Topic > Georgia and the Rise of Domestic Violence

“Young men must show women the respect they deserve, recognize sexual violence and do their part to stop it.” — Barack Obama Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Republic of Georgia is a small country that borders two continents; Europe and Asia. This melting pot that unites various cultures predominantly practices Orthodox Christianity, and is populated by approximately 3.8 million people. More than a thousand civilians living there are victims of domestic violence in Georgia, much of it “fueled by jealousy and alcohol” (agenda.ge). Most perpetrators of violence are men, with only 100 female abusers for every 1,000 men over a seven-year period. The highest number of cases per capita was recorded in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. “According to the Georgia Public Defender's Office, in 2014, 34 women were killed, for a small country with only 3 million people, a remarkably high number. There is clear anti-female prejudice in this country; this unfair treatment of women has resulted in a higher than average number of deaths for a specific gender. Although Georgia is taking steps to combat the problem, “crime continues to be a concern despite the establishment of professional law enforcement and active law enforcement.” According to official statistics, criminal cases decreased by 5% in 2015 compared to 2014. However, crimes related to domestic violence and financial crimes increased in 2015.' There is a disproportionately high amount of aggression towards women in this country; many of the problems are caused by the cultural climate of the region. There are many factors that cause domestic violence in Georgia. According to a reputable government source, "From the total number of incidents of violence, 459 cases were incidents of physical violence, 799 psychological, 75 economic, 9 sexual, 83 forced and 14 other." This shows the varying amounts of violence that occur in this country. However, one of the main reasons is their culture's deeply rooted ties to the beliefs and practices of Orthodox Christianity. For example, sex before marriage is considered a grave sin, so if a girl is pregnant, there is a high probability that she will be forced into marriage, which leads to many children having to mature at an early age. Having to deal with so many problems at that age, such as: financial problems, relationship conflicts, and all the other challenges that come with forced adulthood, can lead many to suffer serious long-term psychological consequences. Despite domestic violence being a major crime in Georgia, not much is done to help women who are stuck in abusive relationships. “When 22-year-old model Salome Jorbenadze phoned police earlier this year in the western town of Zugdidi, she hoped to receive protection against her abusive ex-husband. But all she got was a lecture from two female police officers on what a woman should do to calm down a bitter ex, a source close to the case told EurasiaNet.org. Jorbenadze continued to file a complaint with an internal police oversight agency. But no restraining order has been issued against her ex-husband, Sergi Satseradze, a police officer. He subsequently killed Jorbenadze in a crowded park in Zugdidi on 25 July. The problem of violence against women has plagued the region for years and has only gotten worse. The lack of abundant resources dedicated to this crime has only served to inhibit women from seeking help. Unfortunately, in these cases the violence is so ingrained in the culture that theMost people don't think this is wrong. The women respect these stereotypes and act accordingly to follow the cultural norms clearly seen in the conversation between the two policewomen and the abused person. Misogynistic views helping such communities negatively impact the ability to come up with a plan to improve this problem. In an effort to understand this ongoing problem, Ms. Dubravka šimonović, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, took a trip to various regions of Georgia to understand the increasing rate of domestic violence among people in this area . To find the consequences and causes, she held short sessions with several women survivors of domestic violence to evaluate different situations. The Rapporteur “has instructed all Member States of the United Nations to establish a monitoring of “femicides” or “gender-related homicides” in each Member State, including Georgia, and this will be published annually on November 25, international organization for the elimination of violence against women. , the number of femicides or gender-motivated murders of women each year, disaggregated by age and sex of the offenders, as well as the relationship between the offender and the victim or victims." Simonović further decided that all information on prosecution and punishment should also be collected and published, the number of offenders should be collected and published, and “based on this information, each case of femicide should be carefully analyzed to identify any gaps in protection with a view to improving and developing further preventive measures.” His first major finding was about cases of child marriage. He discusses how child marriage is often the result of fear of abduction of girls which usually leads to arrangements such as child marriage rural, the vast majority of girls get married before the age of 18 or even 16. As a consequence of their marriage, they drop out of school.” This would be considered a serious taboo in many Western countries, such as the United States, where support for laws against child marriage and the “no child left behind” law stipulates that all children should have equal opportunities in education. It is clear that places like Georgia lack policies to enforce such practices. Unfortunately, cultural values ​​are heavily weighted in this rural area, causing a big difference in how men and women are represented socially. Social stigma against women is the root cause of their oppression. Even though women in this country can drive, vote and get an education, there is still a huge gap between males and females and their way of life. Domestic violence is a big problem in Georgia because rigid cultural values ​​do not allow many to escape forced marriages. “These girls are extremely vulnerable to violence and do not have the economic independence to leave their abusers and strict law enforcement would be required,” says Ms. šimonović reviewing the multiple cases discussed with her. It also claims that, as a popular way to make money in poorer regions, many result in sex-selective abortions. According to a government source, “From 2000 to 2012 the number of registered abortions increased almost 3 times, 94% of all abortions are registered in the 20-44 age group.” Despite the cultural connotations of these practices, there is a larger player involved in this issue and that is the lack of a government entity to support the ban on this ongoing ritual. Of course, divorce is more culturally accepted todaycompared to years ago, however, the escalation of violence exercised in recent years has become a way to force people to stay together. Hope, however, is not lost: “In recent years, disclosure of domestic violence cases has increased dramatically in Georgia. According to the Ministry of the Interior of Georgia, it even doubled in 2015, while the number of restrictive orders issued increased from 227 in 2013 to 2,598 in 2015.” Georgians are starting to take the situation seriously and women are gaining more power. “Women who suffer are now seeking help more frequently than in the past. For example, in Tbilisi, the “112” emergency management center received 5,447 calls related to internal conflicts in 2013. Of these calls, 212 cases led to the issuance of restraining orders. While in 2014 the toll-free number "112" received over 10,000 calls for domestic violence resulting in 817 restraining orders. However, there is no information on how the other cases were dealt with. "According to a well-known Georgian source, these statistics seem too high for the government to understand and believe that there will soon be a change in rules and regulations. This change is “largely attributed to a significant change in public attitudes towards domestic violence: this problem was perceived as a “family issue” (78.3% in 2009), where victims or their relatives were reluctant to report it to the relevant agencies, even in rather extreme cases, but this attitude has now changed that the largest number of cases per capita were recorded in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, there was essentially a push to establish rules governing such criminal acts of violence. The 2012 Georgian Criminal Code requires that there be severe prosecution for domestic violence. According to this source, "last year, the Ministry of the Interior initiated criminal proceedings against 310 people for committing domestic violence." Not only has the government taken the first steps, but it has also urged Georgian citizens to take the initiative and call the police if they see or witness any form of domestic abuse or if they feel violated in any way. Not only is the government establishing new rules, but Georgian women feel they can take responsibility for helping the cause. Georgian women are starting to take the initiative and seek protection for themselves and their families. More people are turning to domestic abuse centers than before; “The annual number of residents in these reception centers – located in the capital, Tbilisi, and the regional cities of Batumi, Gori and Sighnaghi – has more than quadrupled from 2010-2015 to 188. Currently, around 108 women and children live in the facilities "(eurasia.net). A large number of people are realizing that they deserve freedom and that they should not be forced to suffer in an abusive situation. Women in Georgia are beginning to understand that they have to put their lives and that of their children above their own sense of pride and cultural obligation. Seeking help in these programs is attractive because they offer a variety of services to help women get back on their feet, separate from their husbands, and become independent who turn to a state-run shelter are entitled to receive psychological counseling, as well as legal and medical assistance. They also have access to employment counseling.” The Georgian government has finally started to take this crime seriously and has implemented radical changes in how these matters are handled. Since around 2008, the Home Office has been tasked with enforcing a multitude of.