How you can become involved in preventing violence against women and children

How you can become involved in preventing violence against women and children

Working together to break the cycle

No society is free of gender-based violence, but South Africa deals with particularly alarming levels of violence perpetrated against women and children.

To create awareness and prevent this ongoing violence, 16 days are set aside annually to raise awareness of the violence and to encourage programmes and participation in preventing gender-based violence.

Annually, this awareness week takes place between 25 November to 10 December. This year, the global theme is “UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign, which starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November) and ends on Human Rights Day (10 December). The awareness campaign is coordinated each year by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership and offers an opportunity to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

The campaign brings together the activists, advocates, and organisations working to combat gender-based violence and rallies citizens to join their efforts. It seeks to increase conversation around gender-based violence, share information, and highlight ways societies can become involved in tackling the ongoing violence.

Growing levels of violence

Gender-based violence stems from power inequalities between genders in society, particularly in societies that are dominated by patriarchal power structures. Gender-based violence is more pronounced in societies in which violence and crime have become normalised, as well as in ones in which men are treated as superior to women. Gender-based violence often results in women being unable to cannot protect their bodies, meet their basic needs, participate fully in society, and have justice against men who perpetrate violence against women.

There are many forms in which gender-based violence can play out, including physical, sexual, emotional, financial, or structural. Most acts of interpersonal gender-based violence are committed by men against women, with the perpetrator known to the woman, such as a partner or family member.

Many instances of gender-based violence remain unreported, but the statistics that are available show alarming levels of violence in South Africa, especially between intimate partners.

An estimated half of all women murdered are killed by an intimate male partner, and between 25% and 40% of South African women have experienced sexual and/or physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In addition, around half of women have experienced emotional or economic abuse at the hands of their intimate partners in their lifetime. But strangers and acquaintances can also commit gender-based violence, and one study found that one in 13 women in had reported nonpartner rape, and only one in 25 rapes had been reported to the police. Alarmingly, most men who rape do so for the first time as teenagers, and almost all men who rape have carried out their first attack by their mid-20s.

The far-reaching impact of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence not only has devastating consequences for the women who experience it, but it also has much wider societal impacts. Gender-based violence is a human rights violation and has significant impacts on the survivors of violence.

It can lead to psychological trauma for both survivors and their families, along with the physical injuries sustained. There is also a wide impact on communities and society. The high rate of gender-based violence places a heavy burden on the health and criminal justice systems in South Africa.

Addressing gender-based violence is a complex issue and requires multifaceted responses and commitment

Healthcare facilities treat an estimated 1.75 million people annually for injuries caused by violence, and an estimated 16% of all HIV infections in women could be prevented if women did not experience domestic violence from their partners. In addition, more than a third of women who have been raped develop post-traumatic stress disorder and are at risk of other mental illnesses such as depression.

There are also economic consequences to gender-based violence, with many survivors unable to work or move freely in society. Reports have estimated that violence against women costs the South African economy between R28 billion and R42 billion – the equivalent of around 1% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Gender-based violence is more prevalent in societies in which violence is the norm, which means that young men are more likely to perpetuate the violence in societies that record high levels of gender-based violence – continuing the cycle.

Taking up the fight for equality

However, there are actions that each and every one of us can take to combat gender-based violence, and there is no better time to start than during 16 days of activism.

Volunteer. Volunteering can be a great way of putting your time and energy into the issues you care about in your community, such as gender-based violence. There are numerous organisations carrying out important work to combat gender-based violence and empower women, but many of these organisations are staffed by volunteers and are in desperate need of more. Look for an organisation in your community supporting abused women and children, offer to work at your local police station’s victim support centre, or become involved in a non-profit organisation lobbying for women’s rights – there are endless ways to give of your time and make a difference.

Become an advocate.

In our modern world of social media, it is becoming increasingly easier to find a platform on which to raise awareness and advocate against gender-based violence. You can use your social media platforms to share gender-based violence awareness content and direct your followers towards petitions and organisations they can support.

But your advocacy can also live offline – the 16 days of activism is a great time to start conversations with friends, families and colleagues about gender-based violence and to share messages of support for women. Some of these conversations may include educating men about gender-based violence, and speaking up against behaviours such as catcalling and shaming women for the way they dress.

Donate.

If you don’t have the time to volunteer for an organisation, you can still support their work by donating. This could be through financial contributions, but you can also donate in other ways. You can make donations of clothes, food, sanitary products, books, and care packages. Every donation – whether it be money or other goods – makes a difference in the work of those helping to empower and support people experiencing gender-based violence.

Educate yourself.

An important step in combatting gender-based violence is understanding why it’s perpetuated and why it continues to be such a widespread global issue. You can do your part by learning more about gender-based violence and the role you can play in preventing it. There are a wealth of online resources that can help you unpack the issue, but during 16 Days of Activism, many organisations and learning institutions also run seminars and workshops, which are highly educational.

Be ready to help.

Ensure you’re in a position to help women suffering abuse by educating yourself on the signs of gender-based violence and the support system in place to help those experiencing it. This could include becoming a member of safety structures in your neighbourhood, such as the community policing forum or local safety watch.

Make sure you’re able to spot the signs of gender-based violence and educate yourself on the ways you can help someone experiencing abuse, such as by contacting support hotlines or reporting the incident to the police.

Encourage others to become activists.

Individual contributions are key to fighting gender-based violence, but the only way to eradicate it is by involving all of society. One way of reaching this goal is encouraging your friends and family to become activists or involved in the fight against gender-based violence.

Addressing gender-based violence is a complex issue and requires multifaceted responses and commitment, but we can all individually contribute towards this goal, along with government, non-profit organisations and civil rights activists.

While these organisations work to address the underlying, interlinked causes of gender-based violence, each of us can work towards preventing it from taking place in our homes and communities.

The activism campaign may only run for 16 days but putting a stop to the violence is an ongoing effort and needs daily commitments from each of us.

These commitments can live through simple actions, such as supporting organisations working to promote women’s rights or educating ourselves, starting important conversations with your loved ones, and advocating on social media for women’s and girls’ rights.