Violence Against Women Reaches Alarming Rates
More than one in three women worldwide say they have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, according to a staggering new report presented to the United Nations General Assembly last week. The report also finds that one in 10 girls under the age of 18 was forced to have sex.
The report, which draws on data from 164 countries, came into focus last week as delegates from around the world gathered in New York to assess women's equality worldwide.
According to the report, despite progress in education, health and political spheres, violence against women remains high in countries rich and poor alike. In 2013, the World Health Organization found that 38 percent of women who are murdered are killed by their partners.
And violence against women often goes unreported. For example, a study found that in the European Union, only 14 percent of women reported their most serious episode of domestic violence to the police.
The Dart Center has a host of resources on covering sexual violence. And last year, our colleagues at WITNESS released a six-part video series to accompany their written guide "Conducting Interviews With Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence," created in consultation with Dart Center Research Director, Elana Newman.
The series, below, is broken down into six parts:
1) Getting Started – An intro to breaking the silence and what it means for survivors to share their stories.
2) Before Filming – What you should know about approaching survivors and the importance of building trust.
3) Safety & Security – Assessing risks, obtaining informed consent and protecting the identity of survivors.
4) During Filming – Asking appropriate questions and considering logistics of filming.
5) Psychology & Trauma – Being aware of the psychological effects, triggers and general impact of the experience on survivors.
6) After Filming – Now what? How do you share the final version of interview and how relationships between videographers and survivors are affected by interviews.
The full Guide to Interviewing Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: