16 Days of Activism 2023

From 25 November through to 10 December is 16 Days of Activism. This time of the year is all about standing up and speaking out against Gender-Based Violence, specifically acts of violence committed against women and children, although men can also be victims of abuse.

What is Gender-Based Violence?

Violence that occurs because of the assumed role expectations associated with each gender, as well as the unequal power relationships between the genders within the context of a specific society. Any form of behaviour that causes fear, bodily harm, or forces someone to do something against their will is considered abuse.

Types of Gender-Based Violence:

Psychological violence
Physical violence
Stalking
Forces marriages
Sexual violence
Genital mutilation
Forced abortion
Forced sterilisation
Sexual Harassment
Unacceptable justifications for crimes

What causes Gender-Based Violence?

When looking at the causes of GBV we mainly must consider four types of factors:

Cultural

Patriarchal and sexist views legitimise violence to ensure the dominance and superiority of men. Along with this, factors such as gender stereotypes, prejudice, femininity and masculinity, socialisation of gender and a general acceptance of violence as part of our public sphere (e.g. street sexual harassment of women) greatly impact us all on a daily basis. Religious and historical traditions also dictate how women are treated and seen – some beliefs enforce the notion of ownership of women. Norms around sexuality also cause high numbers of homelessness in young LGBTQ+ persons. Oftentimes the LGBTQ+ community endures horrid hate crimes, on the ground that they are considered a “threat” to societal norms.

Legal

Low levels of reporting and investigation greatly contributes to the perpetuation of GBV. One of the big reasons why people don’t report GBV is because that in a lot of societies, being a victim of GBV is seen as weak and shameful. Due to this, many are still being considered guilty for attracting violence to themselves through their behaviour. In many societies the decriminalisation of homosexuality is still a recent happening and new laws such as adopting equal marriage (marriage regardless of gender) has led to backlash from believers in traditional family unions.

Economic

The lack of economic resources (not having enough money) also plays a huge role in making people particularly vulnerable to violence. When poverty and unemployment affect men, it can lead to violent behaviours to assert their masculinity in a form easily accessible to them. On the flipside, if for instance the abusive partner has financial stability and the abused partner cannot find a job and suffers from poverty, they can come to rely on the abusive partner, even though they know that the abuse and violence won’t stop, they have no other choice. This situation can be escalated when a child is also present in the situation.

Political

When looking at the political factor that causes GBV, we can clearly see that there is a lack of representation of women and LGBTQ+ persons in the political landscape. Due to this being the case, they have fewer opportunities to shape the discussion and to affect changes in policy, or to adopt measures to combat gender-based violence and support equality. For some, the potential threat of women and LGBTQ+ persons gaining political power against the status quo has been used as a justification for violence.

How Can I Help Stop Gender-Based Violence?

Although ending Gender-Based violence and violence against children is an achievable goal, it cannot be done alone. By challenging cultures and practices that perpetuate gender inequality and GBV, we can make an impact on a personal and societal level. Here are a few things you can do to help raise awareness and stop GBV:

Reject and report abusers, don’t just ignore it if you see it
Do not protect abusers
Do not engage in abusive activities
Challenge and denounce cultural practices that perpetuates gender inequality
Be sensitive and supportive toward GBV victims
Seek professional help to change harmful behaviours such as substance abuse (which can cause GBV)
Teach children the values of gender equality
Protect children from exposure to harmful content (such as violence, pornography etc.) online
Develop policies to prevent and deal with GBV in your workplace and communities
Organise targeted community outreach projects

Click the videos below to see what others are doing to fight Gender Based Violence:

How can I report Gender-Based Violence?

The most common method of reporting GBV is calling the police, although there are a few reasons why you may want to consider another option:

1. Police are slow to respond due to high caseload

2. Many communities are isolated and far from police stations

3. Police often stigmatise certain communities and don’t prioritise their calls

4. Police take personal information of person reporting, implicating the witness

However, SAPS has a special unit dealing with GBV called FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences) which people can contact for assistance:

FCS| SAPS (South African Police Service)

FCS Key contacts

Apart from getting in touch with your local Department of Social Development (or local Child Protection Organisation), it is also a good idea to contact one of the following numbers as they operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

Lifeline 24/7 GBV Counselling: 0800 150 150

Lifeline 24/7 South Africa: 0861 322 322

South African Laws that Protect Your Rights Against Abuse:

The Domestic Violence Act of 1998

The Children's Act of 2005

The Maintenance Act of 1998

The Promotion of Equity and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act of 2000

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters Act) Amendment Act of 2007

Resources / Read more:

https://iwda.org.au/what-are-the-16-days-of-activism-and-why-should-you-care/

https://www.parliament.gov.za/project-event-details/3

https://www.gov.za/16DaysOfActivism2022