The Western New York chapter of the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York is hosting the seminar "Violence and Abuse of Women: An International Perspective" Monday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Bar Association of Erie County, 438 Main St., Buffalo.

The evening will feature presentations by women's-rights lawyers Andrijana Covic and Gulnaz Naamatova. Both are studying at the University at Buffalo Law School this semester on International Domestic Violence scholarships.

Covic, a graduate of the law faculty at the University of Novi Sad, works with victims of domestic violence in Serbia as a lawyer in a provincial office for gender equality. Naamatova graduated from the American University in Central Asia and is project coordinator for the Justice Movement Public Association in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Buffalo lawyer Lindy Korn, an organizer of the seminar, said the topic was chosen because domestic violence "really affects people in every part of their life," including finances, estate planning and employment matters.

"It is a pretty violent world, and I think the relationship between men and women has become very toxic," she said.

"I think particularly with the status of women, there is a real cultural divide and even in this country there are still some very strong stereotypes and bias. And in some cultures, not much has changed."

For more information, contact Melissa Foti at 853-3801 or melissafoti@aol.com.