Gender-based Violence: Examples from the field

“I tried everything I could to fight him off, I tried to scream but only air escaped my lung” Lola, 19years (sexual violence)

“I pushed, kicked, punched and scratched and that is when I felt a knife pierce my skin. I want completely limp” (domestic violence)

“I thought my legs were fast because they never stopped running but I never thought he was right there with me from the start, waking up with me everyday and that day, I knew home is where I should run from, it is not safe either” (sexual violence)

Carie 25 years says “It brings pain in my heart that I couldn’t run away from the isolation very early. It took away my identity and my dignity” (Emotional violence )

Introduction

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a violation of the fundamental human rights; in which women and girls are more frequent victims than men and boys. It is a global problem which occurs in the home, at school, in the work place and other social settings. GBV includes rape, assault, wife-battering and beating, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual aggravations. GBV, more often than not, drives fear into the lives of women and young girls and less frequently, men and boys. Yet, it is the least recognized human rights abuses. Even though women are presumably protected by the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1975), the women’s rights agenda did not attract global attention until 1979 when 160 members of the United Nations (including Nigeria) adopted the International Bills of Rights for Women, and the Convention on the. Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Violence is the second leading cause of death among adolescent girls globally (WHO 2012). According to a situational analysis conducted in Nigeria, overwhelming evidences has emerged that GBV is thriving and widespread. Though Nigeria Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to dignity of human person, and forbids the subjection of any person torture or to inhuman degrading treatment, GBV remains a daily unreported occurrences. This is because the Nigeria society is ruled by a pervasive patriarchal system, which supports male supremacy, unequal gender role relations, and grants men power and control over women in both domestic and public spheres. One direct consequence of this social arrangement is a general laissez faire attitude towards GBV and passive acceptance by some of its victims. GBV can be classified into four broad categories namely; domestic violence, non-spousal/violence outside the home / sexual harassment, harmful traditional practices and psychological violence.

According to United Nation, violence against women is defined as “Any act of gender based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychology harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. ”Gender based violence (GBV) is the general term used to capture violence that occurs as a result of the normative role expectations associated with each gender, along with the unequal power relationships between the two genders, within the context of a specific society” (Bloom 2008, p. 14). While women, girls, men and boys can be victims of GBV, the main focus of this write up is on the violence against women and girls. This is because it has been widely acknowledged that the majority of persons affected by violence are women and girls. This is as a result of unequal distribution of power in society between women and men. Women and girls suffer from particular stigma in the context of structural inequality, discrimination and patriarchy.

Forms of GBV

•   Domestic violence: Domestic violence is not an isolated, individual event but rather a pattern of perpetrator behaviours used against a survivor. This consists of different way of abusive acts like punching, name calling, attacks against property, sexual assault, menacing, kidnapping, harassment

•   Physical Violence: This include spitting, scratching, grabbing, shaking, slapping, punching, choking, burning, throwing, twisting and cutting (the use of household objects, knives, guns)

•   Sexual violence: Sexual violence takes place in many forms under different conditions violated by a person or more (e.g gang rape) The home is where sexual violence occurs most times, but it also takes places in other settings such as workshops, school, the streets, prisons, cars qnd open spaces (e.g parks, farmland). Most perpetrator of sexual violence is someone known to the survivor. There is no stereotypical perpetrator, sexually violent men come from all backgrounds, rich, poor, uneducated, religious and non-religious. Other forms of sexual violence include:

Sexual slavery

Virginity tests

Forced marriage

Forced pregnancy

Female genital mutilation

Incest

Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation

•   Psychological violence: Suicide attempts, hostage taking, stalking, displaying weapons. Some psychological Violence are:

Emotional Abuse: This is a tactic of control that consists of a wide variety of verbal attacks and humiliations. In a relationship, this cycle starts when one partner emotionally abuses the other, typically to show dominance. The abuser then feels guilt, but not about what he (or she) has done, but more over the consequences of his actions. The abuser then makes up excuses for his own behavior to avoid taking responsibility over what has happened. The abuser then resumes “normal” behavior as if the abuse never happened and may, in fact, be extra charming, apologetic and giving — making the abused party believe that the abuser is sorry. Emotional abuse affects an individual worth or role as a parent, family member, community member. It affects the victim self esteem, sense of identity, dignity and self worth which sometimes lead to depression, anxiety.

Isolation: Perpetrator gain control over the movement of the victim. The abuser tries to change the reality of the victim by lying about their legal rights or the outcome of medical intervention, providing contradictory information or withholding information. The perpetrator says and so things that scare the victim to restrict their freedom.

•   Economic violence: Gender based violence doesn’t just focus on physical, sexual and psychological manifestations. The perpetrator limit the victim’s access to funds, credit, controlling access to education, employment, and excluding the victim from financial decision making. Sometimes, the perpetrator does not allow the victim to work or stops her from working

Causes

While the causes of violence against women and girls have been examined from various theoretical perspectives, all have concluded that no single cause adequately accounts for violence against women although unequal power between men and women remains a common thread.

Other influencing factors are:

•   Economic opportunities for women

•   Women insecure access to and control properties

•   Substance abuse

•   Unemployment

•   Couple age disparities

Effects / consequences of violence against women

There are ill effects of violence against women. Some are short term while others are long term effects.

Long term effects are:

•   Asthma

•   Arthritis

•   Stress

•   Heart problems

•   Migraine

•   Sexual problems like pain during sex

•   Digestive problems

Short term effects are:

•   Unwanted pregnancy

•   Pelvic pains

•   Vaginal bleeding

•   Sexual transmitted infections

Women who are pregnant are affected by violence; extending to the unborn child and cases of sexual assaults and there are supporting evidences. Safety of children should be of greater priority because often times, children also experience and become victims of physical violence in the home. Some develop mental health problems after violence. To cope, some other involve themselves in risky behaviours such as having unprotected sex, drugs misuse and alcoholic abuse. Other effects related to mental health are also effects of violence against women e.g. traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

Solutions

Ending violence against women requires change at all levels of the socio-political system.

•   Education for prevention: violence against women should be addressed in schools among young people, to help them provide with tools and expertise to understand the causes of violence against women and where to access support if violence is experienced. This educational curriculum can be developed to non formal in other to engage young people and adults in efforts to end violence against girls and women.

•   Creating laws and enforce existing laws that protect women from discrimination and violence including rape, mutilation, trafficking and torture.

•   Strengthen women’s ability to earn money and support their households by providing skills training for women.

•   Sensitize the public on the disadvantages of early and forced marriages and other harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation.

•   Highlight the value of girls’ education and of women’s participation in economic development

•   Engage boys and men to become agents of change in the journey to stop violence against women

Written by Concern Women International Development Initiative (CWIDI)