Violence against Women and Children. A Distant and Domestic Hell

This paper reviews the situation to be found in various parts of the world in respect of violence exercised against women and children. Firstly, data provided by international organizations dealing with this problem will be used to examine the most recent bloody cases from India, followed by Afghanistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa and Yemen. However, secondly, it will be seen that the situation is no less worrying in closer cultural environments, where problems of gender violence are adapting to progress and social changes, so that the Internet has become a place where women, and especially younger females, meet with harassment. The conclusion will be that in both instances the underlying situation is similar: domestic violence, sexual abuse against children and girls, harassment at work or rape, whether by a partner or a stranger, regardless of culture, religion or economy. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.