GBV
Prevention
and Response
By:Susan Aletia
Gender Advisor
TCG/UN JP
Gender Based Violence, What is it?
The term GBV, refers to “any act that results in,
or is likely to result to:
physical, sexual or psychological harm or
suffering to an individual,
including threats of such acts, coercion or
arbitrary deprivation of liberty,
whether occurring in public or in private life
subjected to the individual on the basis of their
gender” (CEDAW).
Power
Power is the ability to influence or control. It
includes access to decision- making
processes.
In most communities, cultures and societies,
the gender roles assigned to women have
less visibility and thus less power
attributed to them.
This lack of power and status make women
vulnerable to acts of violence.
Violence:
is the use of force that results in mental, social,
emotional and/or physical harm.
A perpetrator or assailant is the alleged attacker.
Survivor is used to refer to an individual who is a victim of
gender-based violence. Referring to victims of GBV as
survivors recognizes and highlights their strength and
resilience.
Informed consent: Informed consent means making an informed
choice (ie. an individual is aware of all his/her options and is
able to make a decision without coercion) freely and voluntarily
by people in an equal power relationship. Acts of GBV occur
without consent.
Children (people under 18) and individuals who are mentally
challenged, are deemed unable to give informed consent for
acts such as FGM, marriage, sexual relationships etc..
Scope of the Problem: GBV from Birth
to Death
Some researchers put the global number of “missing”
females—those who should be living but are not
because of discriminatory practices such as sex-
selective abortions, female infanticide, and fatal
neglect of girl children—at between 50 million and 100
million.
Of the estimated two million children being exploited in
prostitution and pornography worldwide, 80% to 90%
are girls in most countries.
Of the over half-million human beings trafficked across
borders each year, an estimated 80% are women and
girls.
A projected 82 million girls around the world who
are now between the ages of 10 and 17 will be
married before their 18th birthdays:.
Studies from the US, Europe, and Australia have
concluded that violence against women by their
intimate partners poses among the greatest
threat to women’s health and welfare.
Women are nine times more likely than men to
leave their jobs as a result of sexual harassment.
Types Of GBV
Sexual violence - sexual harassment, defilement,
incest, rape, sodomy, forced prostitution, and sex
slavery/trafficking, sex tourism;
Physical violence - spouse/partner beating (kicking,
punching), other gender-based assault;
Psychological/emotional violence – verbal abuse
including insults, humiliation, threats, confinement;
Harmful Cultural Practices: e.g. FGM;
Economic discrimination/exploitation;
Neglect
Harmful Practices
Who are the perpetrators?
Worldwide, about 80 percent of all crimes against property are
committed by men, as are 95 percent of crimes involving
violence.
Worldwide, women are much more vulnerable to violence within
intimate and familiar relationships, whereas men are more likely
to be attacked by a stranger or acquaintance.
Studies indicate that on average over 90 percent of perpetrators of
sexual violence against women are men, and in the case of male
victims, between 63 and 86 percent of the perpetrators are
men.
In Canada, women are three times more likely than men to be
injured as a result of abuse by a spouse or boyfriend, five times
more likely to require medical attention or hospitalization, and
five times more likely to report fearing for their lives.
Causes and Contributing Factors;
Lack of Gender Ignorance
mainstreaming Politics/conflicts
Gender inequality Environment e.g.
Abuse of power: sleeping
power relations arrangement,
Gender in-equity dependency,
Criminals
Attitudes towards
either gender
Cultures and
traditions
Locations of GBV: Where?
Homes
Schools
Public Transport
Work place:
Formal
Informal
Industrial disputes/strikes
Toilets/bathrooms
Offices
Consequences
Detrimental effects; often life threatening or keep
survivor from leading normal and productive life.
1. Health consequences- STDs/HIV/AIDs, bodily injury,
pregnancies, reproductive organ damage
2. Psychosocial- humiliation, shame, loss of self esteem,
stigmatization
3. Emotional - anger, hostility, insecurity/fear, sadness,
4. Behavioral- loss of concentration, shaking,loss of self
confidence
5. Social – rejection, self hate, dependency of the
survivor
Gender-based Violence Programs
Must include both
Prevention Activities Response
Activities
because they target
Root causes Consequences of GBV
&
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES
seek to influence changes in the knowledge,
attitudes, and behavior of a community by
addressing both the root cause and contributing
factors of gender-based violence.
Key sectors of response
Health Psychosocial
Safety and Legal and
Security Justice
Multi-sectoral Framework
Coordination, Referral,
Guiding Principles
Health Legal/Justice
Community
Security Psychosocial
Government, NGOs,
FBOs, CBOs,
UN Agencies, Donors
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Sector Role
Health Care
Relevant sectors
Addresses the physical, mental and
psychological consequences of GBV.
Education and invaluable preventive
information
Protection; Safety, Security and Legal redressing a culture of impunity,
Support
Psychosocial The support and tools needed to deal with
personal trauma, stigma and possible
exclusion from their families and community.
Awareness creation
Community based networks Sustain awareness of GBV among both the
providers and recipients of services,
Help to mobilize public support for survivors
while reducing tolerance to incidents of sexual
violence.
Media Convey information, Expose injustice,
Promote accountability, Generate dialogue,
Increase donations/donor interest,
Make organizations visible.
Multi-sectoral initiatives
• Telephone hotlines, • Income-generation programs,
• Emergency shelters, • Programs for batterers,
• Police intervention, • Women service at police
• Legal assistance, stations and
• Psychological and other • Child welfare services
counselling,
• Psychological care,
• Support groups,
GBV prevention
For effective short- and long-term GBV prevention, interventions
must take place across all the key sectors and at three levels, so
that structural, systemic and individual protections are
institutionalized. These levels are as follows:
1.0 Primary prevention/structural reform,
Which includes preventative measures at the broadest level to
ensure rights are recognized and protected through;
- Substantive and procedural law reform.
• Supporting policy development within ministries of health, social
welfare, justice and security.
• Human rights education with traditional and community elders.
2.0 Secondary prevention/systems reform,
Monitoring systems in place for rights that are breached
Intervention will include developing and building the capacity of
statutory and traditional legal/justice systems healthcare
systems, social-welfare systems and community mechanisms.
Examples include:
Education and training for governmental and non-governmental
agencies providing health, security and social-welfare services
to women and girls.
• Technical assistance to government departments,
coordination,assessements
3.0 Tertiary prevention/operational response
Which includes response at the individual level through direct
services to meet the needs of women and girls who have been
subjected to GBV. Examples include:
• Community-based education and information campaigns about
gender-based violence as well as about the availability of
services.
• Case management, referral and advocacy.
• Counseling and support.
• Medical forensic examination, treatment and follow-up.
• Linkage with police and courts.
• Court support through the judicial process.
Referrals
The scarcity of referral linkages also acts as a barrier to receiving
appropriate care and support.
Confusion over protocols and procedures causes delays and often
unnecessary expense and trauma to survivors.
The 72-hour ‘window of opportunity’ for forensic examination and
medical management signifies the importance of quick and
efficient referrals.
Effective referral mechanisms need to be established
simultaneously with strengthening the component services.
Referral key points:
Always observe the basic guiding principles:
• Safety
• Confidentiality
• Respect
• Non-discrimination
At all times in the referral process, prioritize survivor and member
safety and security.
No action should be taken without the express permission of the
survivor, if and when appropriate
The Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC) in anywhere
benefits from relationships with local police centres and legal
aid NGOs, which together constitute the main sources of
referrals.
In the other direction, the GVRC refers eligible clients to long-term
shelters and for legal support and counselling
END
