VZCZCXRO3919
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0043/01 0100614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100614Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4281
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 2349
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
STATE ALSO FOR DRL/AWH, G/TIP 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN SOCI PGOV PHUM VM
 
SUBJECT: Violence Against Women a Serious Problem 
 
REF: HANOI 6 
 
HANOI 00000043  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Violence against women is a serious problem in Vietnam, but 
to date the GVN has done little to study or combat it.  In spite of 
Vietnam's economic growth and increasing economic independence for 
women, traditional attitudes about women's roles persist, and 
domestic violence does not receive widespread attention as a problem 
that needs to be addressed.  Government activities and funding 
mostly focus on combating trafficking in persons, hampering the 
efforts of certain groups that seek to raise domestic violence 
awareness and protect victims.  A draft law on domestic violence 
holds some promise.  End Summary. 
 
Domestic Violence a Serious Problem... 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to GVN figures, 80 percent of Vietnamese women 
claim to have suffered some type of domestic violence at some point 
in their lives, and over 15 percent report that they have been 
beaten by their husbands.  During a recent National Assembly 
discussion about the issue, it was reported that domestic violence 
was cited in 42 percent of all divorce cases in Vietnam. 
 
...but Awareness, Countermeasures Still Sparse 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. (SBU) Vietnam is a signatory to the 1981 UN Convention on the 
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and 
the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action.  Under the convention, the GVN 
is required to develop penal and civil sanctions to prevent violence 
against women in the home, workplace and community; prosecute 
abusers and provide victims with judicial protection; and, implement 
programs to eliminate violence against women.  In addition, the GVN 
is required to submit reports to the UN at least every four years on 
measures it has taken to comply with its international obligations. 
The GVN has consistently submitted its national reports, but has yet 
to promulgate the domestic legal mechanisms to combat domestic 
violence. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The general consensus among gender issue advocates here is 
that the GVN and, more broadly, Vietnamese society, must first come 
to the conclusion that domestic violence is wrong before the problem 
can be effectively addressed.  Pham Hoai Giang, Director of the 
Vietnam Women's Union's (VWU) International Relations Department, 
told PolOff that men still think it is their right to beat women, 
and "this will not change in the near future."  The problem is 
exacerbated by the view that marital relations  -- and domestic 
violence -- are no one else's business.  A representative of The 
Asia Foundation (TAF), which works with the VWU to combat domestic 
violence, told us that even in instances of public abuse of women by 
their husbands, most people ignore it because "they do not want to 
get involved" in a family dispute.  A 1999 World Bank study further 
documented this public apathy when it found that a majority of 
Vietnamese men feel that women are responsible for any violence 
against them.  As the TAF representative put it, the attitude that 
"women are property" is persistent in Vietnam. 
 
Violence Continues In Spite of Economic Development 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Domestic violence in Vietnam continues in spite of 
Vietnam's economic growth and women's increasing economic 
independence.  According to the National Committee for the 
Advancement of Women in Vietnam, women make up 50.8 percent of the 
population of Vietnam and 50.6 percent of its labor force.  Vietnam 
can also boast of having the highest percentage of female 
legislators in East Asia.  The Committee reports that women have 
also developed greater access to health care and education, and 
nearly as many girl students are enrolled in primary and secondary 
education as boys. 
 
¶6. (SBU) That said, some gender advocates believe that, ironically, 
this greater economic achievement may be one of the factors fueling 
violence against women. "A lot of change is happening very quickly, 
and men feel the pressure," the TAF representative told Poloff.  The 
changing role of women at home and in a traditionally male-dominated 
society can be stressful for men, she continued.  Gender-based 
violence studies note that when the wife is the main breadwinner, 
her husband may verbally and physically abuse her in an attempt to 
demonstrate his dominance and role as the head of the household, our 
TAF contact noted. 
 
Few Resources for Victims 
------------------------- 
 
HANOI 00000043  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Victims of domestic violence have few resources available 
to them.  The Women's Union is the most recognized source of help 
and information for victims.  Vietnam's Center for Studies and 
Applied Sciences in Gender, Family-Women-and Adolescents (CSAGA), a 
non-governmental organization, sponsors some projects that include 
community-level education and resources for gender-based violence. 
However, there are no shelters in Hanoi for women escaping abuse. 
In cases where beaten women must seek medical care, hospitals can 
only provide medical help; no psychosocial assistance is available. 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Women's Union contacts note that, although family members 
are often the first source of help for victims, many cannot return 
to their parents because families believe "it is shameful" to allow 
a daughter to return home after leaving her husband.  Abused women 
thus usually seek help from neighborhood organizations.  "Resident 
Units" (responsible for maintaining order within local communities) 
and "Reconciliation Groups" (which include representatives from the 
Women's Union) can offer assistance in domestic matters and attempt 
to keep marriages intact, but only by invitation by the couple. 
According to the VWU's Pham, the organization also works with the 
local police in certain instances, but the police prefer that 
marital disputes be resolved without their involvement. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Women's Union would like to open domestic violence 
shelters, but lacks the money to do so, the VWU's Pham continued. 
For example, the VWU's Center for Women and Development hopes to 
open a pilot shelter in Hanoi -- which would build on the success of 
an anti-trafficking victims' center in Ho Chi Minh City -- provided 
funding becomes available.  The Asia Foundation is also hoping to 
replicate in Vietnam the Cambodian "Project Against Domestic 
Violence" (PADV) and the "Men Stop Violence" initiatives.  These 
programs, with training aimed at men, also provide education and 
assistance for victims.  However, funding is an issue for these 
programs, our TAF contact said. 
 
"GVN Focused Only on Trafficking" 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Women's Union says that, although it is working on 
"raising awareness" and "breaking the silence" about domestic 
violence, it cannot undertake a national program to counter domestic 
violence because of limited resources.  The GVN's main gender 
concern through 2010 will be countering the growing problem of women 
trafficked for prostitution, and most GVN funding and activities are 
directed at anti-trafficking efforts, our Women's Union contacts 
report.  The Asia Foundation -- which does anti-TIP work as well as 
work related to domestic violence -- also acknowledges that 
anti-trafficking efforts have received much of the GVN's and 
international donors' attention and funding for the better part of 
the last five years, limiting what is available for addressing 
domestic violence. 
 
Existing Legislation Lacking... 
------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) With the passage of Vietnam's first-ever Law on Gender 
Equality (reftel), most observers assess that Vietnam has taken a 
step forward in the area of women's rights.  However, the law fails 
to address the issue of domestic violence.  Furthermore, Vietnam's 
Penal Code has 344 articles, none of which specifically addresses 
domestic violence.  Criminal cases brought to court must meet the 
requirement that the wife is willing to testify and that there is 
more than a "ten percent degree of damage to the wife's health."  A 
victim of domestic violence could theoretically bring charges under 
Vietnam's Civil Code -- specifically articles 32 (Ensuring the 
Safety of Life, Health and Body), 33 (Protecting Honor, Dignity and 
Reputation) and 36 (Equality of Husband and Wife) -- but many 
observers note that prosecutions are very difficult, and convicted 
offenders do not receive jail time. 
 
...But Draft Law Promising 
-------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Embassy contacts assess that the draft Law on Domestic 
Violence Prevention and Control, which was discussed at last fall's 
National Assembly session, holds promise for addressing violence 
against women.  The new law would apply to Vietnamese individuals, 
agencies and organizations, as well as foreign individuals and 
organizations operating within Vietnam.  It provides for victims' 
rights, including shelter, health care and financial compensation. 
The draft law, however, lacks sentencing guidelines for those 
committing acts of violence.  Because the law was not passed during 
this most recent legislative session, it must be re-introduced next 
session in order to remain under discussion and possibly be passed. 
 
 
HANOI 00000043  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) Although the GVN has done little to date to address the 
problem of domestic violence, the recently passed Law on Gender 
Equality is a modestly positive development, as are the new 
"National Strategy for The Advancement of Women in Vietnam by 2010" 
and the drafting and discussion of the Law on Domestic Violence.  As 
one of our contacts noted, acknowledging domestic violence as a 
problem will be a key first step to effectively addressing it. 
Awareness-raising programs, both nationally and at the community 
level, will be essential to this effort.  Hopefully, passage in the 
near-term of the Law on Domestic Violence will send the message that 
the GVN recognizes a problem exists and intends to tackle it. 
 
MARINE