By Fiona Harvey / The GuardianClimate breakdown and the global crisis of environmental degradation are increasing violence against women and girls, while gender-based exploitation is in turn hampering our ability to tackle the crises, a major report has concluded. “We found gender-based violence to be pervasive, and there is enough clear evidence to suggest that climate change is increasing gender-based violence,” said Cate Owren, a lead author of the report, published on Wednesday. Gender-based violence includes domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, forced prostitution, forced marriage and child marriage, as well as other forms of the exploitation of women. “Gender-based violence is one of the most pervasive but least talked-about barriers that face us in conservation and climate work,” said Owren. Sexual violence is used to suppress them, undermine their status within the community and discourage others from coming forward.

Source: Taipei Times February 02, 2020 15:56 UTC