Promising practices to engage ethno-cultural communities in ending domestic violence

Violence against women by intimate partners is a widespread violation of human rights that occurs in all economic, cultural, and ethnic groups (Bui & Morash, 1999; Perilla, 1999). A significant proportion of the world's population of women experience family violence daily. According to the World Health Organization (2005) approximately 5,000 women are murdered by family members in the name of honour each year. Significant concern about domestic violence has been raised by such international organizations as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nation's Development Fund for Women, Soroptimist International and the World Bank (Tutty & Bradshaw, 2003).