The Friends of
Women Foundation said yesterday that 27,000 victims of violence had been admitted
to the Public Health Ministry's One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC), while some 500
others have sought help in the first three months of this year.
OCSS director Thanawadee Thachin said most of the women seeking
assistance last year were victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, and
that most of the complaints this year were of violence at home.
She added that these numbers were only the tip of the iceberg because
many women chose not to complain out of fear of rejection, shame, threats from
influential people or just the belief that police would consider their problem
a "personal matter" and not do anything. Last year, only 4,000 women
had filed police complaints, she said, adding that this allowed criminals to
repeat their offences because they know victims would not fight back.
Hence, she said, this government, which is led by a female prime
minister, should implement laws and take measures to protect women.
Meanwhile, the 500 or so female workers participating in the rally
yesterday, which is held every year outside Government House on International
Women's Day, criticised the government for not having a minister meet them and
take their demand to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra.
Speakers from the different female workers' groups slammed the current
Pheu Thai-led government for ignoring their demands, and said that the previous
Abhisit Vejjajiva administration seemed to care more about women's rights. They
also criticised Yingluck for ignoring the needs of fellow women. At noon they
threw a letter across the fence, declared their demands on stage and dispersed
about half an hour later.
The group's demands covered the following issues:
- The impact of last year's flood crisis on female workers;
- The lack of access to funds for the development of the role of women;
- The lack of childcare facilities in industrial districts;
- The fact that Thailand has yet to ratify the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) Convention 183 on maternity protection;
- The impact Privatisation of State Enterprise policy has had on female
workers;
- The small role that female workers play in decision-making and
policy-planning in the Tri-Partite Committee for Labour and the lack of women
politicians.
Meanwhile, a message from Yingluck was posted on the Government House
website in which she offered good wishes to fellow-Thai women and those working
in the field of women's affairs.
The premier also promised to maintain gender equality and promote
women's role in the country's development. She added that her government did
give importance to women's issues by introducing policies and law amendments
that protect women's rights.
Thanongsak Muennoo and Jeerapong Prasertpholkrang
The Nation
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