November, 2013
Mijeong Lee, Ph.D.
Korean Women's Development Institute
 “Violence against women and girls is one of the most
systematic and widespread human rights violations. It is rooted
in gendered social structure rather than individual and random
act (UN General Assembly, 2006).
 “VAW is any act of gender-based violence that results in or
is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm
or suffering to women (General Assembly Resolution 48/104
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women,
1993).
 Violence against women should be understood in the context
of human rights and women NGOS challenged traditional
views on women and violence against women.
 Wife battering and child beating had been regarded as a way
to discipline women and children by male household
head in patriarchal society. A woman has been expected to be
obedient to her father and her husband in traditional
Confucian culture.
 Sexual purity of a woman is strongly emphasized in
patriarchal society. If she fails to keep it, her social reputation
is severely damaged under Confucian rules.
 Most women sexually assaulted has tended to keep it to
themselves in patriarchal society, which consequently
put them under the firm control of men.
 The notion of sexual purity is reflected in Criminal Code of
Korea until 1995 where rape is defined as a criminal behavior
violating sexual purity of women.
 Sexually assaulted women have hard time to bring it out.
These women are blamed for it and often their morality and
behaviors are suspected. Under patriarchal traditions rooted
in Confucianism, Korean society has been relatively tolerant
of husband’s violence toward wife.
 As in UK, the United States and Australia, the fight
against violence on women was initiated by women’s
groups in Korea.
 Korea Women’s Hot Line was formed and it started to
provide counseling service for battered women in 1983.
 Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center was formed in 1991,
the first rape crisis center in Korea. They have challenged
traditional views on sexual violence(Shin, 2007).
 Women’s organizations regard domestic violence as an
issue stemming from gender inequality within a patriarchal
society
 Women NGOs urged to define rape and wife battering
as crimes severely restricting autonomy and liberty of
women.
 Act on Punishing Sexual Violence Crimes and Protecting
Victims was introduced in 1993 as the result of
cooperative efforts of women NGOs.
 Act on Punishing and Act on Preventing Domestic
Violence were introduced in 1997. Law enforcement
agencies could intervene domestic violence within
households based on it.
Legal grounds were build to support counseling centers
and shelters for the victims of VAW. Vigorous efforts of
women NGOs to fight against VAW have resulted in
institutionalization of helping the victims (Park, 2008).
 Establishment of these Acts is a historic event officially
challenging patriarchal rule and authority in Korean society.
Awareness was raised that domestic violence is a crime
and abusers can be punished. Acts on Domestic Violence
function as a pressure to the abusers.
 The Acts on VAW stipulate that central and local governments
must take measures to prevent domestic violence and protect
victims.
 Surveys on domestic and sexual violence are required to be
conducted every three years by government.
 Local and central governments are responsible for protecting
and supporting the victims of VAW. Government budgets
have been provided for NGOs running counseling centers and
shelters. With the government budget, it becomes possible to
secure stable resources and provide universal service for
for the victims(Kim, 2000).
 Centers and shelters for the victims have recently increased.
As of 2012, there are 17 hotlines with emergency shelters,
405 counseling centers for victims of sexual assault and
domestic violence, 84 shelters, 26 shelters for migrant women,
7 hotlines for migrant women. Additionally, 31 one-stop crisis
centers are established where all relevant services are colocated.
 Separate surveys on domestic and sexual violence are
conducted every 3 years and Ministry of Gender Equality
and Family is in charge of.
 Survey on domestic violence conducted in 2004, 2007, 2010.
2004 - Gallup Korea
2007 - Korea Institute of Health and Social Welfare
2010 - Yonsei University
 Survey on sexual violence was conducted in 2007, 2010.
2007 - Korea Institute of Health and Social Welfare
2010 - Yonsei University
 In 2013, KWDI is conducting both surveys on domestic
violence and sexual violence.
 2010 Domestic Violence Survey
Ever-married women and men aged 19 to under 65
Total cases : 2,659/ Women 1,984/ Men 675
 2010 Sexual Violence Survey
Women and men aged 19 and over
Total cases : 2,200/ Women 1,583/ Men 617
 200 sampling units are stratified in proportion to 16
metropolitan provinces, which are based on enumeration
districts of 2005 Korea census.
 19 households are selected per each sampling unit in DV
survey and 11 households in SV survey.
 Two interviewers as a team visit each household and interview
the household member whose birthday is the earliest in the
year. Questionnaire is completed either by interviewer or
respondent.
 2010 Domestic Violence Survey
Perception on gender role and violence
Experience of being abused during childhood
Awareness of act, policy and related services on DV
Detailed actions of physical, emotional, economic,
sexual violence/ first occurrence/ frequency
Emotional and physical injuries from DV
Response to domestic violence
Personal and demographic information
 2010 Sexual Violence Survey
Perception on sexuality and sexual violence
Awareness of act, policy and related services on SV
Questions on sexual molestation, attempted rape, rape,
sexual harassment, stalking/ ever occurred/ frequency/
number of predators/ first occurrence/ occurrence during
the last year/ relationship with predator
Emotional and physical injuries from SV
Response to sexual violence
Personal and demographic information
Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
(Unit: Person. %)
Classification
Sex
Male
Female
Aged 19-34
Age
Aged 35-49
Aged 50-64
Marital Status
Education
Married
Widowed
Divorced/separated
No response
High school and less
Junior college and over
No response
Total
%
Cases
675
1,984
349
1,356
956
2,413
90
125
31
1,500
1,025
134
2,659
25.4
74.6
13.0
51.0
36.0
90.8
3.4
4.7
1.1
56.4
38.5
5.1
100.0
Source: Kim, et al. (2010), 「2010 Domestic Violence Survey of Korea」, p. 90, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Incidence Rate of Spousal Abuse during the last year
(Unit: %, Person)
Occurrence rate of spousal abuse1)
Occurrence rate of spousal abuse2)
Light abuse
Physical Serious abuse
abuse
(light + serious)
abuse
Types
Emotional abuse
of
abuse
Economic abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Controlment
%
Number
estimated
65.6
Female respondents
Male respondents
%
Number
estimated
%
Number
estimated
15,047,906
57.1
7,769,857
50.7
4,731,423
53.8
12,134,246
44.3
6,029,354
34.0
3,175,979
16.3
3,745,599
14.6
1,986,898
6.9
645,813
3.3
741,201
3.3
452,902
1.9
180,708
16.7
3,819,802
15.3
2,082,189
7.0
654,441
42.8
9,813,551
33.6
4,568,047
24.5
2,289,133
10.1
2,304,079
7.6
1,028,363
4.4
414,269
10.4
2,382,554
9.3
1,262,862
4.7
442,063
30.5
6,994,181
23.4
3,179,967
18.5
1,724,778
48.8
11,183,068
38.8
5,285,686
37.5
3,497,614
Source: Kim, et al. (2010), 「2010 Domestic Violence Survey of Korea」, p. 104, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: 1)Including physical, emotional, economic, sexual, abuse, neglect andcontrolment
2)Not including controlment
Incidence Rate of Spousal Abuse during the Last Year
(Unit: %. Person)
Physical abuse
Occurrence
rate of
spousal abuse
Light
abuse
Serious
abuse
2010
53.8
16.3
3.3
16.7
42.8
2007
40.3
11.1
4.8
11.6
2004
44.6
15.2
4.8
15.7
(light + Emotional Economic
abuse
abuse
serious)
abuse
Sexual
abuse
Neglect
Cases
10.1
10.4
30.5
(2,423)
33.1
4.1
10.5
19.6
(6,561)
42.1
-
7.1
-
(5,916)
Source: Kim, et al. (2010), 「2010 Domestic Violence Survey of Korea」, p. 105, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: Physical, emotional, economic, sexualabuseandneglect are includedin 2007and 2010. In 2004,economic abuseandneglect are not
included.
Incidence Rate of Spousal Abuse during the Last Year by Wives’
(Unit: %, Person)
Characteristics
Physical abuse
Aged 19-34
Age
Aged 35-49
Aged 50-64
Education
High school and less
Junior college and over
Less than 2 mil won
Income
Employment status
2 mil to under 4 mil won
4 mil won and over
Employed
Unemployed
Light abuse
Serious abuse
14.6
14.1
15.4
15.1
12.9
16.0
14.0
13.8
15.9
13.8
1.5
3.5
3.8
4.6
1.4
5.8
2.5
1.3
3.2
3.4
(light + serious)
abuse
14.6
14.9
16.2
16.0
13.2
17.4
14.6
13.8
16.7
14.5
Cases
(293)
(1,040)
(651)
(1,154)
(734)
(613)
(912)
(423)
(797)
(1,174)
Source: Kim et al. (2010), 「2010 Domestic Violence Survey of Korea」, p. 114, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: Percentage based onweighted analysis
Demographic characteristics of Respondents
(Unit: %, Person)
Classification
Sex
Age
Education
Cases
%
Male
Female
Total
Aged 19-34
Aged 35-49
Aged 50-64
65 and over
No response
Total
617
1,583
2,200
566
824
512
297
1
2,200
28.0
72.0
100.0
25.7
37.5
23.3
13.5
0.0
100.0
Middle school and under
428
19.5
High school
Junior college
College and over
No response
Total
734
266
635
137
2,200
33.4
12.1
28.9
6.1
100.0
Source: Kim, et al. (2010), 「2010 Sexual Violence Survey of Korea」, p.122, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Incidence Rate of Sexual Violence during the Last Year
(Unit: %, Person)
Sexual Violence with body contact
Less serious
Serious
Molestation Molestation
Total %
(Cases)
Female %
(Cases)
Male %
(Cases)
Attempted
rape
Sexual
Rape
Total
Harassm
ent
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(a⋃b⋃c⋃d)
2.1
(55)
3.3
(49)
0.8
(6)
1.2
(34)
2.1
(32)
0.2
(2)
0.2
(7)
0.4
(7)
-
0.2
(3)
0.2
(2)
0.1
(1)
2.9
(78)
4.7
(71)
0.9
(7)
1.4
(37)
2.4
(35)
0.2
(2)
Obscene
Genital
Stalking
Phone call Exposure
34.2
(673)
27.1
(425)
41.8
(248)
2.0
(47)
2.7
(42)
1.1
(5)
0.6
(15)
1.0
(13)
0.2
(2)
(Cases)
(2,200)
(1,583)
(617)
Source: Kim et al. (2010), 「2010 Sexual Violence Survey of Korea」, p.143, Ministry of Gender Equality% and Family.
Note: 1) Percentage based on weighted analysis
2) Number of cases from survey is in parentheses.
3) (a⋃b⋃c⋃d) indicates those with at least one of a or b or c or d.
Comparing Survey and Criminal Statistics
(Unit: Person)
2010 Sexual Violence Survey)
2010
Less Serious
Serious
Attempted
Molestation
Molestation
Rape
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(a⋃b⋃c⋃d)
(Cases)
(55)
(34)
(7)
(3)
(78)
Estimated Persons
708,864
392,949
74,627
50,952
980,694
Rate per 100,000
2087.0
1156.9
219.7
150.0
2887.3
Type
Rape
Total
Criminal
Statistics
16,156
32.5
Source: Kim et al. (2010), 「2010 Sexual Violence Survey of Korea」, p.145, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: 1) Estimated persons are based on weighted analysis by sex and region.
2) Number of cases from survey is in parentheses. Total number of cases are 2,200.
3) Rate per 100,000 = Estimated persons/Total pop×100,000. Total pop is 33,965,852.
4) (a⋃b⋃c⋃d) indicates those with at least one of a or b or c or d.
Lifetime Prevalence Rate of Sexual Violence among Women
(Unit: %, Persons)
Sexual Violence with body contact
Less Serious
Serious
Attempted
Molestation
Molestation
Rape
(a)
(b)
Female
29.0
(Cases)
(437)
Sexual
Obscene
Genital
Stalking (Cases)
Rape
Total
(c)
(d)
(a⋃b⋃c⋃d)
7.3
3.6
1.4
30.5
15.7
52.7
34.7
6.1
(109)
(53)
(20)
(464)
(249)
(826)
(536)
(101)
Harassment Phone call
Exposure
(1,583)
Source: Kim et al. (2010), 「2010 Sexual Violence Survey of Korea」, p.146, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: 1) Percentage based on weighted analysis
2) Number of cases from survey is in parenthesis
Incidence Rate by Women’s Characteristics during the Last Year
(Unit: %, Person)
Sexual Violence with body contact
Type%
Less Serious
Serious
Attempted
Molestation
Molestation
Rape
(a)
(b)
(c)
Rape
Total
(d)
(a⋃b⋃c⋃d)
Sexual
Obscene
Genital
Stalking
Harassment Phone call Exposure
Age
(Cases)
(1,582)
Aged 19-34
8.6
3.5
0.6
0.4
11.0
5.6
37.5
3.5
1.9
(378)
Aged 35-49
1.4
1.4
0.4
0.2
2.4
1.2
28.0
2.8
0.6
(632)
Aged 50-64
2.6
2.1
0.5
-
3.9
1.6
24.5
3.0
1.3
(361)
65 and over
1.4
1.5
-
-
1.8
1.9
16.4
1.4
-
(211)
Education
High school
and less
Junior college
and over
(1,473)
2.4
1.8
0.3
0.1
3.1
1.9
24.9
2.1
1.4
(867)
4.8
2.5
0.6
0.2
6.7
3.6
34.2
3.7
0.4
(606)
Source: Kim et al. (2010), 「2010 Sexual Violence Survey of Korea」, p.148, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Note: 1) Percentage based on weighted analysis
2) Number of cases from survey is in parentheses.