Locals urged to stand against violence against women and children

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), gender-based violence (GBV) is a global public health, gender equality and human rights priority.

It remains a systemic crisis, affecting one in three women worldwide.

As we gear up to commemorate the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, WHO is reminding everyone that we can all play a role in preventing violence against women and children.

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This year’s theme is ‘Invest to prevent violence against women and girls;.

The campaign runs from November 25 (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until December 10, International Human Rights Day.

“While violence affects women everywhere, women and girls in certain groups – such as those living with disability, adolescent girls and older women – often face even greater difficulty to have their voices heard and to access support.

“Too often people respond to violence by blaming or shaming the victim – for instance, for what they wore or what they did, or because they belong to a particular group, or people hesitate to offer support because it takes place in ‘private’ or among people we know,” said the organisation.

Gender-based violence can include sexual, physical, mental and economic harm inflicted in public or in private.
It also includes threats of violence, coercion and manipulation.

Forms of abuse

Physical abuse usually occurs when one person uses physical pain or threat of physical force to intimidate another person.

• Slapping or pushing, punching, kicking, hair pulling, scratching, biting or throwing things at you.

• Attacking or threatening to attack you.

• Abandoning you in a dangerous place or locking you in or out of the house.

• Refusing to help you if you are injured, sick or pregnant.

Sexual abuse of children or adults includes any sort of unwanted sexual contact.

• Pressuring or forcing you to perform sexual acts that you don’t want to do.

• Touching you anywhere in an inappropriate way.

• Forcing you to have sex with other people.

• Hurting you physically during sex.

What to do if you have been raped – get to a safe place, tell someone what has happened, and preserve evidence of the rape.

Do not bathe, shower or wash your clothes. Report the incident to your nearest police station.

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Emotional abuse consists of any behaviour designated to hurt another person mentally.

• Calling you names and putting you down.

• Yelling or screaming at you.

• Intentionally embarrassing you in public.

• Preventing you from seeing or talking to friends and family.

• Threatening to commit suicide to keep you from breaking up with them.

• Threatening to harm you, your pet or people you care about.

• Starting rumours about you.

• Preventing you from going to school or work.

• Blaming you for their behaviour.

Financial abuse is when one person restricts access to money from another

• Preventing you from having or keeping a job.

• Taking or spending your money.

• Taking or destroying your possessions.

• Controlling your access to financial information.

• Demanding you to account for everything you buy or expecting you to do too much with what you have.

If you are thinking about leaving an abusive relationship plan ahead. Speak to a counsellor or domestic violence worker, get legal advice and know your rights. Pack a bag of essentials and have contact details of people you trust.
The Bedfordview Police Station has a Victim Empowerment Centre for abused persons.

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Become an activist against GBV in your homes, communities, work and positions:

Challenge cultures and practices that perpetuate gender inequalities and consequent abuse of women and children at a personal and societal level.

How you can make a difference:

• Reject and report abusers. Act and don’t look away.

• Do not protect abusers, report them.

• Challenge and denounce cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequalities.

• Teach children the values of gender equality.

• Protect children from exposure to violence and harmful content on the internet and social media, including pornography, and sexual solicitation.

“We must change the story, challenge misogyny and violence, and make sure women are heard.

“Women and children everywhere should be able to access the help they need when they need it, so we can end violence once and for all,” added the organisation.