The
16 Days of Activism campaign to oppose violence against women and children is
officially launched today, 25 November 2019. One in three women worldwide
experiences gender-based violence, according to the United Nations. The theme
this year is FROM AWARENESS TO VISIBILITY. Rainbow identity Association will be
having activities during the 16 Days of Activism in promoting awareness and
visibility of Trans and intersex people. See the following posters for the
upcoming events.
What is gender-based violence?
Gender-based
violence (GBV) often occurs within relationships, and involves acts of
aggression committed against women, men, boys or girls, transgender and
intersex persons as a result of social norms that dictate the roles and behaviour
‘expected’ of each gender. Although men and boys are also subjected to abuse
and violence, transmen, transwomen, intersex women and girls are more often
affected due to power imbalances and the low social status often accorded to
them. These factors often result in discrimination and being denied
opportunities in various spheres.
Groups
that are particularly vulnerable include women and girls, children, older
people, people living with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans,
queer/questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) people.
What forms does gender-based violence take?
GBV
includes:
- sexual harassment
- rape and/or sexual violence
- stalking (repeatedly following, watching and/or harassing another person)
- physical, emotional and economic abuse
- child abuse
Sexual
violence is broadly defined as any sexual act (or attempt to obtain a sexual
act or other act directed against a person’s sexuality) using force by any
person regardless of their relationship to the victim in any setting. It
includes intimate-partner violence, sexual assault, forced prostitution,
exploitation, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, infanticide and neglect.
Coercion
is a central element of sexual violence and may involve varying degrees of
force. Apart from physical force, it may include psychological intimidation,
blackmail or other threats – for instance, the threat of physical harm, of
being dismissed from a job or being failed in a class.
Sexual
abuse is defined as “any conduct that abuses, humiliates, degrades or otherwise
violates the sexual integrity of the complainant”. The term also covers any
sexually stimulating behaviour by an adult towards a child victim who is
younger than the age of consent, which can be more specifically defined as
statutory rape or child sexual abuse.
Physical
abuse is defined as any act or threatening act intended to cause feelings of
physical pain, injury or other physical suffering or bodily harm towards
another person. Children and women are most affected by this kind of violence.
Emotional,
verbal and psychological abuse are any patterns of degrading or humiliating
conduct towards another, including repeated insults, ridicule or name-calling;
repeated threats to cause emotional pain; or the repeated exhibition of
obsessive possessiveness or jealousy, such that it constitutes a serious
invasion of privacy, liberty, integrity or security.
Economic
abuse is the unreasonable deprivation of economic or financial resources to
which a person is entitled under law, or which the complainant is required to
pay for basic household necessities, bond repayments or payment of rent in
respect of a shared residence. It also covers the unreasonable disposal of
household effects or other property.
What impact can these forms of violence have?
The
harmful consequences could include:
- ill health
- psychological, physical and emotional trauma
- unwanted pregnancies
- sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
- suicide
- depression
- low self-esteem
- drug and alcohol abuse
- low productivity at home, in the community, at work and at university
What is the difference between gender-based violence and
violence against women?
Many
discussions about violence against women tend to employ the terms GBV and
violence against women (VAW) interchangeably. However, VAW is a form of GBV
that encompasses a range of abuses targeted specifically at women and girls
throughout their lives, and has its roots in gender inequality.
Essentially,
VAW is a subcategory of GBV – men and boys could also be victims of GBV, though
women and girls are the main victims.
The
UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines VAW
as: ‘Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result
in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women and girls,
including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty,
whether occurring in public or in private life.’
#FromAwarenessToViissibility
#Translivesmatter
#Intersexlivesmatter
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