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Economic violence against women. Is it getting the required
consideration?
Markhabo NAZAROVA
1
British Management University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received August 2023
Received in revised form
15 September 2023
Accepted 25 September 2023
Available online
15 October 2023
The article examines the concept of “economic violence,”
which first appeared in the
expression “economic violence” in the
late 1950s. The definition developed by the United Nations is
analyzed. Arguments are given to understand the dominance
over a woman's ability to acquire, use, and maintain financial
resources, threatening her financial stability and independence.
2181-
1415/©
2023 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-1415-vol4-iss8/S-pp203-208
This is an open access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru)
Keywords:
economic violence,
gender equality,
women empowerment,
economic opportunities,
equal opportunities.
Ayollar ustidan iqtisodiy zo‘ravonlik.
Unga tegishli tartibda
e’tibor qaratiladimi?
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar
:
iqtisodiy zoʻravonlik
,
gender tengligi,
ayollarning imkoniyatlarini
kengaytirish,
iqtisodiy imkoniyatlar,
teng imkoniyatlar.
Maqolada birinchi marta 1950-yillarning oxirida paydo
boʻlgan “iqtisodiy
zoʻravonlik” tushunchasi koʻrib chiqiladi.
Shuningdek, muallif tomonidan Birlashgan Millatlar Tashkiloti
tomonidan ishlab chiqilgan ta’rif tahlil qilinadi, jumladan,
ayolning moliyaviy barqarorligi va mustaqilligiga tahdid
soluvchi, moliyaviy resurslarni
qoʻlga kiritish, undan foydalanish
va saqlash qobiliyati ustidan hukmronlik qilish uchun dalillar
keltiriladi.
1
Lecturer, Business Department, British Management University. E-mail: marhabo_n@mail.ru
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Проблема экономического насилия в отношении
женщин: Насколько она находится в центре внимания?
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
экономическое насилие,
гендерное равенство,
расширение прав и
возможностей женщин,
экономические
возможности, равные
возможности.
В статье рассматривается понятие «экономическое
насилие», которое впервые появилось в выражении
«экономическое насилие» в конце 1950
-
х годов.
Анализируется определение, разработанное Организацией
Объединенных Наций. Приводятся аргументы в пользу
понимания доминирования над способностью женщины
приобретать, использовать и сохранять финансовые
ресурсы, угрожая ее финансовой стабильности и
независимости.
The concept of “economic violence” was first revealed from the expression economic
abuse in the late 1950s. The United Nations defined economic violence on its website as
follows: “Economic violence is said to occur when an individual denies his intimate partner
access to financial resources, typically as a form of abuse or control or in order to isolate
her or to impose other adverse consequences to her well-
being.” [1] In other words, it can
be understood as dominating a woman's capacity to acquire, utilize, and maintain financial
resources, putting her financial stability and independence at risk. This type of abuse is a
particularly potent tool for controlling, manipulating, and dominating in order to promote
dependency or financially exploit a person. The main goal of this abuse is to make the
partner totally dependent by taking control over capital and assets. Husbands or
boyfriends who have comprehensive authority over material resources, hold onto
economic means, or refuse to provide finances to female partners are considered to be
committing economic violence against women because they leave their partners
completely dependent on them for even the most basic necessities. [2] Economic violence
against women has several types. Strategies as interference at work; restricting or
preventing access to education; intentionally harassing spouse at the workplace; denying
access to financial information; limiting or stopping funds required for clothing or food;
stealing money from spouse; dominating the family economy by making unilateral
decisions of budged; deliberately destroying spouse credit card are considered as
economic abuse. Economic violence can have serious consequences on the physical,
economic, and psychological well-being of women. Moreover, it has an impact on public
health since it endangers the victim's financial stability and self-determination, makes it
more difficult for them to escape from abusive situations, and may even have a detrimental
psychological impact. Tenkorang found in his research that economic violence is
associated with anxiety and depression. Moreover, stress brought on by poverty and
having to face an unclear financial life as a consequence of financial violence has an impact
on women’s lives.
Therefore, the question is whether this particular type of violence is under
necessary attention and control.
At the global level, there are several mechanisms for protecting women's rights,
including economic. For instance, State Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (adopted in New York in 1979 by the United
Nations General Assembly) [3] are required to ensure that men and women have equal
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access to all economic, political and rights, as well as to reaffirm their commitment to basic
human rights, human dignity, and equal rights for all. Whereas, the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women adopted in December 1993 by General Assembly
resolution 48/104 recognized the need to protect women in the economic, social, political,
civil, cultural, or any other field in Article 3. At the same time, the Council of Europe
Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
(Istanbul Convention) adopted in May 2011 in Istanbul and enforced in August 2014
acknowledges gender-based violence against women as a violation of human rights and a
form of discrimination. This Convention identifies economic violence as a form of domestic
violence and provides essential steps to combat it. Prevention mechanisms consist of
regular campaigns, training on issues such as gender equality, treatment programs for
victims of domestic violence, and close collaboration with NGOs involving the private
sector and media. Protection includes accessible help centers available 24/7. The
Convention distinguishes between forms of violence against women and also includes
economic violence. Besides, the Convention entails to introduction of a number of new
crimes where they do not already exist, for example, physical and psychological violence,
stalking, and forced marriage. In addition, States Parties are obliged to ensure that culture,
mentality, and tradition is not the justification of any type of violence.
At the Central Asian level, the problem of violence against women remains acute.
According to the UN, 18% of women in the region reported having personally experienced
domestic violence and discrimination [5]. However, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
and Tajikistan have developed or are developing laws aimed at creating a safe
environment for women. Compared to other countries in the region, the law against
domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan is considered more progressive. If previously law
enforcement agencies took action only upon a statement from the victim, then with the
adoption in 2017 of the Law “On Protection from Family Violence,” they counteract
violence upon a statement from a witness of violence or a medical worker. Moreover, a
protective order is issued for three days (with the possibility of an extension for a month),
which prohibits the assailant from contacting the victim. In addition to punishment, the
law additionally requires to organization of mandatory state-sponsored correctional
programs for aggressors.
In Kazakhstan, since 1997, domestic violence has been regulated by the Criminal
Code, which provides for punishment from imprisonment up to 7 years to a fine and
community service, depending on the severity. After several reforms in 2017, certain
articles on domestic violence were decriminalized and moved from the Criminal Code to
the Code of Administrative Offenses. The number of fines for domestic crimes was reduced,
and the term of imprisonment was reduced t
o 15 days. In 2020, the Law “On the Prevention
of Domestic Violence” was updated. A number of measures to prevent domestic violence
were listed, and fines were replaced by judicial warnings. In addition, the article on the
reconciliation of the parties was returned (which makes it difficult to bring the aggressor
to justice). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prosecutor General's Office of the
Republic of Kazakhstan stated that this was done to “strengthen preventive work with
violators and simplify
the procedure for bringing the violator to justice.”
In Tajikistan, the Law “On the Prevention of Domestic Violence” has been in force
since 2013. According to the law, upon first application, the victim is issued a protective
order, sheltering the person from any violent acts for up to 15 years. days. In case of
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recurrence, the aggressor will be administratively detained for 15 days, and a fine will be
imposed for violating the requirements of the order. But, as in Kazakhstan, the law does
not criminalize domestic violence.
In Uzbekistan, the situation related to domestic violence (including economic) is
addressed in the Laws “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and
Men” and “On the Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence”. Th
e first states
that discrimination on the basis of gender is unacceptable in various fields of activities and
explains a number of provisions relating to gender equality. According to the second law,
victims of domestic violence receive assistance from law enforcement agencies, free
economic, social, psychological, medical and legal assistance in centres or through free
hotline. Women can request a protective order and report a violation of the order. The
order is issued for a period of no more than 30 days. Due to these laws, the authorities
ensure the safety of women and children from aggressors and prevent the consequences
of domestic violence. For violating the order, the assailants or oppressors face the fine or
15 days of administrative arrest. Additionally, while the warrant is in effect, the aggressor
is prohibited from possessing or carrying a civilian weapon. According to the statistics, in
2021, law enforcement agencies received 39,343 complaints about cases of pressure and
violence against women and girls. Among them, 34,330, or 87%, were committed within
the family. During the study of appeals, 106 cases of sexual, 234 cases of economic, 18,777
cases of psychological, 13,658 cases of physical violence, as well as 7,174 cases of pressure
were identified. [6] These statistics once again emphasized that the economic form of
violence against women is recognized by law and there is a mechanism for protection. At
least when women face this type of violence, they can seek protection by referring to this
law.
Importantly, on March 23rd of the current year, deputies approved the
criminalization of domestic violence in Uzbekistan. The bill was developed by the Ministry
of Justice and a working group under the Senate, which included representatives of civil
society, the media, and bloggers. Saida Mirziyoyeva, a member of the Commission for
Gender Equality of Uzbekistan, welcomed the adoption of the law. “Domestic violence has
been transferred to the category of criminal offenses, penalties for economic and
psychological violence [7], as well as for violence against minors, have been increased. I
consider this a victory for civil society and activists. A victory for common sense and
justice,”
- she wrote.
Despite all changes and implementation of protection, the current situation remains
tense. The dominance of patriarchal values in the country, both among aggressors and
among women themselves, is a huge obstacle in resolving the issue of gender-based
violence. From childhood, girls are raised to be submissive and obedient, preparing for the
role of a future wife, whose task is to do household chores. In addition, there is
discrimination against girls in access to education by their relatives. As a result, this leads
to women having fewer chances to participate in the economic life of society and having a
low level of education. Such women become socially and economically dependent on their
future husbands or partners. The concern is that the victim is often subjected to pressure
primarily from their relatives, who blame the victim herself [8]. In addition, the woman is
forced to agree to the terms of the aggressor or his relatives, who seek to resolve the
conflict “among themselves and without the intervention of outsiders.” In such situations,
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the rapist often marries his victim. Thus, he avoids punishment but does not stop
aggression towards the “wife” in the family.
The most vulnerable are widows, immigrants, divorced women, women from
socially vulnerable groups, and women with disabilities. They are more likely to be judged
by others [10] and discriminated against in the workplace. There are also frequent cases
when law enforcement officers do not open cases and explain that violence between
partners is a f
amily matter and there is no need to “wash dirty linen in public.” An
additional barrier to preventing violence is the lack of motivation among law enforcement
officials [9] to resolve cases. Thus, police officers often try to reconcile the victim with the
aggressor, so as not to open [11] a case at the stage of filing an application or not to close
it before going to court. The reason, according to experts, is often low salaries and a
reluctance to increase the number of new cases.
Therefore, in the government's efforts to involve men and boys in promoting and
achieving gender equality, women themselves, girls, and more than 300 women's
organizations take an active part, among which the most numerous are the Women's
Committee of Uzbekistan, the internationa
l women's public fund “Sharq Ayoli”, the
Association of Business Women of Uzbekistan “Tadbirkor ayol”. Since 2016, the Women's
Committee of Uzbekistan has been in contact with the EECA online MenEngage Platform
(Platform for the Engagement of Men and Boys in Gender Programs in Eastern Europe and
Central Asia Region) together with the United Nations Regional Population Office (UNFPA)
in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This Platform conducts webinars on various topics
aimed at developing active and responsible fatherhood, demonstrating the benefits of
active fatherhood for the formation of a child’s personality. In addition, the platform
provides information on the experience of EECA countries in engaging boys and men.
Recommendations
•
Taking into account all positive changes in the country, there are particular
recommendations for further improvement of women’s rights and equal access to
education, namely:
•
To introduce a compulsory subject or compulsory hours on human rights at
schools from the first grade, where children will be taught the basic rights to integrity of
honor and dignity.
•
To conduct explanatory work with parents about raising children, about their
role in society, not limited to gender-prescribed roles (cooking, washing, cleaning). Every
person, regardless of gender, has the right to receive an education, build a career,
professional development, etc.
•
To organize training and seminars for journalists on the ethics of publishing
materials in the media on the topic of violence, including recognizing the language of
victim-blaming (shifting responsibility onto the victim).
•
Only by raising the topic of equal rights, education, dignity, and respect from
an early age, and ingraining it in the brains, results can be achieved.
REFERENCES:
1. The United Nations ESCWA, The term of Economic Violence, available from
https://www.unescwa.org/sd-glossary/economic-violence
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2. Werwie TR, Hildon ZJ, Camara AD, Mbengue OK, Vondrasek C, Mbaye M, et al.
Gender-based violence: connections from a community perspective. Journal of Family
Violence. 2019;34(8):769
–
80.
3. Tenkorang EY, Owusu AY. Does economic abuse affect the health outcomes of
women? Health Education & Behavior. 2019;46(2):340
–
8. pmid:30304953
4. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women New York, 18 December 1979,
available
from
https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-
mechanisms/instruments/convention-elimination-all-forms-discrimination-against-
women
5. UNESCO CLEARINGHOUSE ON GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION, Apceiu, 2021
available from https://www.gcedclearinghouse.org/resources/combating-violence-
against-women-central-asia-new-laws-old-practices
6.
АОКАда ИИВ Ҳуқуқбузарликлар профилактикаси хизмати бошлиғи
ўринбосари, полковник Умида Абдуллаева, Оила ва хотин
-
қизлар давлат қўмитаси
бошқарма бошлиғи Баҳодиржон Қаҳҳоров, Бош прокуратура бўлим бошлиғи Ўктам
Ўтаев иштирокида ўтказилган матбуот анжуманида маълум қилинди.
7. Achilova, L. (2023). GENDER AND ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY: LEGAL
ASPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION. Science and
innovation, 2(C8), 30-35.
8. Achilova, L. (2020). Genesis of sources of legal regulation of relations in the
provision of hotel services. Результаты научных исследований в условиях пандемии
(COVID-19), 1(06), 101-106.
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Ачилова, Л. И. (2023, July). ЭМОЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ ИНТЕЛЛЕКТ, КАК ОСНОВА
ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ УСПЕШНОСТИ. In Past and Future of Medicine: International
Scientific and Practical Conference (Vol. 2, pp. 72-76).
10.
Khalikov, S., Liu, W., Turaeva, M., & Achilova, L. (2021). Uzbekistan’s
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industry. The Open Transportation Journal, 15(1).
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Ruzinazarov, S., & Achilova, L. (2017). Actual issues of improving legislation
on commitments causes of harm. Review of law sciences, 1(1), 21.
