IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 910 

Supporting the ideals and goals of the ‘‘International Day for the Elimination 

of Violence against Women’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 

Mr. HONDA (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. 

SWALWELL of California, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. MOORE, Ms. TITUS, and Ms. JUDY

CHU of California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 

on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the ideals and goals of the ‘‘International Day 

for the Elimination of Violence against Women’’. 

Whereas November 25, 2016, is recognized as the ‘‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against 

Women’’; 

Whereas violence against women and girls, particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence, are major public health issues and violations of human rights; 

Whereas recent global prevalence figures indicate that 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either intiVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:14 Sep 30, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR910.IH HR910

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mate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in 

their lifetime; 

Whereas humanitarian response in emergencies has shown 

that gender-based violence (GBV), particularly sexual violence, increases in the immediate aftermath of an emergency, in addition to sexual exploitation and abuse, 

human trafficking, forced prostitution, and child, early, 

and forced marriage, and must therefore be prioritized at 

the onset of the response; 

Whereas on average, 1 in 3 women who have been in a relationship report they have experienced some form of physical, sexual, or other form of violence by their intimate 

partner; 

Whereas 120,000,000 girls worldwide have experienced sexual 

assault at some point in their lives; 

Whereas an estimated 15,000,000 girls are married before 

the age of 18 every year and 700,000,000 women alive 

today were married as children; 

Whereas child marriage exposes girls to a high risk of sexual, 

physical, and psychological violence, most often from 

their partners or their partners’ families; 

Whereas women and girls are disproportionately impacted by 

natural disasters and displacement settings exacerbate 

preexisting inequalities, render women and girls even 

more vulnerable, and create greater barriers in their ability to benefit from relief, recovery, and long-term reconstruction and development efforts; 

Whereas, as many as 2,000 women and girls have been kidnapped by armed men since the start of 2014, where they 

were often stripped naked so as not to escape, forced into 

marriage, and repeatedly raped; 


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Whereas reports on conflict-related sexual violence highlight 

the use of sexual violence as integrally linked with the 

strategic objectives, ideology, and funding of extremist 

groups, orchestrated in order to generate revenue as well 

as to recruit, reward, and retain fighters; 

Whereas violence against women and girls can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive, and other health issues, 

and may increase vulnerability to HIV and other sexually 

transmitted diseases; 

Whereas more than 133,000,000 girls and women have experienced some form of female genital mutilation and are 

at risk for infection (including HIV), infertility, complications during pregnancy, and death; 

Whereas more often than not, cases of violence against 

women and girls goes unreported due to factors such as 

shame, stigma, and poor structures to support survivors; 

Whereas worldwide, as many as 38 percent of all murders of 

women are committed by an intimate partner; 

Whereas women in urban areas are twice as likely as men to 

experience violence, particularly in developing countries; 

Whereas between 40 to 50 percent of women in the workplace 

experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or 

other forms of sexual harassment; 

Whereas gender-based violence in the workplace disproportionately and negatively affects women and their economic independence, equality, and empowerment; 

Whereas in the United States, 83 percent of girls in grades 

8 through 11 (aged 12–16) have experienced some form 

of sexual harassment in public school; 


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Whereas in the United States, an estimated 9,400,000 

women had married at age 16 or younger and nearly 

1,700,000 had married at age 15 or younger; 

Whereas in the United States, almost 12 percent of new HIV 

infections among women more than 20 years old during 

the previous year were attributed to intimate partner violence; 

Whereas in the United States, 1 in 5 women have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, mostly by 

a current or former partner; 

Whereas women living in households with lower annual 

household incomes experience intimate partner violence at 

significantly higher rates than women in households with 

higher annual household incomes; 

Whereas women with disabilities are more likely to experience 

intimate partner violence and sexual violence than women 

who are able-bodied; 

Whereas transgender women are more likely to experience 

physical violence and discrimination within intimate partner violence, and more likely to experience intimate partner violence in public spaces; 

Whereas 44 percent of lesbian women and 61 percent of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime; 

Whereas in the United States alone, the costs of intimate 

partner violence exceed $5,800,000,000 each year, more 

than two-thirds of which are health care costs; and 

Whereas the people of the United States should be encouraged to support the goals and participate in the ‘‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against 

Women’’: Now, therefore, be it 


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1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the ideals and goals of the ‘‘Inter3 national Day for the Elimination of Violence against 

4 Women’’; 

5 (2) honors those working domestically and 

6 internationally to eliminate violence against women 

7 and girls; and 

8 (3) encourages the President to— 

9 (A) address the needs of women and girls 

10 experiencing violence worldwide through fund11 ing for inclusive, integrated, participatory sur12 vivor-led programs; 

13 (B) prioritize protections for women and 

14 children in fragile and conflict zones and in hu15 manitarian response; 

16 (C) address increased rates of violence 

17 against marginalized women due to race, eth18 nicity, gender and sexual identity, and socio19 economic status; 

20 (D) increase women’s and girls’ opportuni21 ties worldwide including opportunities for qual22 ity education and economic participation; 

23 (E) integrate the priorities and solutions of 

24 women and girls living in poverty in the preven25 tion and response to sexual violence; and 


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1 (F) issue a proclamation to the people of 

2 the United States to observe the ‘‘International 

3 Day for the Elimination of Violence against 

4 Women’’. 

Æ 


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