|
Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence
|
|
Sexual Violence: Introduction 1
|
|
|
|
|
World Report on Violence and Health, Krug EG et al., eds., World Health Organization (WHO),
Geneva, 2002.
For a summary of the chapter 6 on
“Sexual Violence”,
click here.
For the full text of the report, click here.
|
|
|
In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report on Violence and Health which contains a lengthy chapter on sexual violence (chapter 6). It concludes:
|
|
“Sexual violence is a serious and common publich health problem affecting millions of people each year throughout the world. It is driven by many factors operating in a range of social, cultural andeconomic contexts. At the heart of sexual violence directed against women is gender inequality.”
|
|
|
The report lists the following forms of sexual violence:
|
- Rape within marriage or dating relationships
- Rape by strangers
Systematic rape during armed conflict
- Unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment, including demanding sex in return for favors
- Sexual abuse of mentally or physically disabled people
- Sexual abuse of children
- Forced marriage or cohabitation, including the marriage of children
- Denial of the right to use contraception or to adopt other measures to protect against sexually transmitted diseases
- Forced abortion
- Violent acts against the sexual integrity of women, including female genital mutilation and obligatory inspections for virginity
- Forced prostitution and trafficking of people for the purpose of sexual exploitation
|
|
The report also states that the underlying purpose of sexual violence “is frequently the expression of power and dominance over the person assaulted”.
|
