Nearly half of Lankan women subject to violence by their partner does not seek formal help

Controlling behaviour by men has been identified as the most common form of reported violence against women in Sri Lanka by a recent national survey conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics with the technical assistance from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its regional kNOwVAWdata Initiative (supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)) and funding from the Government of Canada.

The National Survey on Violence against Women has found that controlling behaviour of male reflected the lack of agency women have to take decisions regarding their lives.

The survey covered all 25 districts in Sri Lanka and interviewed more than 2,200 women aged 15 and above. The study found that in Sri Lanka, one in five women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

In analysing women’s coping strategies when living with violence by a partner, the study found that nearly half (49.3%) of the women who experienced sexual violence by a partner did not seek formal help anywhere due to reasons such as shame, embarrassment and fear of being blamed or not being believed, and/or thinking the violence was normal or not serious enough to seek help.

It has also observed that two in every five women have experienced physical, sexual, emotional, and/or economic violence and/or controlling behaviours by a partner in their lifetime. One in every five women have experienced economic abuse by a partner in their lifetime. Measurements were based on the partner taking her earnings; refusing to provide money for household expenditure even when he had the money; prohibiting her from income generating activities.

The survey reveals that women in Sri Lanka are more than twice as likely to have experienced physical violence by a partner (17.4% of all women experienced this in their lifetime) than by a non-partner. One in every five have experienced physical and/or sexual violence since age 15 by a partner or non-partner. Close to half (49.3%) of the women who experienced sexual violence by a partner did not seek formal help anywhere. Of the women who sought help from formal services just over one third (37.3%) went to the police and around one fifth (21.6%) sought help from hospitals and health care centres.

Most women did not seek help as they did not know of available services, and feared they would not be believed; be blamed for the violence; shamed and embarrassed; and most importantly be told that it is normal and not a grave violation. More than half the women who faced violence 52.3% stated the main reason for not leaving home was they did not want to leave their children. One in every five women who experienced sexual violence by a partner told no one about it before being interviewed in this survey indicating the shame they feel within themselves to disclose violence, said a UNFPA Fact sheet on the survey.

It said that almost half of all women who had been interviewed for the purposes of the survey agreed that “a man should show he is the boss” (47.5%) and almost half agree that “a good wife obeys her husband even if she disagrees”. Two in every five women agreed with the statement that “women are obliged to have sex with their husbands when she does not feel like it.”

Women’s wellbeing could be measured by many aspects such as the access to decent employment, economic security, equal access to resources, political participation, decision making, health and personal safety. Violence against Women is one of the most pervasive human rights violations that impacts the progression and wellbeing of women and girls. This report focused on that aspect. With 52% of the population being women in Sri Lanka it is vital they are part of the development agenda. Global evidence highlights when women have the freedom to make their own choices and decisions they are able to contribute more effectively to a country’s development process. Sri Lanka has taken many measures to promote gender equality and has achieved gender parity or near parity in education and health through the introduction of free health and education services. However, many challenges remain in addressing gender equality and ensuring that women and girls can have a life of dignity and respect.