WOMEN AND HEALTH IN LOCAL TOURIST

1. Major health related problems of women in the village

Women in the villages covered in this study suffer from a number of health and health related problems. The following list names the health problems that women of different areas commonly suffer. Some of the problems are general and others are maternal and birth related. General health problems are caused from vectors, gender-based violence; and maternal health problems are caused from malnutrition, lack of health care services and poor knowledge: Malnutrition [most common], Water borne diseases (caused from lack of safe drinking water and sanitation) [most common] , Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Maternal and child mortality, Domestic violence [most common], and Other general health problems. The respondents reported that distant locations of hospital further aggravate their health problems. The available health services and facilities mainly provide general health care services. Maternal and child health care services in the locality are scarce and unreliable.

2. HIV and malarial prevalence

The village chiefs were asked to provide the number of cases of HIV and malarial diseases in their villages. Table below provide cases of HIV and malaria by village by district. Women, particularly the married women, are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection from their husbands. Wife of migrant husbands are highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Cases of HIV/AIDS by village and district

Province Name	District Name	Village Name	Number of HIV/AIDS cases
BattamBang	Bovel	Prey TotengI	1
		Prey TotengII	5
	Rattanak Modul	Andoek Haep	1
BanteayMeanChey	Phnorm Srok	Svay Sor	1
Siem Reap	Angkor Thum	Tropaeng Touk	1
		Toap Svay	2
	Soutr Nikum	Damrey Chlang	1
		Bos	2

According to the report of village chief, there are 14 individuals living HIV/AIDS in 8 villages. Specific information on HIV/AIDS is given in this table. However, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS is highest in Prey Toteng II village in Bovel district of Battambang province. The number of malarial case is higher both in terms of number and geographical coverage (i.e., number of villages) compared to HIV/AIDS. Table below provides further information on malarial diseases in the villages. There are more than 10 cases of malaria in some villages. 

Cases of malarial disease by village and district

Province Name	District Name	Village Name	Number of malaria cases
BattemBang	Bovel	Prey TotengI	1
		Svay Chrum	5
	Rattanak Modul	Andoek Haep	More than 10
		Svay Chur	More than 10
BanteayMeanChey	Thmor Pourk	Thmey	2
	Phnorm Srok	Tavong	More than 10
		Svay Sor	2
Siem Reap	Angkor Thum	Chop Tatrav	3
		Toap Svay	More than 10
	Soutr Nikum	Chop	2
		Damrey Chlang	2
		Bos	More than 10

The common reasons of malarial epidemic among people are (i) higher presence of anopheles mosquito in the locality, (ii) lack of mosquito net, (iii) work in forest (where anopheles mosquito are available), and (iv) lack of awareness about malarial infection. 

3. Domestic violence and its dynamics

Domestic violence (against women) is the worst form of violation of women’s rights. It has multiple roots and impacts particularly on the victims. Domestic violence has long been considered as a social issue for Cambodian women. There has been an increasing number of anti-domestic violence programme in the country. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) adopted an anti-domestic violence law in 2005. However, debates remain about the current of incidence of domestic violence (i.e., whether it is in rise or declination) in Cambodia. In this study, the respondents (women) were asked about the domestic violence issue in their villages. They were asked a range of questions that surround the issue. They were asked as a group about their self-account with regard to the trend of incidence of domestic violence in their respective village. Groups’ self-account on the trend of domestic violence is shown in Table below.

Self-account of groups on the trend of domestic violence in their respective village

Sl	Province	District	Trend of incidence of domestic violence
1.	Battambang	Bovel	Decreasing [in most villages]
		Rattanak Mondul	Decreasing [in most villages]
2.	Banteay Meanchey	Thmar Pouk	Decreasing [in most villages]
		Phnom Srok	Increasing [in some villages]
			Decreasing [in some villages]
			Remain same [in some villages]
3.	Siem Reap	Angkor Thom	Increasing [in most villages]
		Soutr Nikum	Increasing [in some villages]
			Decreasing [in some villages]
			Remain same [in some villages]

Groups’ self-account reveals that the incidence of domestic violence is in decrease in most of the villages (covered in this study) in Bovel and Rattanak Mondul district in Battambang province, and Thmar Pouk district in Banteay Meanchey province. Women in the districts of Phnom Srok in Battambang province and Angkor Thom and Soutr Nikum of Siem Reap province experience increasing trend of domestic violence in some villages, while increasing trend in some other villages and remaining the same in the remaining villages.

The groups were then asked about the women who are most vulnerable to domestic violence. According to the groups, women who are poor, illiterate or low educated, and women who got married for at least 5 years and having children are most vulnerable to domestic violence.

The groups were asked about the causes of domestic violence in their respective villages. They were also asked to rank (Ranks were made according to the extent of the contribution of a particular cause to the incidence of domestic violence in the village) the causes of the domestic violence. The causes are revealed in Table below. The most common causes of domestic violence are (i) men’s reluctance in household making, share in household chores and alcoholism, (ii) multiple sex partners of husbands, (iii) gambling, (iv) poverty, (v) bad temperament and lack of tolerance, (vi) decline of social moral value, and (vii) jealousy. 

Causes of domestic violence by district and province

Sl.	Province	District	Cause	Rank
1.	Battambang	Bovel	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Multiple sex partners of husband	2
			Gambling	3
			Poverty	4
			Lack of tolerance	5
		Rattanak Mondul	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Lack of tolerance	2
			Decline of social moral and value system	3
			Many children and dependents	4
			Poverty	5
2.	Banteay Meanchey	Thmar Pouk	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Poverty	2
			Multiple sex partners of husband	3
			Gambling	4
			Decline of social moral value	5
		Phnom Srok	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Multiple sex partners of husband	2
			Poverty	3
			Bad temperament, lack of tolerance	4
			Decline of social moral value	5
3.	Siem Reap	Angkor Thom	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Lack of tolerance	2
			Jealousy	3
			Poverty	4
			Gambling	5
		Soutr Nikum	Never share in household chores and less support in household breadwinning, drink alcohol	1
			Multiple sex partners of husband	2
			Jealousy	3
			Bad temperament and lack of tolerance	4
			Poverty	5

However, men’s reluctance to share in household chores and making household, alcoholism, multiple sex partners of husband, and poverty gain top in the of causes of domestic violence in most the villages covered in this study. Widespread availability of low cost traditional alcohol gives men the way to be drunk. This also leads to having multiple sexual partners. When women question their husband on the ground of their reluctance to earn bread for household and multiple sexual partners, men loss their tolerance and start to perpetrate violence.  Findings of the causes of domestic violence in this study are similar to those revealed in other studies such Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2006 (conducted by Ministry of Planning) and Baseline Survey on Domestic Violence 2005 (conducted by Ministry of Women’s Affairs).

4.  Suggestions on how to end domestic violence

The respondents were asked about the ways and strategies to address the issue of domestic violence in their locality. The purpose of questioning the respondents on this aspect is to gain an understanding of local people’s account for making recommendations for effective and appropriate anti-domestic violence programme intervention. They suggested the followings to be considered and taken into account to reduce domestic violence in the family:

1. Educate both husband and wife about domestic violence law [most recommended]
2. Counseling by neighbors to both husband and wife where the violence often takes place
3. Make husband calm and cool when he is drunk, instead of questioning and challenging him.
4. Talk to him for change once he is recovered from drunk.
5. More and improved interventions by local authorities (such as commune councilors, police) [most recommended]
6. Control and restriction of alcohol trade in the locality by government
7. Practice of tolerance and patience [most recommended]
8. Both husband and wife work together to earn money
9.  Economic independence of women, women should also make earning
10.  Educate girls on morality and social value when they are young 

Share this: