Gender-based violence is a complex issue that has as its root the
structural inequalities between men and women that result in the persistence of
power differentials between the sexes. Gender inequality affects millions of
girls and women across the globe. It can also be harmful to men despite the
many tangible benefits it gives men through resources, power, authority and
control.
K. Ravneet and G. Suneela
suggested that Gender violence can be described as the power misused by one
adult in a relationship to control another. It is the establishment of control
and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. This
violence can take the form of physical assault, psychological abuse, social
abuse, financial abuse, or sexual assault. The frequency of the violence can be
on and off, occasional or chronic.[1]
Gender-based violence (GBV) results in physical, sexual and psychological
harm to both men and women and includes any form of violence or abuse that
targets men or women on the basis of their sex. Unequal power relations between
men and women significantly contribute to gender violence. In fact,
gender-based violence is intended to maintain gender inequalities and/or
reinforce traditional gender roles for both men and women[2].
Moreover, Gita S, et al, tried to shows how Norms, Values and Practices
affects gender equality in society. In his report Gita suggested that “Gendered
norms in health manifest in households and communities on the basis of values
and attitudes about the relative worth or importance of girls versus boys and
men versus women; about who has responsibility for different household /
community needs and roles; about masculinity and femininity; who has the right
to make different decisions; who ensures that household /community order is
maintained and deviance is appropriately sanctioned or punished; and who has
final authority in relation to the inner world of the family /community and its
outer relations with society. Norms around masculinity not only affect the
health of girls and women but also of boys and men themselves”[3]
In Tanzania for instance reports shows that gender violence are seen as
normal action within society. Within Tanzanian society many girls are taken out
of school to assist with domestic responsibilities or to marry. The inequities
in access to education and within social norms leave women economically
dependent upon their male counterparts. It was noted that women’s economic
dependence on men may be a factor in women’s vulnerability to gender-based
violence as they may not have the financial resources to leave an abusive
situation and still provide for their families. In most cases, women are
ashamed and do not admit or report the abuse.
However, norms granting men control over female behavior also acceptance
of violence as a way to resolve conflict hence all these accelerate gender
based violence within a society. Reports shows that spousal violence is highly
prevalent in Tanzania. It is accepted for a husband to treat his wife as he
wishes, and wife beating occurs at all levels of society. A study in Zanzibar
found that 67 percent of respondents indicated that physical violence is often
used to coerce others or make them submissive. A large number of women are
killed by their husbands or commit suicide as a result of domestic battery[4]
Also notion of masculinity linked to dominance, honor and aggression is
another factor that accelerate gender based violence in the society as study by
the WTO in 2002 found that 41 percent of partnered women in Dar es Salaam and
87 percent in the Mbeya District had experienced sexual or physical violence at
the hands of their partner
Nevertheless Poverty, low socioeconomic status and unemployment seem to
cause gender violence in community level as the growing number of cases of
albino killings in Tanzania has provoked heightened concerns among the
international community. Also Tanzanian girls and boys from rural areas are
trafficked to urban centres for domestic servitude and commercial sexual
exploitation
[1]
K. Ravneet and G. Suneela, Addressing Domestic
Violence Against Women: An Unfinished Agenda, Indian J Community Med. 2008 Apr; 33(2): 73–76.
[2] http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnado561.pdf
[3]
Gita S , et al Unequal, Unfair, Ineffective and Inefficient Gender Inequity in
Health: Why it exists and how we can change it, Sep 2007
[4]
Salma Maoulidi (2009). “Tanzania: Reduce Executive Incompetence Not Sospa
Sentences”. Available at: http://allafrica.com/stories/200903200812.html
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