International Women’s Day highlights End the Right To Rape campaign

Marital rape is not a crime in more than 73 per cent of the world’s countries. Source: News Limited

HUSBANDS who rape their wives in 142 countries across the world, including European powerhouses Spain, Italy and Germany, will not automatically be charged with a crime. 
 
That’s the shocking finding of a UN report which details how a staggering 73 per cent of the world’s countries do not explicitly outlaw a husband raping his wife, affecting 2.6 billion women.

According to the 2011-2012 Progress of the World’s Womenreport no country in the Middle East has outlawed it, while even some western countries have failed to act.

While acknowledging the report is not new, the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) are using the staggering statistic to push its End the Right to Rape campaign as part of International Women’s Day.

IWDA spokeswoman Bettina Baldeschi told news.com.au the 73 per cent figure still stood, despite the fact that a couple of the countries had outlawed marital rape since the report was published.

 

The statistics which may shock you. Picture: International Women's Development Agency. Source: Supplied

“Regardless, we think it’s outrageous that any country in the world has failed to explicitly outlaw marital rape,” she said.

“When governments fail to do this, they contribute to the perception that rape within marriage is acceptable.

“That’s a disgrace, and that’s why we are demanding an end to impunity.”

The IWDA are asking Australians to sign the petition demanding action by telling the world that no man has the right to rape.

It will then take the petition to the UN Headquarters in New York for the global gathering of the Commission on the Status of Women in a bid to pressure all governments around the world to take action.

Ms Baldeschi said the statistic was one which still shocked her and Australia, while outlawing marital rape, was not immune to violence against women or challenges when it came to gender equality.

“One third of Australian women will have experienced violence in their lifetime,” she said.
She added the petition was just one part of the organisation’s goal to push women’s rights further and to mark what the movement had achieved.

The campaign has already garnered some movement on social media with people tweeting support under the hashtag ##EndTheRightToRape.

However, Ms Baldeschi warned there was still plenty of work to be done around the world and now was the time to take action on that.

Just this week, NSW announced it is taking action towards helping to stop domestic violence offences with the creation of the first of its kind register.

Premier Mike Baird and minister for women Pru Goward promised that, if re-elected, the state will become the first state in Australia to get a domestic violence register.

The premier said the register would help protect women against violent partners by giving women the “right to ask” authorities if they have concerns their partner has a violent history.

The end the right to rape campaign aims to pressure governments around the world to take action on violence against women. Source: News Corp Australia

 

Some of the countries where marital rape is not explicitly outlawed:

EUROPE:
Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain.

ASIA:
Indonesia, Myanmar, Nauru, PNG, Samoa, Singapore, Japan

SOUTH ASIA:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan

LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN:
Belize, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, Uruguay.

MIDDLE EAST:
None explicitly outlaw marital rape

AFRICA:
Botswana, CAR, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria.

* source: The United Nations 2011-2012 Progress of the World’s Women report

Source: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/international-womens-day-highlights-end-the-right-to-rape-campaign/story-fnq2o7dd-1227252605714