Abstract
Women experience discrimination, violence, and oppression due to their unequal position in society, but only recently have these assaults on women’s dignity been addressed as violations within the human rights framework. When trauma and human rights violations are viewed as arising from patriarchal oppression, trauma-informed and rights-based paradigms converge: recovery does not solely lie with the victims, but requires official accountability and larger systemic change. This chapter challenges readers to understand women’s traumatic experiences as human rights violations, and thus to respond with interventions that enhance gender equity, reduce women’s vulnerability to violence, and improve access to human rights for all. Two case studies provide a road map for how human rights and trauma-informed work can combine to help women successfully assert their human rights.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Acid Survivors Foundation. (2016). Acid violence. Retrieved from http://www.acidsurvivors.org/Acid-Violence.
Advocates for Human Rights. (2008). Crimes committed in the name of “honor”. Retrieved from http://www.stopvaw.org/honor_killings.
Advocates for Human Rights. (2010). Gender-based asylum. Retrieved from http://www.stopvaw.org/gender-based_asylum.
Advocates for Human Rights. (n.d.). Dowry-related violence. Retrieved from http://www.stopvaw.org/dowry-related_violence.
African Union. (2003, July 11). Protocol to the African charter on human and people’s rights on the rights of women in Africa. Retrieved from http://www.achpr.org/instruments/women-protocol/.
Amnesty International. (2004). It’s in our hands—Stop violence against women. https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Its-in-our-Hands.pdf.
Amnesty International. (2014). Domestic violence & sexual assault in the United States: A human rights based approach & practice guide. Retrieved from http://www.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/human-rights-institute/files/dv_sa_hr_guide_reduce.pdf.
Amnesty International. (2015). China: Reform of one-child policy not enough. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/10/china-one-child-reform/.
Androff, D. K. (2015). Practicing rights: Human rights-based approaches to social work practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
Bettinger-Lopez, C. (2013). Introduction: Jessica Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United States of America: Implementation, litigation, and mobilization strategies. Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law,21, 207–229.
Brown, L. (2004). Feminist paradigms of trauma treatment. Psychotherapy Theory Research & Practice,41(4), 464–471.
Burgess, A. W., & Holstrom, L. L. (1974). Rape trauma syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry,131(9), 981–986.
Butler, L. D., Critelli, F. M., & Rinfrette, E. S. (2011). Trauma-informed care and mental health. Directions in Psychiatry,31(3), 197–209.
Cornell Law School. (2017a). Freedom from domestic violence as a fundamental human right resolutions, presidential proclamations, and other statements of principle. Retrieved from http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/womenandjustice/DV-Resolutions.cfm.
Cornell Law School. (2017b). Discussion of resolutions by county, town, and municipal governments. Retrieved from http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/womenandjustice/Resolutions-by-County-Town-and-Municipal-Governments.cfm.
Council of Europe. (2011, May 11). Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/168008482e.
Courtois, C. A. (2004). Complex trauma, complex reactions: Assessment and treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training,41(4), 412–425.
Dauer, S. (2001). Indivisible or invisible: Women’s human rights in the public and private sphere. In M. Agosín (Ed.), Women, gender, and human rights: A global perspective. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Deshpande, N., & Nawal, N. (2013). Sex trafficking of women and girls. Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology,6(1), 22–27.
Eggers, M. (2017). The criminalization of women for abortion in Chile. In S. Choudhury, J. Erausquin, & M. Withers (Eds.), Global perspectives on women’s sexual and reproductive health across the lifecourse (pp. 173–188). New York, NY: Springer.
Freeman, M. (2009). Reservations to CEDAW: An analysis for UNICEF. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Reservations_to_CEDAW-an_Analysis_for_UNICEF.pdf.
Freire, P. (1984). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum.
GBD 2015 Maternal Mortality Collaborators. (2016). Global, regional, and national levels of maternal mortality, 1990–2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet, 388, 1775–1812. Downloaded from www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(16)31470-2.pdf.
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women. (n.d.). Debt bondage in the world: An underestimated and forgotten scourge. Retrieved from https://www.gaatw.org/162-materials/advocacy-statements-2009-10/589-debt-bondage-in-the-world-an-underestimated-and-forgotten-scourge.
Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. (2016). The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at 50: The significance from a women’s rights perspective. Retrieved from http://globalinitiative-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ICESCR-and-Womens-ESC-Rights-FINAL.pdf.
Goodmark, L. (2014). “Law and justice are not always the same”: Creating community-based justice forums for people subjected to intimate partner abuse. Florida State University Law Review,42, 707–763.
Hamilton, L. H. A., Jaffe, P. G., & Campbell, M. (2013). Assessing children’s risk for homicide in the context of domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence,28(2), 179–189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9473-x.
Harris, M., & Fallot, R. D. (2001). Envisioning a trauma informed service system: A vital paradigm shift. In M. Harris & R. D. Fallot (Eds.), Using trauma theory to design service systems (pp. 3–22). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence—From domestic abuse to political terror. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Hidalgo, R. (2015). Advancing a human rights framework to reimagine the movement to end gender violence. University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review,5(2), 559–578.
Human Rights Watch. (2000). International trafficking of women and children. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2000/02/21/international-trafficking-women-and-children.
Human Rights Watch. (2017a). “All of my body was pain”: Sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls in Burma. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/11/16/all-my-body-was-pain/sexual-violence-against-rohingya-women-and-girls-burma.
Human Rights Watch. (2017b). US: New York governor signs anti-child marriage law: One of first states to act; others should follow. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/20/us-new-york-governor-signs-anti-child-marriage-law.
International Justice Resource Center. (n.d.). Women’s human rights. Retrieved from http://www.ijrcenter.org/thematic-research-guides/womens-human-rights/.
International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net). (2013). Claiming women’s economic, social and cultural rights: A resource guide to advancing women’s economic, social and cultural rights. Retrieved from https://www.escr-net.org/sites/default/files/Guide%20on%20Women%27s%20ESCR%20-%20Final.pdf.
Jones, R. K., & Jerman, J. (2017). Abortion incidence and service availability in the United States, 2014. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 49, 17–27. Downloaded from https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/article_files/abortion-incidence-us.pdf.
Kimerling, R., Weitlauf, J. C., Iverson, K. M., Karpenko, J. A., & Jain, S. (2013). Gender issues in PTSD. In M. J. Friedman, T. M. Keane, & P. A. Resick (Eds.), Handbook of PTSD: Science and practice (pp. 313–330). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Krupa, M. (2017, July 14). The alarming rise of female genital mutilation in America. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/health/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-explainer-trnd/index.html.
Martin, N., & Montagne, R. (2017, May 12). US has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2017/05/12/528098789/u-s-has-the-worst-rate-of-maternal-deaths-in-the-developed-world.
Martins Costa, A. L., Felix, A., & Vargas Silva, C. (2011). O imperativo da interdisciplinaridade na busca da humanização dos direitos [The importance of an interdisciplinary approach to humanize human rights]. Paper presented at the Second International Colloquium on Human Rights, Faculty of Law, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
McPherson, J. (2015a). Human rights practice in social work: A rights-based framework & two new measures (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (Accession Order No. AAT 3705877).
McPherson, J. (2015b). Human rights practice in social work: A US social worker looks to Brazil for leadership. European Journal of Social Work, 18, 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2014.947245.
McPherson, J., & Abell, N. (2018). Measuring rights-based practice: Introducing the human rights methods in social work scale. Manuscript submitted for publication.
McPherson, J., Siebert, C. F., & Siebert, D. C. (2017). Measuring rights-based perspectives: A validation of the human rights lens in social work scale. Journal of the Society for Social Work Research,8(2), 233–257. https://doi.org/10.1086/692017.
National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). Complex PTSD. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/complex_ptsd.asp.
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health. (2015). Promising practices and model programs: Trauma-informed approaches to working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence and other trauma. Retrieved from http://www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org/publications-products/promising-practices-and-model-programs/.
Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. (2014). Women’s rights are human rights. Retrieved from http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Events/WHRD/WomenRightsAreHR.pdf.
Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. (n.d.-a). Committee on the elimination of discrimination against women: General recommendations. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CEDAW/Pages/Recommendations.aspx.
Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. (n.d.-b). Human rights treaty bodies—General comments: CCPR. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/Pages/TBGeneralComments.aspx.
Olff, M., Langeland, W., Draijer, N., & Gersons, B. P. R. (2007). Gender differences in posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Bulletin,133, 183–204.
Open Society Foundation. (2011). Against her will: Forced and coerced sterilization of women worldwide. Retrieved from https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/against-her-will-20111003.pdf.
Organization of American States. (1948). American declaration of the rights and duties of man. Retrieved from https://www.cidh.oas.org/basicos/english/basic2.american%20declaration.htm.
Organization of American States. (1994). Inter-American convention on the prevention, punishment and eradication of violence against women (‘Convention of Belem do Para’). Retrieved from http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/treaties/a-61.html.
Reference Center for Women from Maré. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nepp-dh.ufrj.br/crmm/ingles/apresentacao.html.
Ringel, S. (2012). Overview. In S. S. Ringel & J. R. Brandell (Eds.), Trauma: Contemporary directions in theory, practice, and research (pp. 1–12). New York, NY: Sage.
San Francisco Department on the Status of Women. (n.d.). Implementing CEDAW as a local ordinance. Retrieved from https://sfgov.org/dosw/sites/default/files/Cities%20for%20CEDAW%20Fact%20Sheet_0.pdf.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services: Treatment improvement protocol (TIP) Series 57 (HHS Publication No. [SMA] 13-4801). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/product/TIP-57-Trauma-Informed-Care-in-Behavioral-Health-Services/SMA14-4816.
Sullivan, C. M., Goodman, L. A., Virden, T., Strom, J., & Ramirez, R. (2017). Evaluation of the effects of receiving trauma-informed practices on domestic violence shelter residents. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,88(5), 563. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000286.
Tolin, D. F., & Foa, E. B. (2006). Sex differences in trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: A quantitative review of 25 years of research. Psychological Bulletin,132, 959–992.
UNFPA and UNICEF. (2011). Women’s & children’s rights: Making the connection. Retrieved from https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Women-Children_final.pdf.
UNICEF. (2014). Ending child marriage: Progress and prospects. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/media/files/Child_Marriage_Report_7_17_LR..pdf.
UNICEF. (2016). Female genital mutilation/cutting: A global concern. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/media/files/FGMC_2016_brochure_final_UNICEF_SPREAD.pdf.
United Nations. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/.
United Nations. (1966a). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Retrieved from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx.
United Nations. (1966b). International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Retrieved from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx.
United Nations. (1979). Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm#article6.
United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx.
United Nations. (1993). Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm.
United Nations. (1995, October 27). Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, Adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf.
United Nations. (1999). Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/protocol/.
United Nations. (2006, July 6). In-depth study on all forms of violence against women: Report of the Secretary-General, A/61/122/Add.1. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/SGstudyvaw.htm#more.
United Nations. (2014). Background information on sexual violence used as a tool of war. Retrieved from http://iknowpolitics.org/en/knowledge-library/report-white-paper/background-information-sexual-violence-used-tool-war-rwanda.
United Nations. (2017). Report of the Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence. Retrieved from http://www.undocs.org/S/2017/249.
United Nations Commission on Human Rights. (1999). Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. Retrieved from https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G99/103/26/PDF/G9910326.pdf?OpenElement.
United Nations Commission on Human Rights. (2003). Report of the special rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. Retrieved from https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/489001.
United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs. (2009). The millennium development goals report 2009. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/millennium-development-goals-report-2009.html.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2017). Human trafficking. Retrieved from https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human-trafficking.html.
van der Kolk, B. A. (1996). The complexity of adaptation to trauma: Self-regulation, stimulus discrimination, and characterological development. In B. A. van der Kolk, A. McFarlane, & L. Weisaeth (Eds.), Traumatic stress (pp. 182–213). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Welchman, L., & Hossain, S. (2005). “Honour” crimes, paradigms, and violence against women. New York, NY: Zed Books.
Wilson, B., Critelli, F. M., & Rittner, B. (2015). Transnational responses to commercial sexual exploitation: A comprehensive review of interventions. Women’s Studies International Forum,48, 71–80.
Women and Global Human Rights. (n.d.). Virginity testing. Retrieved from http://faculty.webster.edu/woolflm/wandghrwebpage.html.
World Health Organization. (2012). Understanding and addressing violence against women: Femicide. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/77421/WHO_RHR_12.38_eng.pdf;jsessionid=2B553EB4BAF740B9EDB256A25154A8FB?sequence=1.
World Health Organization. (2013). Global and regional estimates of violence against women: Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and nonpartner sexual violence. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241564625/en/.
World Health Organization. (2016). Maternal mortality. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs348/en/.
World Health Organization. (2017). Female genital mutilation fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/.
World Health Organization. (2018). Maternal mortality. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality.
Women Living Under Muslim Laws. (2004). Turkey moves to ban virginity tests. Retrieved from http://www.wluml.org/node/1556.
Women Living Under Muslim Laws. (2014). Stoning: Legal or practised in 16 countries and showing no signs of abating: WLUML’s submission to the UN Secretary General on the question of the death penalty to the 27th session of the Human Rights Council. Retrieved from http://www.wluml.org/sites/wluml.org/files/WLUML%20Submission%20%20on%20the%20Question%20of%20the%20Death%20Penalty%20HRC%2030%2003%2014.pdf.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Critelli, F.M., McPherson, J. (2019). Women, Trauma, and Human Rights. In: Butler, L.D., Critelli, F.M., Carello, J. (eds) Trauma and Human Rights. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16395-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16395-2_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16397-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16395-2
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)