Published: March. 7, 2010 at 10:05 PM
UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (UPI) -- Rape and sexual violence victims globally are denied justice because of gender discrimination and stigmatization, two reports presented in New York concluded.
Human Rights Watch, an international organization that advocates for human rights, presented the reports Sunday at the United Nations, as part of International Women's Day. The reports examined sexual violence worldwide, and specifically in Cambodia, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
"In poor and rich countries alike, women who are raped or abused have little chance of seeing their attackers brought to justice," Widney Brown, Amnesty International senior director of international law and policy said. "It is shocking that in the 21st century with so much legislation designed to ensure women's equality, that virtually every government fails to protect women or to ensure that their abusers are held to account for their crimes."
The reports concluded that obstacles facing sexual abuse and domestic violence victims include "inadequate, negative or dismissive responses by police, medical and judicial personnel." Citing "pervasive indifference of authorities," Amnesty International said many women feel shame or blame themselves and don't report the crimes against them -- and when women do go to the police they rarely get "reparation and justice."
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