U.S. State Dept.: "The Global Gender-Based Violence Threat"

Link here. Excerpt:

'Testimony
Catherine M. Russell
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Washington, DC
November 20, 2013

Good afternoon,

I am honored to be here with all of you to discuss the critical importance of preventing and responding to gender-based violence globally. I would like to express my appreciation to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for your commitment to promote and defend international human rights, including women’s rights.

It is fitting that we gather now to discuss these issues, as Monday marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the first of the 16 Days Campaign Against Gender Violence, which concludes on Human Rights Day, December 10. My job as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s issues is to promote the principle that advancing the status of women and girls is essential to achieving America’s diplomatic goals – that peace, security, prosperity, economic growth cannot be achieved without the full and equal participation of women, and that men and boys are important partners in this effort.

Violence against women and girls is a global epidemic. It crosses every social and economic class, ethnicity, race, religion, and education level, and transcends international borders. It takes the form of early and forced marriages, sexual violence, and traditional harmful practices, among others. Violence occurs both inside and outside the home, and often increases with instability.

For example, we see heightened levels of gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings, in refugee and displaced persons camps, and following natural disasters. The use of rape as a tactic of war is yet another egregious form of gender-based violence that disproportionately affects women and girls. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will be physically or sexually abused in her lifetime, and one in five will experience rape or attempted rape. This is unacceptable.'