Contributed by: Gabrijela Mihova, Macedonia National VAW Monitor

In practice, all types of violence against women, sexual, physical, psychological and economic, are present.

“The dominant form of violence against women in Macedonia is the psychological one. It is most often demonstrated through the following forms: ‘his word must always be the last one,’ ‘he insists to know where and who the wife is with at all times’, ‘excessively jealous and possessive’. These situations show and also support the traditional roles of the spouses, the inferior position of the woman and the ownership attitude of men toward women. This type of violence has been registered as constituting 61,5% of the overall violence, i.e. every second woman is subjected to this type of violence. An example of psychological violence: “He demonstrated jealousy and possessiveness at the very beginning. This, however, not only did not bother me, but I was even flattered by it, as I thought it was a sign of his love for me. As time went by, he began turning into Mr. Perfect, and I was becoming the face of stupidity, clumsiness and incapability." (A Macedonian woman at the age of 38, with a higher education, whose husband is six years older and has a higher degree of education).

Physical violence follows psychological violence, constituting 23.9% of the overall violence. Four women in ten suffer from this type of violence. It is demonstrated through several different forms, both easier and more serious. Instances of this type of violence: “I even became bitten by a belt and was chased around the house with a gun in his hand, threatened to be really killed one day. He burnt me with cigarettes on several occasions. He cut my dresses to pieces several times." (A Macedonian woman at the age of 47, highly educated, employed, and paid decently.)

Sexual violence comes in third by ranking among all types. It comprises 5% of the overall violence. Yet, this is not a real reflection of the situation, having in mind that only a small number of respondents who reported sexual violence stated they had not been subjected to physical one. This indicates that sexual violence is combined with physical abuse. An example of this type of violence: “I was born in Albania. I do not know how much my husband paid for me, but I was bought for money and he keeps reminding me of that. I am slave, he can do with me whatever he wishes. I am ashamed to say, but he forces me to do ‘it’ any time he pleases and he wants us to do it in front of the children." (An Albanian woman at the age of 36).[1]

The basic reason for the occurrence of domestic violence is the traditionally established relations within the marriage and the family which lead toward the inferior position of women with regard to men. In regard to other societal related circumstances that can influence the domestic violence problem, we have to stress that alcohol is an important factor that is a risk for the family to live under conditions of violence. The general economic situation in the country and negative trends that the period of transition hasnhad, have both contributed to the deterioration of the position of women. The unemployment of women is one of the most present factors of risk for her to become a victim of all types of violence. The economic crisis in which a large proportion of the citizens of our state find themselves leads to a certain extent to limitation of the realization of the gender roles in the traditional sense (the man stays out of work, or there are cases where the woman works and the man does not), then to situations (not provided housing, pennilessness, great poverty…) which are stressful and frustrating and in their turn have resulted in the increase of the scope of violence in recent years.

The research results (2000, Gray Number of Domestic Violence) from the first survey indicated that women indicate as the most frequent reasons for continuing life with the aggressor: the fear from how the dissolution of the family will influence the children (19.3%), hope that the situation will improve (17.3%), and an absence of the minimum, objective conditions needed to continue life without the aggressor (“she has nowhere to go” and “economic dependency”, together – 16.9%).

The multi-ethnic character of the state has proven itself as important also in regard to violence against women that is to its scope (or the evident readiness to report the violence), the type of violence and particularly the contents which comprise it.  However, ethnic membership by itself does not represent a factor of violence against women, but instead, according to the conceptual positioning of the research, the explanation should be sought in the preservation of the traditional matrix of regulating the relationships in the marriage and family, the treatment of the woman, and also in the objective living conditions.  The female members of the Roma population are mostly exposed to physical violence.  This is a population with the lowest social status, the highest rate of unemployment, and the loosest and most informal marital relationships, with a particular life philosophy, but also with a mentality in which violence is incorporated as a mechanism of communication with the woman.  On the other hand, we have already mentioned that the Albanian women are mostly exposed to psychological violence.