Violence against women (VAW) is one of the most widespread and toxic human rights violations in the world. It takes a wide variety of forms from domestic violence to rape to female genital mutilation. Domestic violence alone costs the world 9.5 trillion dollars each year in economic loss. As eradicating VAW means dismantling the stubbornly entrenched patriarchal system which maintains the toxic masculinity, sexism, misogyny, and male pattern violence that perpetuates gender-based violence, progress in eradicating VAW is invariably difficult, painfully slow and frequently endangers changemakers (usually women) themselves.
In 2024, anti-VAW advocates and activists continue to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic dealt decades of efforts to combat VAW a crushing setback triggered by what UN Women dubbed the “shadow pandemic of violence against women”; the number of domestic violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation and femicide cases stubbornly remain much higher than the already devastating pre-pandemic numbers.
However, even in the midst of all this bleakness, anti-violence against women activists and advocates, individuals, communities and nonprofits/charities are continuing to fight for the right of women and girls to live their lives free of gender-based violence. Europe has been particularly active on this front with the introduction of new domestic violence laws, the overhauling of existing legislation on violence against women and girls (including the definition of consent in rape laws), and the recognition of femicide as a crime. Asia has also been making strides with a number of firsts, including a professor being speedily fired for sexually harassing a student in China, South Korea recognising misogyny as a hate crime, the first anti-rape crisis cell set up in Pakistan, and the death penalty for rapist-murderers in India. In the Americas, Mexico City made transfemicide a crime and the Supreme Court in the U.S. upheld legislation banning abusers from access to firearms. So no matter how brutal 2024 continues to be for women and girls, progress continues to be made to eradicate the violence in the long run.
In the spirit of the defiance, strength and determination of these fierce activists and advocates worldwide, we bring you 16 pieces of positive news of significant progress and breakthroughs in the global battle against VAW in 2024. The road to ending VAW permanently may be a long and winding one, but these milestones show that we’re on the right track. We just have to remember that it takes all of us to get it done.
It’s time to stop violence against women. Together.
Introduction by Regina Yau. Researched, compiled, and written by Regina Yau.
Inspired to support The Pixel Project’s anti-violence against women work? Make a donation to us today OR buy a copy of our 1st poetry collection, UNDER HER EYE. All donations and net proceeds from book sales go towards supporting our campaigns, programmes, and initiatives.
Positive Tidings #1: Professor Fired for Abusing a Female Student in Rare Win for China’s #MeToo Movement – China
On 21 July 2024, Wang Di, a doctoral student at Renmin University in Beijing posted a video on Chinese social media accusing her Ph.D supervisor Wang Guiyuan of sexually, physically and verbally harassing her over the course of 2 years. The video had over 110 million views and 2 million likes, and garnered an outpouring of supportive comments. Within a day, the university announced that it had investigated the case and fired the professor. This caused shockwaves throughout China because public allegations of sexual harassment are very rare in the country and the swift punishment of the perpetrator is even rarer given that only 8% of sexual harassment lawsuits are cases in which a victim is suing a perpetrator. It is also extremely tough for victims to get justice because sexual harassment cases in China often require “smoking gun” evidence such as audio or video recordings of the alleged abuse and many more abusers file defamation suits against victims.
Positive Tidings #2: Australia’s First Coercive Control Laws Come into Force to Stem Tide of Domestic Violence – Australia
On 1 July 2024, Australia’s first law making coercive control a criminal act came into force in New South Wales (NSW). Under Section 54D of NSW’s Crimes Act 1900, coercive conduct and abusive behaviour against intimate partners will carry a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment upon conviction. This legislation, which is the first stand-alone offence of coercive control in the country, kicks into gear at a point where 38 women have been killed in Australia by men charged or convicted of this form of abuse, according to anti-VAW organisation Counting Dead Women. The NSW Domestic Violence Deaths Review team found that 97% of intimate partner homicides in NSW from 2000 to 2018 were linked to coercive control.
Positive Tidings #3: A Man is Convicted in a ‘Landmark’ Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Conspiracy Case – United Kingdom
In a landmark case in the UK’s battle against female genital mutilation (FGM), the Nottingham Crown Court ruled that Emad Kaky, a former PhD student, was guilty of conspiring to commit female genital mutilation (FGM). Kaky had arranged for a young girl to travel from the UK to Iraq, where she would have been subjected to FGM and also forced into marriage. The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the FGM conviction was the first of its kind in England and Wales. Kaky’s plans were thwarted by a witness who had arranged for the girl to return to the UK, and who reported him to the police. On 3 October 2024, Kaky was sentenced to jail for 4 and a half years for his offences.
Positive Tidings #4: The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds a Gun Control Law Intended to Protect Domestic Violence Victims – United States of America
In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 8-1 in favour of upholding a ban on firearms for people who are under restraining orders to stay away from their spouses or partners. This federal gun control law had been created in 1994 to protect victims of domestic violence. In doing so, the justices reversed a ruling from the federal appeals court in New Orleans that had struck down the law. President Joe Biden stated in response to this ruling: “No one who has been abused should have to worry about their abuser getting a gun. As a result of today’s ruling, survivors of domestic violence and their families will still be able to count on critical protections, just as they have for the past three decades.”
Positive Tidings #5: In a Historic Step, Dutch Law Adopts Consent-based Definition of Rape – The Netherlands
In March 2024, the Senate of the Netherlands made the historic vote to introduce a consent-based definition of rape into the country’s Sexual Offences Act. In doing so, the Netherlands became the seventeenth country out of 31 European nations to legally recognise that sex without consent is rape. This law took effect on 1 July 2024. In tandem with the launch of the new law, the Dutch government kicked off a multi-week national campaign on TV, radio and social media to explain the implications of the new law. Dagmar Oudshoorn, Director of Amnesty International Netherlands, stated: “The passing of this bill into law is a historic step. It is a long-awaited victory for survivors of sexual violence and a testament to years of tireless campaigning by activists and survivor groups.”
Positive Tidings #6: Transfemicide Becomes a Crime in Mexico City – Mexico
In July 2024, Mexico City passed a landmark law that makes transfemicide a crime with a 70-year prison sentence. The law, which was named in honour of trans sex worker Paola Buenrostro, who was brutally murdered in 2016, was passed almost unanimously in the state congress. Mexico has long been one of Latin America’s deadliest countries for trans people and Mexico City is the second of the country’s 32 states to criminalise transfemicide. Earlier in 2024, Nayarit, a small state on the Pacific coast, introduced sentences of up to 60 years for the crime. Trans activist Kenya Cuevas, Paola Buenrostro’s friend, who had been campaigning for the law since Buenrostro’s murder, stated: “For the first time, we can feel represented before the law, and that violence against us really carries a severe punishment. For the first time, I can feel some satisfaction, some peace, after all these long years of work.”
Positive Tidings #7: Sierra Leone Outlaws Child Marriage with New Bill – Sierra Leone
In a significant milestone in its battle against child marriage, Sierra Leone officially banned child marriage on 2 July 2024 when President Julius Maada Bio signed into law a bill to end this widespread practice. Under the new law, any man who marries a girl under the age of 18 could face at least 15 years in prison and a fine of around $4,000. Parents or those attending such wedding ceremonies may also face fines. Advocates who have been fighting to end child marriage are hopeful that the new legislation will protect girls in Sierra Leone more effectively. According to Sierra Leone’s health ministry, approximately one-third of Sierra Leonian girls are married before they turn 18, thus increasing the maternal death rate due to the physical risks they face from underaged pregnancy.
Positive Tidings #8: Islamabad’s First Anti-rape Crisis Cell Set Up at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences – Pakistan
January 2024 marked the establishing of Islamabad’s first anti-rape crisis cell at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences to provide timely response and expedite justice for victims of sexual violence. The cell was set up by Pakistan’s ministries of health, law and justice with support from the UK government, the UNFPA and the Legal Aid Society. The anti-rape crisis cell is part of the implementation of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, which requires setting up anti-rape cells across districts to provide survivors with access to services including the registration of first information reports, evidence collection and a medical examination within 6 hours.
Positive Tidings #9: The European Parliament Approves First Ever EU Rules on Combating Violence Against Women – European Union
On 24 April 2024, the European Parliament introduced the first ever EU rules on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Some of the highlights of the directive include calls for stronger laws against cyberviolence and guidelines for offenses committed online, such as the disclosure of private information and cyberflashing; the prohibition of female genital mutilation and forced marriage; and better provisions of assistance for victims including access to shelter and sexual and reproductive healthcare. The new legislation will also cover a longer list of aggravating circumstances for offenses that carry more severe penalties. These include crimes against journalists, public figures or human rights defenders; the intention to harm victims based on their gender and sexual orientation; and the desire to maintain or restore “honour.”
Positive Tidings #10: Colombia Outlaws Child Marriage After 17-year Campaign – Colombia
In November 2024, Colombia closed a 137-year legal loophole which allowed under-18s to marry with parental consent and became one of 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to completely ban underaged marriage. This landmark legislation, dubbed “They are Girls, Not Wives”, was finally approved by lawmakers after 17 years of campaigning by anti-child marriage advocacy groups. Jennifer Pedraza, congresswoman for the Dignity and Commitment Party and co-author of the bill, said after the historic vote: “We do not want to continue seeing the systematic violence and sexual exploitation of children. Colombia is making history because, for the first time, we have managed to ban child marriage after trying eight times.” Sandra Ramirez, adviser in Latin America for the advocacy group Equality Now, told The Guardian: “Eliminating these exceptions aligns Colombian law with international standards and guarantees the full protection of the rights of girls and adolescents.”
Positive Tidings #11: New European Union-United Nations Project Supports Women Migrant Workers and Children in Southeast Asia – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand
In March 2024, the European Union (EU) announced financial support of €13 million to the new United Nations (UN) initiative called ‘PROTECT’, which intends to strengthen the rights of women migrant workers, children and at-risk groups in four Southeast Asian countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. This three-year project aims to reduce the vulnerabilities of those at risk of abuse and exploitation by ensuring safe migration and upholding labour rights. The project will also focus on the prevention of and response to violence against women and children, human trafficking and migrant smuggling. ‘PROTECT’ is implemented by the International Labour Organization, UN Women, UNODC and UNICEF in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in all four Southeast Asian nations.
Positive Tidings #12: Armenia Strengthens Domestic Violence Law – Armenia
In April 2024, Armenia’s parliament adopted amendments strengthening the country’s 2017 domestic violence law which has inadequate accountability provisions and extremely flawed protective measures. To remedy these gaps, the new amendments removed the reference to “family harmony” and expanded the types of physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence that can be considered domestic violence. These include (but are not limited to) prohibiting or hindering the victim’s contact with relatives and friends, exercising control over a partner, forced medical and psychiatric interventions, hindering access to medical care, and virginity testing. Additionally, stalking is now criminalised as a standalone crime, the time period for urgent intervention is shortened, protective orders for victims can be extended and victims will be given priority access to healthcare for domestic violence-related health issues.
Positive Tidings #13: A South Korean Court Recognises Misogyny as a Hate Crime – South Korea
On 18 October 2024, in what South Korean women’s rights activists described as a historic moment, Changwon District Court in South Korea recognised misogyny as the motive for a hate crime in a case where a convenience store worker was attacked by a man bellowing “feminists deserve to be beaten” because she had short hair. The victim became deaf in her left ear due to the attack and has been unemployed since the incident. The Court upheld the assailant’s three-year jail term, appending a clause in its ruling that explicitly stated the crime was motivated by misogyny. Lee Gyeong-ork of the Gyeongnam Women’s Association told the South China Morning Post: “Misogynistic crimes that have not been adequately punished in court have reinforced gender stereotypes, hindered gender equality” and that the court’s ruling on the case “has established a framework for legally punishing misogynistic criminals.”
Positive Tidings #14: Minister Fired After Sexual Harassment Accusations – Brazil
On 6 September 2024, President Lula da Silva fired Brazil’s Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida after several women accused him of sexual harassment. The President’s office issued a statement saying that he “considers it unsustainable to keep the minister in office considering the nature of the accusations of sexual harassment.” One of the women who had come forward to speak up about Almeida was Anielle Franco who is Brazil’s Racial Equality Minister. In her Instagram post about the firing, Franco stated: “Recognising the seriousness of this practice and acting immediately is the right course of action, which is why I would like to highlight President Lula’s forceful action and thank him for all the expressions of support and solidarity.”
Positive Tidings #15: Croatia Strengthens Penalties for Domestic Violence and Makes Femicide a Criminal Offence – Croatia
In January 2024, Croatia’s government tabled a wide range of crucial amendments to the Criminal Code and the Act on Protection from Domestic Violence to parliament. The changes include the introduction of a raft of new criminal offences. Victims’ rights are significantly expanded under the amendments and they include the victim’s right to appeal against a restraining order and if the restraining order is violated, police may arrest the perpetrator and the court must decide on pretrial detention within 24 hours. The victim also has the right to be accompanied by a trusted person throughout the whole process. Crucially, femicide will now be criminalised and a prison sentence of 10 years or more will be set for perpetrators of this gender-based atrocity. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic stated: “By introducing femicide and the definition of gender-based violence, we are sending a clear message to all segments of society that killing women and violence against women just because they are women is unacceptable.”
Positive Tidings #16: West Bengal Passes Bill Mandating Death Penalty for Rape and Femicide – India
On 3 September 2024, in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a female doctor at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee introduced the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill which aims to change several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India’s official criminal code. Under the BNS, if rape results in the victim’s death or leaves her in a persistent coma, the death penalty will be included as one of the punishment options alongside a minimum sentence of 20 years to life in prison. The proposed amendment would make the death penalty mandatory for the rape and murder of the victim. Additional amendments include ensuring timebound trials, an increased number of fast-track courts and added infrastructure for law enforcement agencies.
The picture used is a Creative Commons image:
- Photo by Cottonbro Studio from Pexels.