'Cruel Violence' in 'Close Relationships'... Can It Be Prevented?

83 Women Killed by 'Intimate Partner' Last Year
Women's Groups Urge "Stop Ignoring Femicide Reality and Establish Measures"
Reporting and Seeking Help Difficult Due to 'Intimacy'
"Legal and Institutional Framework Needed to Address 'Intimate Partner Violence'"

There are calls for measures to eradicate violence against women in intimate relationships. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The 'Seoul Mapo-gu dating violence' case, where a man brutally assaulted his girlfriend to death during an argument, and Kim Byung-chan (36), who stalked and stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death after she broke up with him, are among the dating murder cases that occurred consecutively last year, sounding an alarm in our society.

The awareness has spread that violence against women in intimate relationships should no longer be described with light terms such as 'love quarrels' or 'couple fights.' Women's organizations emphasize the need for thorough investigations into violence against women, strong punishments, and measures to eradicate such violence.

◆ Every 1.4 days, one woman is exposed to violence... "Intimate partner violence must be eradicated"

Among 100 women, 16 (16.1%) have experienced violence against women at least once in their lifetime. This is from the '2021 Survey on Violence Against Women' report released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the 28th, based on a survey of 7,000 adult women nationwide. Violence against women includes physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence. The types of violence experienced were highest in emotional violence (61.9%) and physical violence (52.5%), followed by sexual violence (27.9%), control (21.8%), and economic violence (10.5%).

Last year alone, at least 220 women were killed or nearly killed by men in intimate relationships. According to the '2021 Anger Gauge' report by Korea Women's Hotline, which analyzed cases reported in the media last year, at least 83 women were killed by men in intimate relationships such as husbands or boyfriends, and at least 177 women survived attempted murders. This means one woman was victimized every 1.4 days. Including cases not reported to the media or police, the actual number of incidents is expected to be higher. The report explains, "(The analysis) represents the minimum number of cases reported in the media, and the number of women killed is likely much higher when including unreported cases."

Violence against women in intimate relationships is likely to be a hidden crime. Hidden crimes refer to crimes that occur but are not included in official crime statistics because the suspect's identity is unknown or unresolved.

Because the victim and perpetrator are in an intimate relationship such as dating or kinship, victims often find it difficult to report or seek help after violence occurs. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's '2019 Domestic Violence Survey,' 85.7% of respondents who experienced physical, sexual, economic, or emotional violence from their spouse did not seek help. Few sought help from the police (2.3%), the women's emergency hotline 1366 (0.4%), or domestic violence counseling centers and shelters (0.4%).

Due to a social atmosphere that trivializes intimate partner violence as 'love quarrels' or 'expressions of affection,' victims have difficulty recognizing themselves as victims. In the 'Focus Group Interview with Victims of Violence Against Women in Intimate Relationships' conducted by Korea Women's Hotline, victims unanimously said it took a long time to realize they were victims.

Women's organizations have consistently advocated for the eradication of violence against women occurring in intimate relationships. Since 2009, Korea Women's Hotline has annually published the 'Anger Gauge,' statistics on femicides by men in intimate relationships, to raise awareness of the severity of violence against women. The organization strongly demands ▲ the establishment of a national statistical system on intimate partner violence against women ▲ the establishment of punishment principles and support systems ▲ the creation of a strong implementation system to eradicate violence against women and realize gender equality.

On the 23rd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office ordered a strict response to stalking crimes.

◆ Domestic legal and institutional foundations insufficient... "The U.S. focuses on violence prevention from a health rights perspective"

Experts point out that Korea's legal and institutional foundations for responding to crimes or violence occurring in intimate relationships are still insufficient. The Korea Women's Development Institute's study, 'Exploring Policy Directions for Responding to Gender Violence in Intimate Relationships,' states, "The focus of Korea's response to intimate partner violence is centered on marriage and kinship relationships," and "Such a narrow perspective makes it difficult to expect practical effects in preventing and eradicating gender violence occurring in diverse intimate relationships in modern society." With the increase in single-person households and the growing non-married population, the concept of family is changing, and the definition of 'intimate relationships' should no longer remain in the past.

Furthermore, the study urges that a legal framework for intimate partner violence must be promptly established. Without legal grounds, discussions on punishing perpetrators, supporting victims, and establishing specific policies for prevention have not been conducted. It also emphasizes the need to clarify that the policy and institutional goals for responding to intimate partner violence should be victim support and protection from the perspective of human rights and equality.

According to the study, the UK and the U.S. respond strictly to gender violence in intimate relationships. In the UK, legal and institutional grounds to address gender-based violence have been established through measures such as the introduction of domestic violence conviction disclosure schemes and the enactment of the Family Violence Prevention Act.

The U.S. also responds to gender-based violence against women centered on the Violence Against Women Act, revised in 2013. The law protects victims and imposes strong punishments on violent acts. Many U.S. states operate mandatory arrest and prosecution policies for perpetrators when domestic violence occurs.

Notably, the U.S. addresses intimate partner violence from a health rights perspective. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) views intimate partner violence as a serious problem causing harm to individuals, families, and communities, focusing on 'violence prevention' to block the occurrence of violence in advance. Preventing violence primarily rather than taking reactive measures effectively reduces violent crimes.

Meanwhile, domestically, on the 23rd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office instructed strict measures against stalking crimes that escalate into dating violence or murder. To quickly protect victims, a stalking offender information system has been established, and in cases where there is a possibility of harm to life or body, detention investigations are the principle.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.