NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

So what is the message that these women wish to share? How can Aide et Action and New Humanity respond to the issues raised?

The issues shared by these women upset the project team, such that a forum was organized and conducted on 3-4 December 2009. Three hundred and fifty men and women, parents, some school directors and youth, commune and village leaders from 14 schools gathered together in three different locations for the forum. A resource person from LICADHO (Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights) based in Kampong Chhnang was invited to discuss the topic in detail and the ill effects of domestic violence on families, community and society.

The forum was meant to be informative and educational at the same time. Domestic violence was presented and discussed as a community issue, a prevailing experience and a reality, and not simply a family issue. In the first place, it was verbalized by the women participating in the parenting education meetings. Experiences from everyday life were shared. The village leaders and the school directors supported this activity, by campaigning for more attendance to the forum especially by the men. During the forum itself, the village leaders welcomed everyone to formally participate in the activity and encouraged all present to listen. A question and answer at the end allowed them to bring-up their concerns for the resource person to clarify on their question such as: if the husband leaves the wife and the children for another woman, is it domestic violence.

 

In the Cambodian context, there are four types of domestic violence: physical, psychological, economic and sexual. All research relating to domestic violence in Cambodia indicates that this is a widespread phenomenon. However, beating is the most common form, followed by jealousy and favoritism among family members. On the other hand, abandonment and neglect of parental responsibilities compounded by multiple extra marital relationships can prompt either the husband or the wife to abandon their family. Having two wives at the same time seemingly is common and accepted in the village, though it may eventually lead to the perpetuation of more forms of violence within the family. Small children seek support from old and poor grandparents and other relatives in the neighborhood. It is clear that traditional norms, such as the wife’s duty to be subservient to her husband, contribute significantly to domestic violence in Cambodia.

The 2005 Cambodian Law on the prevention of domestic violence and protection of victims defines the legal and judicial processes and responsibilities for eradicating the phenomenon. However, even though the women are aware that domestic violence is a human rights violation and against the law, domestic violence can often go unreported. There is a thinking that wife beating is a private affair and when reported, the family reputation is at stake. The social stigma associated with divorce can also lead to domestic violence remaining unpunished. In certain cases, the fear is that the police will take away the husband who is the breadwinner of the family. In general, women are socialized to accept domestic violence and remain silent about it.

Significant issues relating to abandonment as a form of domestic violence can be interpreted as resulting from a mix of pressures and stresses on the family including poverty, social values disrupted by political instability and war, and a lack of understanding of parental role and responsibilities. On the other hand, favoritism among children is an indication of domestic violence in a sense that this develops psychological and emotional disturbances in children. As a result, sibling rivalry comes into play. To a large extent these issues contradicts our goal of strengthening the family relationships and enhancing family dynamics.

At the end of the day, one simple question that each one reflected on before leaving the forum was:
Is this the kind of situation we envision for Cambodian families?
And one piece of advice was: please share this with your family members, especially to the man of the house.

 

 

Purisima Gonzalez