MODULE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: SOC SCI 112 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this module, learners will be able to:

1. Define gender-based violence (GBV) and recognize its different forms, such as physical, sexual, emotional, and economic
violence.
2. Differentiate between types of GBV, like domestic violence, sexual harassment, and violence in conflict zones.
3. Understand the causes of GBV, including how gender inequality and power imbalances lead to violence.
4. Identify how culture, society, and institutions contribute to the spread and acceptance of GBV.
5. Recognize the effects of GBV on individuals and communities, including physical, emotional, and social harm.
6. Understand the role of intersectionality, including how race, class, and disability affect experiences of GBV.
7. Explore laws and support systems that address GBV and recognize the gaps in these systems.
8. Learn ways to prevent and respond to GBV, through education, legal changes, and community support.
9. Apply knowledge to real-life situations, showing how to address GBV in places like schools and workplaces.
10. Promote empathy and action, encouraging students to support gender equality and help survivors of GBV.

A. Definition of Gender-Based Violence

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) refers to harmful acts directed at individuals based on their gender. It arises from unequal power
relationships between genders, often leading to physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm. GBV disproportionately affects
women and girls, but can also impact men and boys.

GBV is deeply rooted in gender inequalities and power dynamics and can occur in both public and private spheres, transcending
cultural, economic, and social contexts. It includes a wide range of behaviors intended to subordinate, control, or harm individuals
based on their gender or gender identity.

Key Characteristics of GBV:

• It is gendered, meaning it targets individuals due to their perceived gender.

• It involves power imbalances, with one party exerting dominance or control over another.
• It can occur in various settings, from the home to the workplace or public spaces.

B. Types of Gender-Based Violence

GBV manifests in multiple forms, each with specific characteristics. The major types of GBV include:

1. Physical Violence

Physical violence includes acts that inflict harm on the body, such as:

• Beating, slapping, kicking, or hitting

• Burning or using weapons to harm
• Forced confinement or restraint

2. Sexual Violence

Sexual violence refers to any non-consensual sexual act or behavior, including:

• Rape or attempted rape

• Sexual assault or harassment
• FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)

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• Trafficking for sexual exploitation

• Marital rape

3. Psychological or Emotional Violence

This type of violence causes emotional or mental harm, such as:

• Verbal abuse (e.g., insults, threats, intimidation)

• Manipulation and controlling behavior
• Gaslighting (making someone doubt their reality)
• Isolation from family and friends
• Public humiliation

4. Economic Violence

Economic violence includes behaviors that restrict a person’s access to financial resources or economic independence, such as:

• Withholding money or resources

• Preventing someone from working or pursuing education
• Stealing or controlling financial assets
• Forced economic dependence

5. Harmful Traditional Practices

Certain cultural practices can also be classified as GBV, such as:

• Child Marriage: Marrying a girl before she reaches the age of maturity
• Honor-based violence: Violence perpetrated to protect or restore perceived "family honor"
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): The partial or total removal of the external genitalia for non-medical reasons

6. Domestic Violence

Domestic violence refers to any type of abuse occurring in intimate relationships. It can involve physical, emotional, sexual, or
economic abuse and often occurs in a cyclical pattern of tension-building, acute violence, and reconciliation.

7. Harassment and Stalking

• Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual advances or behavior

• Workplace harassment: Discriminatory and harmful actions within the work environment based on gender
• Stalking: Repeated, unwanted attention or harassment, often leading to feelings of fear or danger

C. Sites of Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence can take place in various settings. The primary sites where GBV occurs include:

1. Domestic Spaces

The home is often where most instances of GBV occur, particularly domestic violence between intimate partners. This can include
both physical and emotional abuse. Women and children are particularly vulnerable in these environments.

• Intimate partner violence: Often perpetuated by spouses or partners.

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• Child abuse: Physical or emotional harm inflicted on children, often by parents or guardians.

2. Public Spaces

GBV in public settings includes street harassment, sexual assault, and violence in public institutions, such as schools or workplaces.

• Street harassment: Includes catcalling, inappropriate comments, and unwanted sexual attention in public.
• Sexual violence in public spaces: Rape or sexual assault occurring outside of the home, often in parks, on public
transport, or in other community spaces.

3. Workplaces

Sexual harassment, discrimination, and exploitation can occur in workplaces, especially where there is a power imbalance between
employer and employee or where employees are vulnerable.

• Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual advances or behavior in the workplace.

• Gender-based discrimination: Discriminatory treatment or harassment based on gender or gender identity.

4. Educational Institutions

Students, especially girls, may face gender-based violence in schools. This includes bullying, sexual harassment, and threats of
violence based on gender.

• Sexual violence in schools: This may involve teachers, fellow students, or even administrators.
• Gender-based bullying: Discrimination, teasing, or harassment based on gender or gender identity.

5. Conflict Zones

In situations of armed conflict, sexual violence is often used as a weapon of war. Women, children, and marginalized genders are
often disproportionately affected.

• Rape as a weapon of war: Systematic sexual violence in conflict zones is aimed at terrorizing communities and asserting
power.
• Trafficking for sexual exploitation: Victims, especially women and girls, may be trafficked for sexual purposes during
conflicts.

6. Online Spaces

With the rise of digital technology, GBV has also extended into virtual environments. Cyberbullying, online harassment, revenge
porn, and the distribution of non-consensual intimate images are now significant concerns.

• Cyberbullying: The use of digital platforms to harass or threaten individuals based on gender.
• Revenge porn: The non-consensual sharing of intimate photos or videos as an act of harassment or control.

D. Gender Perspective on Violence Against Women

A gender perspective on violence against women (VAW) involves recognizing the role that gender inequality plays in shaping
and perpetuating violence. It highlights the need to address the power dynamics between men and women and the social structures
that enable violence.

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Key Elements of a Gender Perspective on VAW

1. Power Imbalance: The most significant factor behind VAW is the unequal power dynamic between men and women.
Men have historically held power in most societies, and this has been reinforced through laws, cultural norms, and
practices. This imbalance creates an environment where violence against women is normalized or tolerated.
2. Social Norms and Patriarchy: Cultural attitudes and social expectations about gender roles often foster an environment
of violence. In many cultures, women are expected to be submissive, and men are taught to be dominant. This influences
the way violence is perceived and often justified.
3. Intersectionality: Violence against women does not affect all women equally. Factors like race, class, age, sexual
orientation, disability, and location can influence the severity and type of violence women experience. Intersectionality
considers how these various identities interact to impact the experience of violence.
4. Normalization of Violence: In many societies, violence against women is often overlooked, trivialized, or seen as a
"private" issue. This normalization makes it difficult for women to seek help and for perpetrators to be held accountable.
5. Legal and Institutional Frameworks: A gendered approach stresses the importance of laws and policies that protect
women from violence, such as domestic violence laws, sexual harassment laws, and frameworks that protect women in
conflict zones.
6. Education and Awareness: Promoting gender equality through education and awareness campaigns is crucial.
Changing societal attitudes about gender roles and expectations can reduce the prevalence of violence against women.

Gender-Based Violence is a serious violation of human rights that affects individuals across all societies. By understanding the
definitions, types, sites, and gendered perspectives on violence, we can work toward combating GBV. This requires a multifaceted
approach, including legal reforms, community education, victim support services, and societal shifts toward gender equality.