Time we started talking domestic violence: Ludy Green

The US-based Human Rights activist Dr Ludy Green said that domestic violence against women was increasing not only in poor countries but also in developed countries such as Finland.

Talking to the Daily Finland during an International Women’s Forum in Helsinki recently, she underscored the need for talking about the issue.

Pointing out the statistics published by Amnesty International, she said that the police had received 27 percent more reports of rape in Finland in 2021 compared with the previous year.

“This shows how big an issue domestic violence is. It truly transcends all borders. So, it is incredibly important to talk about it,” said Green, executive producer of podcast Ending Domestic Abuse and advocate against domestic abuse and for human rights for more than 20 years.

She took part in the International Women’s Forum held in June 6–14 as a member of the International Women’s Forum, Washington, DC.

During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, domestic violence against women increased by 23 percent because of “the isolation and financial stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” she told the Daily Finland.

“In Syria and Jordan, there are now increased violence against women and girls because of the instability caused by the Syrian Refugee Crises,” Green said.

But not only poor and unstable countries are faced with domestic violence against woman, such violence has increased in countries such as Finland, honoured as the happiest country, she said.

“My dream is that the US government should work out a national employment placement program in for victims and survivors of abuse. This would call for collaboration between the government, corporations and the private sector to make a commitment to providing job opportunities for people coming out of abusive relationships,” she added.

The number of clients in shelters for victims of domestic violence increased by 4 percent in 2022 compared with that in the previous year, according to the National Institute for Health and Welfare.

The number of both adult clients and children increased. The number of clients coming to a shelter without children has increased significantly, said the institute in a release issued on June 14, 2023.

In 2022, the shelters had more than 5,000 clients, 57 percent of whom were adults and 43 percent children. Of the adults, 91 percent were women and 9 percent were men.