Written by: Lianna Arakelyan, guest writer
From an increasing female suicide rate to the never-ending cycle of domestic violence, women from all over the world face more than a few issues in modern society. The past year had been historic for women as more of them are serving in important posts in the government and other organizations.
Still, even with the significant recognitions and gains, women around the world face many problems given that gender equality remains elusive. Women are pillars of society as they are involved in all parts of it. However, some matters touch them more than men, causing a huge debate on what they can and cannot do.
What can be these challenges that continue to hinder women’s success? There are many, and the biggest problem perhaps is the patriarchy, particularly in politics. To this day, the perception remains that women are not capable or competent compared to male politicians, no matter their education, abilities, or experience.
Many other nations throughout the world do give women the opportunity to step into the political arena. Some countries such as India, Liberia, and the United Kingdom even had the highest office of leadership occupied by a woman. The United States is one of the countries where the patriarchy remains strong.
On the other hand, domestic violenceis one of the most alarming concerns for women. Even teen dating violence more prevalent than one would care to admit. Worse, the abuse and violence come in multiple forms – emotional, verbal, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. They continue to grow at an alarming rate across the globe. Domestic violence has a lasting negative impact on women’s health. Angola has the highest rate at 78%, while Canada is the lowest at 6%. Latvia and Denmark are the highest in Europe at 32%, while Bangladesh is the highest in Asia at 53%. The U.S., at 36%, is just 2% better than North Korea’s rate of 38%. More than half of all countries have no data, and in 13 nations, domestic violence has occurred for half of all women.
Besides violence against women, the female suicide rateis also rising. Since 1999, the suicide rates in the U.S. are up by 30%, and a significant number of them show more women and girls take their own lives than men and boys. The exact reason why the rate of female suicides is increasing is unknown, but there are theories.
One of those relates to another major issue that women face in our society – the difficulty of receiving healthcare, including for mental health. Over the past years, women’s health has been on the back burner in terms of the country’s priorities. The funding for mental healthcare has even decreased over time, while the demand continues to rise.
All other challenges and societal pressures women face also put a toll on women’s mental health, leading them to be at risk for suicide. These pressures, all of which contribute to suicide risk, include domestic violence, harassment, racism, and economic inequality. With all these issues, it is critical to put women’s health at the top of priorities our society must tackle.
**If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, there is help. You can visit the Break the Silence website at www.breakthesilencedv.org, chat with one of our helpline advocates at 855-287-1777, or send a private message through our Facebook page.
