hsiu-yuan said that 21 percent of women have faced psychological violence — mental or emotional abuse — the most common type reported in the survey, followed by physical violence (9.8 percent), economic violence (9.6 percent), sexual violence (7.2 percent) and stalking or harassment (5.2 percent).
Chang said most of the conflicts between respondents and their intimate partners began with emotional or verbal violence — such as slander, humiliation and threats — while physical violence could occur as the relationship worsened.
Economic violence is also a common form of violence and should not be neglected, Chang said.
Examples include the assailant being the main earner, but would not give the woman money, punish her before giving her money, or force her to provide a guarantor or borrow from others.
Chang said that 42.9 percent of women aged 71 to 74 have faced violence by an intimate partner, the highest rate across the age groups, a result that needs attention as the nation’s population is aging.
Chang said some women are incapable of leaving an intimate relationship even when faced with violence because they are economically dependent.
To help women to leave a violent environment and live independently, the ministry has assisted local governments in developing shelter and housing plans, and cooperated with non-governmental organizations to help women gain employment.
The ministry said the preliminary survey results do not necessarily reflect the general situation of violence against women by an intimate partner, but are a starting point for long-term research to understand the subject and develop responsive measures to improve the situation.
[Taipei Times, 2016-03-04]
