Domestic Violence as a Human Rights Issue

This article discusses why domestic violence was not analyzed traditionally as a human rights issue. It discusses the three changes that occurred to make such an analysis possible: the expansion of state responsibility, the recognition of domestic violence as widespread and largely un-prosecuted, and the understanding that non-prosecution of domestic violence constitutes a violation of the right to equal protection under international law. In addition, this article explores the value and limitations of the human rights approach to combating domestic violence. The authors conclude that the human rights approach can be a powerful tool to combat domestic violence, but that there are currently both practical and methodological limitations that are problematic and require further analysis to make the approach more effective. [Descriptors: Violence Against Women, International]