Legal framework
Policies/ Plans
Strategies
in 2008 to include charge on 2550-2554 (2007 - 2011). husband who rapes his wife. The plan addresses violence ! The Protection of Domestic
Prior to this, there was no against women in its 4th Violence Victims Act B.E.
charge on the husband who strategy: - “Enhancing the
2550 (2007) was announced rapes his wife. security for women's life and
in the Royal Gazette on
body”. August 14, 2007, and was
! The National Plan for the
th enacted on November 12, ! Thailand has adopted the 10
Elimination of Violence
2007. N a t i o n a l H e a l t h
against Women and Children ! I n 1 9 9 9 t h e C a b i n e t Development Plan in the
was developed in 2000 by the Resolutions on 29 June 1999 10th National Economic and Thai National Commission endorsed “eight measures to Social Development Plan on Women’s Affairs.
solve problems concerning B.E. 2550 - 2554 (2007 - violence against women”, as 2011). The forms of violence
proposed by NGOs through addressed include domestic ! The Ministry of Social the National Commission on v i o l e n c e , a n d s e x u a l Development and Human Women’s Affairs (NCWA). harassment in the family, Security has developed an
school and in the workplace.
! T h e P r e v e n t i o n a n d integrated strategy to address
Suppression of Human ! Thailand has also adopted the violence against children and Trafficking Act was adopted Thai Women's Development women in all forms.
in B.E. 2551 (2008). Plan in the 10th National Economic and Social ! The rape definition of
Development Plan B.E. Criminal Law was corrected
Thailand
COUNTRY SITUATION OF GBV
I. The Multi-country Study on Women’s Health
and Domestic Violence against Women, ! Prevalence of lifetime violence (physical supported by the World Health Organization violence) by the husband ranged from 23% to carried out a cross-sectional survey of women 34% among ever-partnered women and aged 15–49 years in the capital city Bangkok prevalence of lifetime sexual violence was and in a rural town, Nakhonsawan. A total of about 30%. (Figure 1)1
1536 interviewees from Bangkok and a total
! Prevalence of current physical violence (in the of 1282 interviewees from Nakhonsawan
1 past 12 months) ranged from 8% to 13% and
were interviewed.
prevalence of current sexual violence (in the 1
past 12 months) was around 17%. (Figure 1)
The salient findings were:
1Country Findings. Thailand. WHO Multi-country study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence against Women. WHO 2005
Sexual violence Physical or sexual viloence, or both Physical violence
Bangkok [n=1536] Current violenceNakhonsawan [n=1282]
Guidelines
working in the One-Stop-Crisis Centres(OSCCs) all over the country. The guideline ! The Guideline for Assisting Children and features flowcharts on steps for treating
Women who are victims of violence was
patients who are victims of violence. The developed by the Ministry of Public Health
revision of the guideline was completed in July (Office of the Permanent Secretary,
2009 and the new version includes perpetrator Department of Mental Health, Department of initial psychoanalysis.
Health Service Support), the Office of
! The Medico-Legal Guideline for rape Women's Affairs and Family Development and
examination in OSCC was developed in July the Ministry of Social Development and
2009. Human Security for health professionals
2 Bureau of Health Service System Development, cases of gender based violence at one-stop crises centres, 2009.
Physical violence
Sexual violence
Ever-partnered
Source:
meant the woman had been: II. Cases of Gender-Based Violence at One-Stop-slapped, or had something thrown at her; pushed or Crisis Centres (OSCCs). Thailand's Bureau of shoved; hit with a fist or something else that could Health Service System Development, hurt; kicked, dragged or beaten up; choked or Department of Health Service Support, which burnt; threatened with or had a weapon used oversaw information systems of the
hospital-against her. based OSCC until the end of 2009 revealed a
very significant increase in the number of meant the woman had: been
children and women reporting with violence at physically forced to have sexual intercourse; had the OSCC from 2003 to 2008 . (Figure 1) 2 sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what
her partner might do; been forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating.
! The number of children and women reporting meant only women who had ever with violence at OSCCs has increased sharply
been married. from 2004 to 2008. This could be due to
increased detection of GBV victims as a result WHO multi-country study on women's
of introduction of OSCCs/shelters/ facilities health and domestic violence against women:
for victims of GBV, better data collection summary report of initial results on prevalence,
system at hospitals/NGOs/other centres or
health outcomes and women's responses. WHO 2
due to increase in GBV in the community. geneva, 2005.
! But there seems to be a declining trend in the number of cases in 2009 (23,511 cases) and 2010 (25767 cases), reported with the recent updated data from the Ministry of Public
1 Health, Thailand.
Salient findings:
Source:Bureau of Health Service System Development, Dec 2009
Figure 2: Number of children and women reporting with violence at OSCC, Thailand (2003-2010)
Numbers
2002 2004 2009 2010 2011
30,000
COUNTRY SITUATION OF GBV
I. The Multi-country Study on Women’s Health
and Domestic Violence against Women, ! Prevalence of lifetime violence (physical supported by the World Health Organization violence) by the husband ranged from 23% to carried out a cross-sectional survey of women 34% among ever-partnered women and aged 15–49 years in the capital city Bangkok prevalence of lifetime sexual violence was and in a rural town, Nakhonsawan. A total of about 30%. (Figure 1)1
1536 interviewees from Bangkok and a total
! Prevalence of current physical violence (in the of 1282 interviewees from Nakhonsawan
1 past 12 months) ranged from 8% to 13% and
were interviewed.
prevalence of current sexual violence (in the 1
past 12 months) was around 17%. (Figure 1)
The salient findings were:
1Country Findings. Thailand. WHO Multi-country study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence against Women. WHO 2005
Sexual violence Physical or sexual viloence, or both Physical violence
Bangkok [n=1536] Current violenceNakhonsawan [n=1282]
Guidelines
working in the One-Stop-Crisis Centres(OSCCs) all over the country. The guideline ! The Guideline for Assisting Children and features flowcharts on steps for treating
Women who are victims of violence was
patients who are victims of violence. The developed by the Ministry of Public Health
revision of the guideline was completed in July (Office of the Permanent Secretary,
2009 and the new version includes perpetrator Department of Mental Health, Department of initial psychoanalysis.
Health Service Support), the Office of
! The Medico-Legal Guideline for rape Women's Affairs and Family Development and
examination in OSCC was developed in July the Ministry of Social Development and
2009. Human Security for health professionals
2 Bureau of Health Service System Development, cases of gender based violence at one-stop crises centres, 2009.
Physical violence
Sexual violence
Ever-partnered
Source:
meant the woman had been: II. Cases of Gender-Based Violence at One-Stop-slapped, or had something thrown at her; pushed or Crisis Centres (OSCCs). Thailand's Bureau of shoved; hit with a fist or something else that could Health Service System Development, hurt; kicked, dragged or beaten up; choked or Department of Health Service Support, which burnt; threatened with or had a weapon used oversaw information systems of the
hospital-against her. based OSCC until the end of 2009 revealed a
very significant increase in the number of meant the woman had: been
children and women reporting with violence at physically forced to have sexual intercourse; had the OSCC from 2003 to 2008 . (Figure 1) 2 sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what
her partner might do; been forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating.
! The number of children and women reporting meant only women who had ever with violence at OSCCs has increased sharply
been married. from 2004 to 2008. This could be due to
increased detection of GBV victims as a result WHO multi-country study on women's
of introduction of OSCCs/shelters/ facilities health and domestic violence against women:
for victims of GBV, better data collection summary report of initial results on prevalence,
system at hospitals/NGOs/other centres or
health outcomes and women's responses. WHO 2
due to increase in GBV in the community. geneva, 2005.
! But there seems to be a declining trend in the number of cases in 2009 (23,511 cases) and 2010 (25767 cases), reported with the recent updated data from the Ministry of Public
1 Health, Thailand.
Salient findings:
Source:Bureau of Health Service System Development, Dec 2009
Figure 2: Number of children and women reporting with violence at OSCC, Thailand (2003-2010)
Numbers
2002 2004 2009 2010 2011
30,000
III. The statistics of the Royal Thai Police from 1997 to 2007 indicate that sexual violence is increasing over time. In 2007, there were 5269 reported cases of sexual crimes (rape, sexual assault), which on
3
average means 14 people, or one every 105 minutes was raped every day. (Figure 4)
Source: Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand
3 Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators. 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social
Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand
Figure 4: Number of reported sexual abuse cases and the percentage of arrests. (1997-2007)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Police reports arrested % arrested
69 68
Figure 3: Gender Based Violence cases in OSCC Hospitals, Thailand, (2004-2008)
Cases X 100
Gender-based Violence cases OSCC Hospitals, Thailand 2004-2008
Hospitals Cases x 100 % Trend
Year
IV. The Institute for Population and Social including rape (38 %), other forms of sexual Research, Mahidol University carried out a violence i.e. prostitution, women trafficking survey and analysis of news reports and and deception (26%) and abortion (5%). articles in collaboration with the Women's ! Most of the raped victims were girls under 18 Health Advocacy Foundation with support years of age.
from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.
! Most of the rapes were committed by fathers, It concluded that sexual violence in Thai
step-fathers or teachers. In 60% of the rape society has increased both in quantity and in
3 cases, the rapists were known by the victims
the level of severity .
such as friends, teachers, and neighbours. (Figure 5)
! In a quarter of the cases the rapists were ! Between 1998 and 2007, there were 17529
strangers, while there was no information reported cases about sex in newspapers and on
indicating who the rapist was in 7 percent of the Internet.
the cases. (Figure 5) ! From the 17529 cases the most reported story
about sex was about sexual violence,
Salient findings:
Figure 5:Relation between the rapists and the victims reported in the mass media, Thailand, 2003-2007 [n=1379]
Cases reported more than once were excluded.
Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand.
Source:
III. The statistics of the Royal Thai Police from 1997 to 2007 indicate that sexual violence is increasing over time. In 2007, there were 5269 reported cases of sexual crimes (rape, sexual assault), which on
3
average means 14 people, or one every 105 minutes was raped every day. (Figure 4)
Source: Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand
3 Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators. 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social
Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand
Figure 4: Number of reported sexual abuse cases and the percentage of arrests. (1997-2007)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Police reports arrested % arrested
69 68
Figure 3: Gender Based Violence cases in OSCC Hospitals, Thailand, (2004-2008)
Cases X 100
Gender-based Violence cases OSCC Hospitals, Thailand 2004-2008
Hospitals Cases x 100 % Trend
Year
IV. The Institute for Population and Social including rape (38 %), other forms of sexual Research, Mahidol University carried out a violence i.e. prostitution, women trafficking survey and analysis of news reports and and deception (26%) and abortion (5%). articles in collaboration with the Women's ! Most of the raped victims were girls under 18 Health Advocacy Foundation with support years of age.
from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.
! Most of the rapes were committed by fathers, It concluded that sexual violence in Thai
step-fathers or teachers. In 60% of the rape society has increased both in quantity and in
3 cases, the rapists were known by the victims
the level of severity .
such as friends, teachers, and neighbours. (Figure 5)
! In a quarter of the cases the rapists were ! Between 1998 and 2007, there were 17529
strangers, while there was no information reported cases about sex in newspapers and on
indicating who the rapist was in 7 percent of the Internet.
the cases. (Figure 5) ! From the 17529 cases the most reported story
about sex was about sexual violence,
Salient findings:
Figure 5:Relation between the rapists and the victims reported in the mass media, Thailand, 2003-2007 [n=1379]
Cases reported more than once were excluded.
Thai Health 2009: Stop Violence for Well-being of Mankind. 10 Health Indicators 10 Health Issues. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University. Thai Health Promotion Foundation. National Health Commission Office of Thailand.
Source:
S.No. Category Activities
1. Legislation/policies and The country has legislation on GBV, a national action plan, programmes on GBV health policy and multisectoral action plan on GBV. 2. Resources for combating The country has a rich resource for combating GBV.
GBV The following resources are available:
! Specific guidelines, workshops and trainings for health providers.
! Activities on gender mainstreaming for prevention of GBV. ! Use of One-Stop Crisis Centre services (OSCC).
! Data collection system for GBV at hospitals and social support centers.
! IEC materials on GBV for health providers and communities.
! Facilities for helping the victims of GBV in the police stations, social support groups, shelter homes, counselling centres, community leaders' groups and self-help groups. ! Budget allocation for GBV.
3. Research on GBV The country has given full compliance to five typical activities: (1) research on the cause, consequences and costs for GBV (2) findings on GBV (3) findings on types of GBV
(4) findings related to the cause of GBV and (5) findings related to women's health due to GBV.
_
4. Evidence on GBV GBV is present in <15 year-olds and in > 15 year-olds.
Additional Information
Age of GBV victimsVictims of GBV
Causes of GBV
Findings related to women's health after GBV
! GBV in less than 15 year-olds exists in physical, psychological, sexual, emotional ! Spouse and family members have been found and economic forms.
to be the victims of GBV. _
! GBV affects women of > 15 years in age in physical, psychological, sexual, emotional and economic forms.
! Increasing participation of women in the public arena, joblessness, jealousy, dowry-related issues, communication gap and customs have been found to be the causes of GBV.
! Mental disturbances, attempts at suicide, disability and death have been found to be the findings related to women's health after GBV. Physical violence
Mental violence Sexual violence Neglect
Force/Seduction 74%
2 % 1%
18%
5%
Figure 7: Types of gender-base a violence
GWH-SEARO conducted a survey in October questionnaire containing 23 questions under 4 2009 among the gender focal points in the WHO clusters. The findings of the survey for Thailand Country Offices of Member Countries using a are listed below.
Figure 8: Country Activities in Combating Gender-Based Violence in Thailand, 2009
Scale *
12 10 8 6 4 2 0
4 4
9 10
5 5
2 5
Legislations/Polices/
Programmes Resources Research Evidence **
Country situation Total no. of indicator
* The scale represents the country-specific programmes (2) resource (3) research and (4) situation plotted against the maximum rating from evidence
4 clusters of indicators: (1) legislation/ policies/ ** A lower score reflects lower evidence of GBV
COUNTRY ACTIVITIES IN COMBATING GBV
Types of GBV
S.No. Category Activities
1. Legislation/policies and The country has legislation on GBV, a national action plan, programmes on GBV health policy and multisectoral action plan on GBV. 2. Resources for combating The country has a rich resource for combating GBV.
GBV The following resources are available:
! Specific guidelines, workshops and trainings for health providers.
! Activities on gender mainstreaming for prevention of GBV. ! Use of One-Stop Crisis Centre services (OSCC).
! Data collection system for GBV at hospitals and social support centers.
! IEC materials on GBV for health providers and communities.
! Facilities for helping the victims of GBV in the police stations, social support groups, shelter homes, counselling centres, community leaders' groups and self-help groups. ! Budget allocation for GBV.
3. Research on GBV The country has given full compliance to five typical activities: (1) research on the cause, consequences and costs for GBV (2) findings on GBV (3) findings on types of GBV
(4) findings related to the cause of GBV and (5) findings related to women's health due to GBV.
_
4. Evidence on GBV GBV is present in <15 year-olds and in > 15 year-olds.
Additional Information
Age of GBV victimsVictims of GBV
Causes of GBV
Findings related to women's health after GBV
! GBV in less than 15 year-olds exists in physical, psychological, sexual, emotional ! Spouse and family members have been found and economic forms.
to be the victims of GBV. _
! GBV affects women of > 15 years in age in physical, psychological, sexual, emotional and economic forms.
! Increasing participation of women in the public arena, joblessness, jealousy, dowry-related issues, communication gap and customs have been found to be the causes of GBV.
! Mental disturbances, attempts at suicide, disability and death have been found to be the findings related to women's health after GBV. Physical violence
Mental violence Sexual violence Neglect
Force/Seduction 74%
2 % 1%
18%
5%
Figure 7: Types of gender-base a violence
GWH-SEARO conducted a survey in October questionnaire containing 23 questions under 4 2009 among the gender focal points in the WHO clusters. The findings of the survey for Thailand Country Offices of Member Countries using a are listed below.
Figure 8: Country Activities in Combating Gender-Based Violence in Thailand, 2009
Scale *
12 10 8 6 4 2 0
4 4
9 10
5 5
2 5
Legislations/Polices/
Programmes Resources Research Evidence **
Country situation Total no. of indicator
* The scale represents the country-specific programmes (2) resource (3) research and (4) situation plotted against the maximum rating from evidence
4 clusters of indicators: (1) legislation/ policies/ ** A lower score reflects lower evidence of GBV
COUNTRY ACTIVITIES IN COMBATING GBV
Types of GBV
Partnership in Combating GBV
Government initiatives
Civil society organization initiatives
! The Royal Thai Police place emphasis on domestic violence. Centres for the protection ! The National Commission on Women’s of children, youth, and women within the Affairs (NCWA) has played an instrumental police department provide service to victims role in drafting the domestic violence bill in of GBV. Training has been carried out for 2003 which was subsequently enacted in police and law enforcement officers on issues
2007. related to GBV.
! One-stop-crisis centres (OSCC) have been established in hospitals in Bangkok and
provincial areas of Thailand. The OSCC have ! Various NGOs such as the Association for the been implemented in 25 regional hospitals and Promotion of the Status of Women, Family 69 general hospitals. The Ministry of Public Planning Association of Thailand, Sahathai Health is expanding the OSCCs and it is Foundation, Friends of Women Foundation, planned that by 2014 there will one such centre Hotline Centre Foundation, the Foundation for in each government hospital throughout the Women, etc. have provided services for GBV country. This will include such centres in 729 victims including shelters and counselling. community hospitals, and in 9760 community The Friend of Woman Foundation, Woman
health centres. Foundation and the Emergency Shelter under
The Association for the Promotion of the ! The Ministry of Social Development and
Status of Women also provide legal Human Security provides a 24-hour hotline
consultation. staffed by social workers and psychologists. It
has set up a Community-Based Family ! Academic institutions like the Centre for Development Centre since 2003. It also Health Policy Studies of Mahidol University provides social services including shelters and have been involved in developing models of occupational rehabilitation and Women’s Aid community-based intervention on domestic
and Career Training Centres. violence.
! The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ! Assumption University has created a website administers a Centre for the Protection of providing information on violence against Children’s, Youths’ and Women’s Rights and a women. Thailand's nation-wide "Say No to hotline service. In addition, each district office Violence" Campaign, is a part of the provides inspectors for women’s and international ‘Say No to Violence' campaign children’s security, including a complaint and has provided a crucial basis for promoting centre that works cooperatively with the local effective cooperation for more substantive police, hospitals and other service units. work to end violence against women.
Country Contact Information: Dr Nima Asgari
WHO Country Office, Thailand Email : asgarin@searo.who.int
Produced by:
Gender, Women and Health (GWH) Department of Family Health and Research
World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia World Health House, Indraprastha Estate
Mahatma Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110002 Phone: 91 11 23370804, Ext 26301
