Violence Against Women

Violence against women manifests in different forms, and in harmful practices like female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), sexual and domestic violence occurs. There are many reasons given to continue this procedure including:

1. Controlling a woman’s sexuality,
2. Initiation into womanhood, and
3. Perceived enhancement of beauty and cleanliness.

In reality, this ancient practice is a form of gender-based violence that permanently damages the bodies of young girls and women, and violates their human rights. As this practice continues, there are many countries like Sudan where the numbers still remains high.

FGM Dashboard – Sudan

In 2010, 88% of Sudanese women and girls (aged 15-49) have undergone some form of FGM.

In 2010, a survey was conducted to study the prevalence of FGM among young girls, by residence, education of mothers, ethnic group, and wealth, to capture the point in time when these girl undergo circumcision. More girls in a Rural environment (39%) has undergone FGM compared to Urban (31%). Secondary or higher education of the mothers have a larger correspondence to FGM (76%) compared to no education (20%) and primary (62%).

More information about these charts are here.

Class Differences

Many organizations like WHO (World Health Organization) aims to gather information from sub-Saharan African countries about FGM to create efforts to end this practice. Between January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2018, data collected from current Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) studies the socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with FGM among women and their daughters in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The first sample was with women (aged 15-49) whether they have experienced FGM. The second sample was with women (aged 15-49) that at least have a daughter, and whether their daughters experienced FGM.

Results: (Wealth, Education, and Age) 

• FGM among women and their daughters decreases as their wealth status increases.
• Women and their daughters with the richest wealth quintile are less likely to do FGM compared to those with the poorest wealth quintile.
• FGM decreases as the level of education increases among women and their daughters.
• Increasing age of women (aged 45-49) and their daughters are more likely to undergo FGM.
• In comparison to rural areas, women are least likely, while their daughters are more likely.

Assessment of FGM in Sudan

In a framework provided by Gray, she used her experiences living and teaching abroad in Sudan to interview educated Sudanese women about FGM. The interviews include personal experiences of these women, the issues with segregation of the sexes, and ideas of gender-based discrimination. The Sudanese social system is a patriarchy with patrilineal descent. In other words, boys and girls are separated, but girls are considered inferior and are supposed to serve and obey boys.  Among the women interviewed, Afraa depicts the socializing process brothers and sisters goes through because of separation of the sexes:

 I mean, once I had a fight with my brother and I told him, “This is none of your business; this thing is with my father.” I meant, my father is the one who talks with me about this, if it is right or… wrong. And then the father, my father [said] “that… um…, yes, he’s right, he can tell you that this thing is not right, if he … thinks so” … That’s why we are not like before. This made my brothers closer to my father and me closer to my mother (430).

Reem’s Personal Experience

Despite the efforts made to stop this practice, it’s also about the difficulty of changing a custom dating far back in history. A lot of women continue this cycle because they have personally experienced FGM, and this happened to another woman interviewed, Reem. In her narrative, the aunts in her family tricked her into having the circumcision. At six-years-old, her mother passed away, and her aunts wanted to circumcise her, but it was against her father’s wishes. A year passed, and her aunts hatched out their plan, they invited Reem to their home and take her to the doctor without her father knowing. Before visiting the doctor, her aunts prepared a big meal at their home and presented gifts like four golden bangles. Afterwards, the rest of the family came to aunt’s home and saw Reem crying from the pain. Her father called the police on her aunts, but they weren’t arrested. Reem was taken to another doctor by her father to check on her circumcision, but there was nothing else to do because what happened has already happened.

And I remember very well, how they held my arms and legs and, in… particular,  one my stomach… And the pain was terrible [Reem was not anesthetized.] He cut, just like that. Any pain after that was really nothing. And afterwards I couldn’t pee. For two days I refused. But then they said it would go into my… blood, so I thought I better go pee (433).

Reem always remember what her aunts did to her and blame them for her FGM. She prevented her little sister from going through the same process. As a result, Reem was the last girl in her intermediate family to go through FGM.

Sexual Violence & FGM

Schoolgirls in Sudan

In 2018, there was an increase in sexual and physical violence against women and children, and FGM. Nahid Jabrallah, the director of Sima Centre for the Protection of Women and Children, said the rate of FGM in Sudan is 65% while the rate of marriage for underage girls is 37%. She also personally addressed the Public Order Act, which violates the dignity of women and the Personal Status Code, which allows underage girls to be married.

FGM:

• In June 2015, legal experts demanded a national law that prohibits FGM in Sudan.
• The Sudanese government has claimed to work on this national law since 2012.
• Nearly 9/10 (88%) Sudanese women between 15-49 years old are circumcised (2010).
• The practice of female circumcision happens less among younger Sudanese women (15-19 years old).

Child Brides:

• Women rights groups and activists described marriages of underage girls as “legalised rape and a crime against childhood.”
• The Personal Status Law of 1991 (allows underage girls to be married) is still an active law.

Domestic Violence in Eastern Sudan

Violence against women is one of the major public health problems in both developed and developing countries. There are many theories to explain the reasons behind domestic violence towards women, including sociological, gender, and family system theories.

• Sociological theories: low level of education, economic vulnerability, stress and a closed social network increases the risk of domestic violence.
• Gender theory: Males are the dominant gender in some communities.
• Family system theories: communication, relationship and problem solving skills in relationships where violence occurs.

In the data about domestic violence against women in rural Uganda, there’s a correlation between domestic violence and various reproductive health problems such as no contraception and sexually transmitted diseases.

                    

A 2014 study from BMC Public Health was designed to investigate the rate and socio-demographic factors associated with domestic violence against women in eastern Sudan. The study aimed to provide the policy makers fundamental data to reduce the prevalence rate of this practice. A survey was conducted in Kassala, eastern Sudan from March 1 – June 1, 2014. Kassala has a high rate of illiteracy, child marriage and female genital mutilation. A total of 1009 women aged from 15 – 49 years old agreed to participate in the study.

Below is one of the tables showing the factors associated with physical violence against women in Eastern Sudan:

Table 3 – Factors associated with physical violence against women in Eastern Sudan using multivariable analyses, 2014

From: Domestic violence against women in Eastern Sudan