Gender-based violence is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality, and continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies. Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of one’s gender. Both women and men experience gender-based violence but the majority of victims are young people especially the girl folk.
Gender-based violence and violence against the feminine folks are terms that are often used interchangeably as it has been widely acknowledged that most gender-based violence is inflicted on women and girls, by men. However, using the ‘gender-based’ aspect is important as it highlights the fact that many forms of violence against women are rooted in power inequalities between women and men.
Gender violence includes rape, marital rape, sexual assault, intimate partner violence in heterosexual and same sex partnerships, sexual harassment, stalking, prostitution, breast ironing, acid throwing, reproductive coercion, dating abuse, genital mutilation, sex trafficking etc. The term “gender violence” reflects the idea that violence often serves to maintain structural gender inequalities, and includes all types of violence against men, women, children, adolescents, gay, transgender people and gender non-conforming. This type of violence in some way influences or is influenced by gender relations. To adequately address this violence, we have to address cultural issues that encourage violence as part of masculinity.
Gender is also the most powerful predictor of rape, sexual assault and relationship violence. These crimes are predominantly against women and children are perpetrated by men. 1 out of every 20 Nigerian women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted) About 3% of Nigerian Boys– or 1 in 40– have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. While children and youths are rape victims, men are almost always the perpetrator. That is not to say that all or even most men are violent, or that women cannot perpetrate such violence. Gender violence highlights a toxic masculinity patterned violence: a prevalent violence motivated by aggression, revenge, competition, and entitlement, and includes sexual and other violence against men, women, partners and children.
The Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe, Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), as the benchmark for international legislation on tackling gender-based violence, frames gender-based violence and violence against women as a gendered act which is ‘a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women’. Under the Istanbul Convention acts of gender-based violence are emphasized as resulting in ‘physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.
Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.
SAY NO TO GENDER VIOLENCE
SHUN ALL GENDER VIOLENCE
DO NOT BE A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE
PROMOTE GENDER COMPLEMENTARITY
Fr. Emmanuel Tochukwu Onunkwo
YOUTHS SQUARE 