Palaung women in Myanmar suffering widespread domestic violence

Published: Sunday, November 27, 2011

Almost all Palaung ethnic women from eastern Myanmar are affected by domestic violence according to a report by the local Palaung Women's Organisation (PWO).

The "Voices for Change" report, based on a survey of 600 people in four townships, found that 90 per cent of Palaung women have experienced or seen physical violence at home and for 62 per cent this is a daily occurrence.

The survey also highlighted a serious lack of awareness about the issue.

Only a quarter of respondents knew about women's rights and three quarters believed that the violence was a "purely domestic matter which should be resolved within the home."

The report quoted traditional Palaung sayings as symptomatic of the gender imbalance, including: "The more your husband beats you, the more he loves you."

In the Palaung community, women are solely responsible for childcare and household chores and their contributions when working on the land are ignored.

"Women are not expected to play any role in the community, except for cooking at festivals or organising fundraising for charity. The men who abuse their wives often believe that they are strong and brave, and that they have the right to oppress women," says the report.

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