What Is Gender Based Violence? #16 Days of Activism

Gender-based violence is any form of violence directed against a person because of that person’s gender, or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionately. Both women and men experience gender-based violence but the majority of victims are women and girls. Gender-based violence is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality— and that is why most of its victims are women and girls. Gender-based violence continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies.

Most women have experienced or come close to experiencing violence simply because they are women and as such, are seen as easy targets for violence.

Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life.

1 in 3 women have fallen victim to some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors from slapping to shoving or forceful gripping, pushing to hitting. 1 in 7 women have been injured by an intimate partner.

The Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in 2018, found that 9% of women aged 15 to 49 had suffered sexual assault at least once in their lifetime, and 31% had experienced physical violence.

Gender-based violence manifests in different forms, from its most widespread form of intimate partner violence, to acts of violence in online spaces.

These different forms are not mutually exclusive, multiple forms and incidences of violence can be happening at once and reinforcing each other. Inequalities experienced by a person related to their race, (dis)ability, age, social class, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity can also drive acts of violence.

Gender-based violence has led women to be double victims in most cases, in the sense that they could be facing violence and discrimination based on race, age, social class, religion, sexual orientation, disability, just like every other person, and still have to face violence based on gender.

The Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe, Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), defines violence against women as falling under four key forms: physical, sexual, psychological and economic.

Physical violence includes acts of unlawful physical force which cause physical harm. Physical violence can take the form of, among others, serious and minor assault, deprivation of liberty and manslaughter. Women experience this on different fronts, most times in the domestic space (from family and romantic partners).

Sexual violence involves any sexual act perfomed on an individual without their consent. Sexual violence is in form of rape and/or sexual assault. It is important to note that sexual violence mostly go unnoticed and unpunished because people do not recognize the thin line between harassment/assault and rape, especially when it’s from a romantic partner.

Psychological violence is psychological harm which can take the form of coercion, defamation, verbal insult or harassment. Psychological violence, more often than none, comes first in the violence spectrum, especially amongst romantic partners or in a corporate space. Invalidating and derogatory statements, comments and expressions towards women that gradually strip them of their guard, confidence, and esteem, and could lead to emotional dependency and lack of self-worth, so that they find it difficult to take action when physical/sexual violence eventually follows.

Economic violence involves acts which cause economic harm. Economic violence can take the form of, for example, property damage, restricting access to financial resources, education or the labour market, or not complying with economic responsibilities, such as alimony.

It is also important to recognise that gender-based violence may be normalized and reproduced due to structural inequalities, such as societal norms and attitudes, gender stereotypes and violence against women specifically.

Gender-based violence is so widespread, and there is a very huge gap between the amount of women who speak up and seek justice, and the rest of the women who are victims but cannot speak up due to various reasons such as shame, stigma, threats from their abusers, lack of appropriate facilities, poverty, stereotype. Hence, in recent times, organizations and concerned persons are stepping up to provide safe spaces for these women, and smooth processes for them to get justice while staying away from the toxic space that is their abusers.

It is important for everyone to learn that every form of violence deserves justice and elimination, we should not seek redress only when it is sexual— though, most times this needs to take more importance, because it is indeed, very important— but all forms of violence/gender-based violence should be taken serious and the abusers nipped in the bud.

To create a safe space for women, a world that is largely devoid of violence against them, there are various ways everyone can contribute to reach this goal. One does not have to be a legal practitioner, or high in society, to contribute to this course. One can start from showing genuine care, erasing stigma and nonchalance, so that women can be comfortable enough to speak up. Helplines and organizations for women exist, they are easily accessible whenever we are in abusive situations, or know people who are; these organizations might provide financial, psychological aid, as well as legal aid.

Do not coddle assaulters— romantic partners, family members, random strangers, bosses/toxic workspaces, etc.

There is global observation of the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, which runs from the 25th of November to the 10th of December— Human Rights Day.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women marks the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10) — an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December). It is only right that these 16 days of activism for elimination of violence against women ends on the International Human Rights Day, establishing gender-based violence as a huge violation of human rights, and the need for women’s right to be safe and protected.

This 2023 campaign Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls will call on citizens to show how much they care about ending violence against women and girls and call on governments worldwide to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention.

In these 16 days, everybody is enjoined to join hands and lend their voices to the course. And every other day, be a part of the advocacy for the safety of women and girls.