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It is important to act NOW to provide a safe environment for gender-based violence survivors to speak up, recover, and be empowered while increasing preventive measures to reduce the number of persons having experienced violence. How can we help?

Protecting Survivors from Gender-Based Violence

There are different steps and ways to offer support to the survivor of gender-based violence and ensure protection from further violence. Firstly, it is important to listen to and believe the person that is a victim of abuse when they are feeling comfortable enough to speak up (SAHRC 2018). It sometimes takes a survivor repeated experiences of violence to talk about the violence perpetrated against them. Hence, it is essential to offer a safe environment for the conversation to be held without any judgement. Survivors of gender-based violence often also face substance use disorders and double stigma. Therefore, there is a need to include gender-based violence-specific treatment in interventions while creating a safe environment for the survivor while encouraging them to leave the violent situation, speak up, and enter substance use disorder treatment. Generally, organising awareness-raising campaigns can empower survivors to seek healthcare and speak out against violence (WHO 2022). Besides this, one can offer practical support while reporting the act of violence, with the survivor’s consent (SAHRC 2018). It is essential that there are confidential procedures in place for the survivor to report the violence while ensuring proper documentation, health, and medical reports for other services to offer the necessary support (WHO 2022).

Overall, it is important to prioritise the needs of survivors and ensure that they are properly protected. Collaboration and coordination among different institutions and organisations, including the police, prosecutors, courts, health care providers, social services, civil society, etc., is a necessity in providing services for protection and recovery (Council of Europe n.d., SAHRC 2018). Even though the state is officially responsible for support services, these services are often limited or lacking. Therefore, civil society plays an important role in filling the gaps (The Council of Europe). Additionally, training on gender-based violence for health care providers, police, judges, etc. is essential to offer adequate support according to the specific needs (WHO 2022).

The Council of Europe (n.d.) has highlighted factors that should be included in response services offered to survivors of gender-based violence. All services should be:

• Including a Victim-centred approach
• Accessible for all survivors without discrimination of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender (SAHRC 2018)
• Ensuring confidentiality and privacy for the survivors
• Ensuring safety and well-being for the survivors, including accompanying children.
• Including full accountability for perpetrators
• Providing effective access for survivors to legal services for free [where possible].
• Considering power imbalances and gender inequality in follow-up support programmes.

The Council of Europe (n.d.) has also provided some practical measures for governments and civil society to establish to support survivors while considering the above-mentioned factors:

• 24/7 free telephone line providing information, support, and counselling
• Easily accessible service points for medical and legal services
• Provision of safe accommodation which is adjustable to the survivor’s need while ensuring the reduction of risk
• Access to gender-sensitive primary health care and specialised gender-based violence services
• Advocacy and legal support, such as free legal assistance, advice, court support services, etc.
• Ensuring information about rights and entitlements is accessible and offering assistance in translation/interpretation when necessary.
• Emergency barring orders in case of domestic violence
• Providing access to short- and long-term counselling, including support groups
• Facilitating economic independence of survivors from their abusers
• Offering professional and social reintegration services, including training, information-sharing, assistance, etc.

Simultaneously, it is important to include the prosecution of perpetrators in policy measures. In addition to punishment and prosecution, it is important to note that it would also be useful to provide services that work with the perpetrator. In some domestic violence cases, the survivor decides to return home and resume the relationship. In these cases, services for the perpetrator, such as counselling to address the root causes of the violence and training on gender-based violence, might be helpful in reducing the violence and changing the behaviour (Ibid).

Preventing Gender-Based Violence  

Besides responding to gender-based violence, it is essential to put efforts into preventing violence from happening. As the issue is rooted in “gender-based discrimination, social norms that accept violence, and gender stereotypes that continue cycles of violence” (UN Women n.d.), these factors, as well as risk and protective factors, need to be addressed to create structural change within families, communities, and institutions. Continuous efforts on each level of society are required. “It requires political commitment, implementing laws that promote gender equality, [investments] in women’s organisations, and addressing the multiple forms of discrimination women face daily” (Ibid). Developing further research, supporting awareness-raising campaigns, putting efforts in community mobilisation and educational programmes, establishing legal and policy reforms, as well as supporting advocacy are essential in efforts to prevent gender-based violence.

Youth also play an important role in preventing gender-based violence. Educating them to understand the root causes of gender-based violence in communities provides them with tools to educate and involve their peers and communities in preventing violence. Young people have a strong voice and behavioural and attitudinal change can be created at a young age (UN Women n.d.). The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (n.d.) has shared some tips for young people to help to prevent gender-based violence and inequalities in society.

• Recognise the role of gender in violence
• Educate oneself on the root causes of violence
• Interrupt sexist and discriminatory language
• Be critical and question how the media portrays girls and women, such as traditional media, social media, music, etc.
• Report photos and messages that exploit women and girls
• Interrupt of abuse and help the person experiencing the violence to safety
• Stop sexual harassment, including catcalling, unwanted touching, etc.
• Be empowered to speak up against unwanted [violent] behaviours
• Get the message out on social media to educate others
• Develop an action plan on how to act when a situation of violence is noticed
• Stop victim blaming
• Stop rape culture
• Label gender-based violence as what it is, namely violence, not bullying to stop normalising violent behaviours
• Create safe spaces to discuss gender-based violence
• Confront and reflect on your ideas and beliefs
• Stop stereotyping men’s and women’s roles
• Remember that violence is a choice and that it is preventable
• Be supportive and believe survivors of violence
• Be aware of available resources for survivors of gender-based violence
• Open the discussion on gender-based violence to create awareness
• Understand and practice consent

We should put all our efforts in place to eliminate gender-based violence.

References

Council of Europe. n.d. Gender Matters – Protecting the victims and survivors. https://www.coe.int/en/web/gender-matters/protecting-the-victims/survivors

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. n.d. Tips for Youth to Prevent Gender-Based Violence and Inequality. https://www.gov.nl.ca/vpi/tips-and-tools.tips-for-youth-to-prevent-gender-based-violence-and-inequality/

South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). 2018. Gender Based Violence – Protecting women and children is everyone’s responsibility. https://www.sahrc.org.za/index.php/sahrc–media/news/item/1466-gender-based-violence

UN Women. n.d. Focusing on prevention: Ending violence against women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/prevention

World Health Organization (WHO). 2022. Supporting survivors of gender-based violence. https://www.who.int/bangladesh/news/speeches/detail/supporting-survivors-of-gender-based-violence