The evil consequences of gender-based violence.

Image of victims. Source internet (Facebook). 

Gender-based violence is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of their gender, including acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and other deprivations of liberty. 

Sexual and other forms of gender-based violence are increasingly reported in South Africa. The term "sexual and other forms of gender-based violence" compromises not only rape and attempted rape but also sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, forced early marriage, domestic violence, marital rape, trafficking and female genital mutilation. 

Gender-based violence affects women and men of all ages and backgrounds. Women and girls are primary victims but men and boys are frequently targeted as well. They may, however, face different forms of violence. Gender-based violence is usually  perpetrated by a person who holds power or control in both the public and private sphere. 

Various factors, such as poverty, cultural norms and impunity for crime and abuse tend to contribute to and reinforce a culture of violence and discrimination based on gender. 

Poverty leads to gender-based violence in a way that women and girls experience forced marriage as families seek dowry payments and try to reduce their food bill. Women sell sex to survive and provide a meal for their families, money shortages increase tensions within families which lead to violence. 

Cultural norms are often used to justify violence against women. Cultural norms often dictate that men are aggressive, controlling and dominant, while women are docile, subservient and rely on men as providers. These norms can foster a culture of abuse outright, such as early and forced marriage or female genital mutilation,the latter spurred by old-fashioned and harmful notions of female sexuality and virginity. 

Criminals tend to behave in prison because they know they will be released on parole for good behavior but the truth is that prison is like a holiday resort to them. They get free nutritious meals, sleep in comfortable beds and get rewarded with education. One can argue that perpetrators would behave but as soon as they are out, they go back to their original behavior. 

Victims of gender-based violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, trauma fistula, sexually transmitted infections, dislocation of joints, HIV, low self-esteem, depression and even worse death. 

Laws have been made, social platforms have been used and sentences have been increased but these predators are still on hunt for the lives of our sisters, mothers and our grandparents. This is because they know that our government instead of punishing them, it will reward them a holiday resort in Pretoria central prison or Sun city prison where they will act holy for two years or more, then get biggest reward which is parole. 

I believe these predators should be punished with death penalty. In this manner, peace will be restored to the country and gender-based violence cases will decrease and we will live happily. 

References 

-Women for Women International. Series :What does that mean? Gender based violence (2017). Https:// www.womenforwomen.org/blogs/series-what-does-mean-gender-based-violence#:~:text=gender%2Dbased%20violence%20(GBV)%20%is%20violence%20that%20is%20directed,in%20public%20or%20private%20life. (Accessed 21 August 2020)