International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Today is the international day for the elimination of violence against women. The UN gives us the following harrowing statistics:

• 35% of women and girls globally experience some form of physical and or sexual violence in their lifetime with up to seven in ten women facing this abuse in some countries. 

• It is estimated that up to 30 million girls under the age of 15 remain at risk from FGM/C, and more than 130 million girls and women have undergone the procedure worldwide. 

• Worldwide, more than 700 million women alive today were married as children, 250 million of whom were married before the age of 15. Girls who marry before the age of 18 are less likely to complete their education and more likely to experience domestic violence and complications in childbirth.

In Britain the charity shelter notes the following( NOTE: domestic abuse against men also occurs and this is equally unacceptable) :

• Metropolitan Police statistics show that male violence against women made up 85% of reported domestic violence incidents

• A 2009 study based on police reports, which accounted for the dynamics of domestic violence, found that only 5% of domestic violence incidents were perpetrated by women in heterosexual relationships

• Domestic violence is patterned, repeated behaviour intended to assert power and control over the victim. Of those who experience 4 or more incidents of domestic violence, 89% are women

• Four times as many women as men are killed by a current or former partner.

• Two women a week are killed as a result of domestic violence in England and Wales

So I think it's perfectly laudable that there is a day to raise awareness of these issues within our society,including our particular Jewish community. Yes it is true that Jewish women also suffer from domestic abuse and this is in NO WAY condoned in our religion. Jewish law expressly forbids personal violence and requires commitment to shalom bayit, a happy and peaceful family life. Jewish men who commit domestic violence, are destroying shalom bayit and breaking Jewish law.

Here are some Jewish sources in relation to this : 

• 'Do not stand idly by and see your neighbour’s blood spilled' – Leviticus 19:16

• 'A husband should love his wife as much as he does himself and should respect her even more than he respects himself' – Gemara Yevamot 62b

• 'Maintaining the dignity of a person is so great that it may override halacha' – Gemara Brachot 19b

• 'A man who strikes his wife commits a sin, just as if he were to strike anyone else' - Rama, Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 154:3

We need to be unequivocally supportive of those who've and those who are suffering from these abuses & not to treat them as taboos. Here's a link to the charity I've just mentioned so people can  familiarise themselves with the issues and become more aware of how to help or if you need help to go to a website like the ones below (Please!) :

Jewish women's aid

Refuge