The Reduction of Violence in Thai Society by International Standards: RESPECT for Women's Equality

Abstract

This study, entitled "The Reduction of Violence in Thai Society to Align With International Standards: Respect for Women's Equality" has several objectives: to investigate the problems, causes, and effects of violence in Thai society, to study the implementation of the international standard Violence Reduction Guidelines: Respect for Women's Equality (RESPECT) in collaboration with relevant agencies appropriate for the Thai social context and to suggest guidelines for preventing and resolving problems of violence in order to integrate international standards for reducing violence within the Thai social context.

The research methodology consists of mixed research including documentary research, quantitative and qualitative research, and participatory action research. The sample group consisted of 2,400 people, 400 inmates, and a unit for the prevention and solution of violence in Ko Kha Subdistrict Municipality, Ko Kha District, Lampang Province. The quantitative research analyzed the 0data using percentage, mean and standard deviation statistics. For qualitative research, content analysis was used.

The study found that in 2021, Thailand was the 47th most violent country in the world. Major problems of violence in Thai society during the COVID-19 situation include suicide, family violence, violence against children and women, violence against children and young people, and the use of violence by children and adolescents. The main causes of violence are economic problems, mental health problems, values, and norms related to violence, alcohol, drugs, and firearms problems, with the impact of damage from violence accounting for 4 percent of Thailand's Gross Domestic Product. Violence reduction according to international standards and applied to the context of Thai society requires public relations to raise awareness and advance the RESPECT approach to women's equality, based on the World Health Organization and United Nations standards on reducing violence against women, in collaboration with key actors and representatives of relevant agencies and drive to reduce violence in Ko Kha Subdistrict Municipality, Ko Kha District, Lampang Province.

Research recommendations include the urgent policy formulation of a national agenda for reducing violence, the implementation of policies and measures to address violence against women according to the Respect for Women's Equality Guidelines (RESPECT), and the promotion of best practice or model areas for reducing violence in society and applying the Respect for Women's Equality (RESPECT) guidelines to reduce other forms of violence in Thai society.