By: Staff Writer
November 17, Colombo (LNW): Domestic violence (DV), Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), and other forms of gender-based abuse remain a serious social issue in Sri Lanka.
These incidents, apart from police reports, studies, and documentation, underline the inertness of successive governments to contain the crisis. Each year, the Bureau for Prevention of Abuse on Women and Children receives complaints of gender-based violence ranging from 120,000 to 130,000.
Thirteen women have so far died from injuries related to domestic violence this year alone, a situation that continues to spotlight the essential role organizations such as Women in Need (WIN) play in supporting victims.
However, WIN would assert that this is an issue that requires a far more robust and coordinated response from the government if a long-term solution is to be identified.
Rising Intensity in Domestic Violence
Those advocating for the rights of women say incidents of domestic violence are getting more brutal with time. According to WIN’s Executive Director, Savitri Wijesekara, substance abuse such as alcohol consumption, and increasingly crystal methamphetamine use, is contributing to the recent escalation of violence.
Many victims come for assistance with serious injuries including cuts and burns, she said. The centre offers a range of assistance from counseling to legal advice and even emergency shelter.
It operates four shelters that offer immediate shelter to women and children, in addition to food, medical services, transportation, and other needs. WIN does its best, but the strains of growing demand-its Colombo shelter is now full-and sometimes the only thing it can do is to relocate entire families for safety.
Wijesekara asserts that the burden borne by service providers like WIN, as well as that borne by the women and children themselves, has not been recognized sufficiently by the authorities.
Legal Challenges Faced by Victims
Aside from safe houses, WIN offers a number of other critical services, such as psychological counseling, legal aid, a 24-hour hotline, and the 2six4 mobile app.
WIN’s legal unit assists victims through court cases and frequently files for protection orders under the 2005 Prevention of Domestic Violence Act.
However, Mariam Mohamed, the Legal and Programme Manager with WIN, also brought to light various challenges that victims faced in the courts.
Whereas, for example, the Act provides a procedure for granting immediate relief for victims through evidence, many courts use preconditions before issuing protection orders, requiring previous complaints with the police, which the law does not require. This can delay protections needed by victims.
New Initiatives and Solutions
Against the ever-rising cases of domestic violence, WIN is advocating for an expanded national response. Next year, it intends to conduct a National Gender Summit that brings together policymakers and the judiciary to highlight priorities and agree on actionable solutions based on community feedback.
The WIN Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Forums operate at its regional centers in Colombo, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Badulla, and Ratnapura. It brings together stakeholders at the district level, including government agencies, police, hospitals, District WDOs, and NGOs, who hold monthly meetings of the forums to discuss and find solutions to local problems and challenges.
Such activities by WIN raise the issue of gender-based violence to a national level, putting demands for systemic change and enhanced protection measures for victims in place. The work unveils the urgent need for a coordinated fight against domestic violence and how important it is for the government to be involved in the process of creating long-term solutions.
