Discrimination and Domestic Violence against Women in America Essay

Discrimination and Domestic Violence against Women in America - Essay Example Gender-based violence is global and varies from one society to another only in scope; the United States is not an exception. The United Nations Declaration on Violence against Women defines gender based violence as: â€Å"Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life" (Article 1) The scope of forms of discrimination is huge and includes, though is not limited to forced abortion, forced pregnancy, prostitution and sterilization, rape, domestic and community violence, sexual abuse of female children, sexual harassment, intimidation at work and social institutions, marital rape. All these forms can be grouped into broader sections: socio-cultural discrimination and violence, discrimination at work, and, finally, home abuse. The dramatic influence on women and society in general of any type of discrimination can hardly be overestimated, while the reasons underneath and direct course of actions to be taken are still not clear and hardly will ever be. When it comes to speaking about socio-cultural discrimination, the majority does not realize to what extent beliefs termed â€Å"culture† shape women’s lives and the understanding of the personal role in society. Cultural values rooted in unequal distribution of power between women and men limit, subordinate and discriminate female population; traditions formed for centuries become a justification for  denial of basic human rights, the principle of equality is challenged when it comes to women. Cultural discrimination that women experience in the USA can hardly be compared to India or Iraq: â€Å"Kajal Khidr was accused of adultery by her husband's family and held hostage by six family members in Iraqi Kurdistan. Kajal Khidr was tortured and mutilated; family members cut off part of her nose and told her she would be killed after the birth of her child.†Ã‚