Gender Dialogue: A way to manage Gender based violence

Definition

• Gender-Based Violence is violence involving men and women, in which the woman is usually the victim; and which is derived from gender norms and roles as well as from unequal power relations between women and men.
• Violence is specifically targeted against a person because of his or her gender, and it affects women disproportionately. It includes, but is not limited to, physical, sexual, and psychological harm (including intimidation, suffering, coercion, and/or deprivation of liberty within the family or within the general community). It includes violence perpetuated by the state.
• – Adapted from UNFPA Gender Theme Group, 1998
• From the definition above GBV is any act that results in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.

Myths surrounding Gender based violence

These are statements about gender-based violence that attempt to explain it or justify it:

• Such views lead to a perception that GBV is rare or exceptional and/or that it is caused by factors outside of men’s control. They are used as justifications for violence.
• These views place the onus on women to ensure that they minimize the chances of their behavior instigating violence.

 Some of the myths are discussed below;

The perpetrators of violence are a minority group of men with mental health issues.

• Violence may be perpetrated by those with mental health problems, but it is by no means a symptom or behavior related just to those who are mentally ill. Violence, and GBV in particular, is a common occurrence worldwide, as we will see in our next session. It is a socially and culturally learned behavior.

Poverty or war lead to attacks on and abuse of women.

• Poverty and war may exacerbate levels of violence. Some studies have found these phenomena to be risk factors for gender-based violence. However, they are not the cause of violent behavior. Gender-based violence cuts across socio-economic levels. There are many individuals living in poverty or war who are not violent toward women, and there are many individuals in higher economic quintiles or non-conflict settings that are violent toward women.

Gender-based violence is caused by substance abuse such as alcohol and/or drugs.

• Substance abuse may precipitate violent behavior or make potential victims more susceptible to violence. First, it may lower inhibitions on the side of the perpetrator. For the potential victims, it may impair judgment and cause them to make decisions that put them in situations that increase their risk for abuse or prevent them from defending themselves. It is important to recognize that neither alcohol or drugs or the victim should be blamed in these situations.
• Violence against women is unacceptable under all circumstances.

Gender-based violence is an inevitable part of intimate partner relations.

• Disagreements and disputes may be inevitable parts of intimate partner relations. However, violence as a way to resolve those disputes is not. Violence is a learned behavior and can be unlearned.

Violence against women is an inherent part of maleness or a natural expression of male sexual urges.

• Male violence is not genetically based; it is perpetuated by a model of masculinity that permits and even encourages men to be aggressive. It is up to us as individuals, communities, and society to change these gender norms so that violence against women is not accepted or tolerated.

Justification for the gender based violence are usually based on gender norms

• Gender norms are the socially assigned roles and responsibilities of women and men. Cultural and social norms often socialize men to be aggressive, powerful,
• unemotional, and controlling. This contributes to a social expectation (by both men and women) that accepts men as dominant.
• Similarly, expectations of women are that they be passive, nurturing, submissive, and emotional. This reinforces women’s roles as weak, powerless, and dependent on men
• The socialization of both men and women has resulted in an unequal balance of power and unequal power relationships between women and men.
• In many societies, children learn that men are dominant and that violence is an acceptable means of asserting power and resolving conflict.
• Women as mothers and mothers-in-law unwittingly perpetuate violence by socializing boys and girls to accept the dominance of men and by acquiescing throughout life to men’s demands.
• Mothers teach their daughters to accept the roles that society assigns them, often punishing deviant behavior to ensure their sexual and social acceptance.

The major cause of gender based violence is unequal power balance in the society. Dialogue can play an instrumental role in reducing competition based on power imbalance between individuals, community and society at large.

Gender based violence manifests in the six stages of the life cycle

• Pre-birth
• Infancy
• Childhood
• Adolescence
• Reproductive Age
• Elderly

How is Gender based violence perpetuated?

• Millions of girls and women suffer from violence and its consequences because of their sex and their unequal status in society.
• Gender-based violence is a serious violation of girls’ and women’s human rights.
• While men are also victims of violence, violence against women is characterized by its high prevalence in the family; its acceptance by society; and its serious, long-term impact on women’s health and wellbeing. Because of the enormous impact of intimate partner violence and sexual assault on women and girls, as well as the availability of data, the prevalence presentation emphasizes these two types of GBV.

It is good to note that the Data on the prevalence of GBV can be difficult to collect and compare because of some reasons:

• Definitions vary (e.g., not all studies separate or include all types of violence— physical, sexual, and psychological).
• Data collectors are not trained properly and therefore do not know how to make interviewees feel comfortable.
• Interview questions are not asked properly or at all (e.g., asking if women were
• ―abused‖ rather than behavior-specific questions, such as ―Have you ever been hit, slapped, kicked, etc?‖).
• GBV is also under-reported due to cultural and societal norms around disclosure (such as honor, shame, sense of privacy) as well as fear of further violence.
• WHO multi-country study of violence, which included violence against women, focusing on violence by intimate partners, one of the most common forms of violence against women
• Gender-based violence can be perpetrated by any number of actors—partners, family, community, and the state. These individuals can also play a role in perpetuating as well as preventing gender-based violence. In fact, all individuals in the com- munity can play a role.

Ecological Model: Explaining how GBV is perpetuated at different levels

• Individual level: biological and personal history factors among both victims and perpetrators
• Relationship level: proximal social relationships, most importantly those between intimate partners and within families.
• Community level: the community context in which social relationships are embedded, including peer groups, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.
• Societal level: larger societal factors that ―create an acceptable climate for violence, reduce inhibitions against violence

Why women remain in Abusive Marriage

• Fear of not being able to support herself
• Fear of not being able to support her children
• Barriers to being able to gain access to a safer situation (distance, no money for transport, plus the potential lack of support from friends and family)
• Fear of having children taken away from her and put back with her abusive partner
• Fear of having no place to go (partner may have already isolated her from family and friends)
• Fear of not having a place to live, insurance for herself and children Fear of partner killing her, or the children
• Disbelief that she is being abused
• Still loves him and believes he can change; hopes things will improve Religious beliefs discourage divorce
• Fear that family and friends will not believe her May feel she can manage the situation

Impacts of GVB

• Sexual reproductive health consequences including forced and unwanted pregnancies
• Unsafe abortion
• Traumatic fistula
• Sexually transmitted infections including HIV
• Death

Approaches to Interventions

• Community mobilization
• Behavior change communication
• Health service delivery
• Laws and policies

Conclusion

• Gender-based violence can be perpetrated by any number of actors—partners, family, community, and the state. These individuals can also play a role in perpetuating as well as preventing gender-based violence. In fact, all individuals in the com- munity can play a role.
• Youths have a great role in building a better society through gender dialogue. We learn to see each other for who they truly are and their value in our lives and the lives of the society.