By
Josephine Effah-Chukwuma
Executive Director
Project Alert On Violence Against Women






Understanding Gender-based Violence (GBV)
Forms of GBV
GBV: Prevalence and Context
Faces of GBV
Tackling GBV
Conclusion


Gender-Based Violence, GBV, as defined by
the United Nations, is any act of violence
that results in or is likely to result in
physical, sexual or psychological harm or
suffering to women, including threats of
such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation
of liberty whether occurring in private
(domestic) or public life
Simply put, it is violence directed at
women/young girls because of their sex.


It is however pertinent to say at this point,
that not all forms of violence experienced
by women/young girls, are gendered based
e.g. robbing of women, kidnap of
women/young girls etc.
However if the robbers or kidnappers go a
step further to sexually abuse (rape) their
female victims, then it is gender-based.



Violence between intimate partners (spousal
violence) and sexual violence are the most
common forms of violence against
women/young girls
Violence against women/young girls,
constitutes a major public health issue, and
violation of the rights of women.
It can result in physical, mental, sexual,
reproductive health and other health
problems, and increases women’s
vulnerability to HIV.


Physical violence can occur both in private and
in public. When it occurs in the home it is
referred to as domestic violence. Physical acts
such as: slapping, kicking, stabbing, shooting,
hitting, pouring acid or any other corrosive
substance, and murder.
Sexual Violence: This is violence of a sexual
nature, and can also occur in private and
public. It is the abuse of women’s bodily
integrity, and includes incest, indecent assault
of young girls, rape, gang rape, sexual
harassment and child pornography.

Psychological Violence. This form of GBV is most

Other Forms of GBV include forced marriage,
times not immediately obvious to the eye. It
involves threats to life; threats of physical and
sexual abuse; and verbal abuse, resulting in deep
rooted fear of the abuser, by the victim, and severe
psychological trauma. It also involves the neglect,
and abandonment of women and children by their
husbands/fathers.
trafficking in women/young girls; forced
prostitution; harmful traditional practices such
as widowhood practices; economic
strangulation; and female genital mutilation.


According to the 2012 Gender in Nigeria
Report, 1 out of every 5 Nigerian women
and girls aged 15-24 years has been a
victim of one form of violence or the other
A further analysis of the 2008 National
Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) revealed
that sexual violation of young girls is very
prevalent, with 73% of the young girls (1519 years) interviewed, admitted to being
sexually abused from as early as under 10
years of age.


GBV knows no boundaries, as it affects all
categories of women/young girls –
rich/poor; old/young; literate/illiterate;
Christian/Muslim; and people from various
ethnic backgrounds.
Much of the violence perpetrated against
women/young girls, are by people they
know, love and trust – boyfriends,
husbands, other relatives, friends,
neighbours, school mate, colleagues etc.


While cultural values and norms in Nigeria
serve to condone and reinforce abusive
practices against women; manipulation and
misinterpretation of religious doctrines are
used to place women in bondage.
Domestic and sexual violence are both
grossly under reported as domestic violence
especially is socially accepted and there
even exist laws that permit a man to
reasonably chastise his wife (Penal Code of
Northern Nigeria)


Domestic violence is often considered a private
matter which suggests the existence of an
underlying normalization of violence against
the female gender and the prevalent culture of
silence and stigma for victims.
The endemic nature of violence is even evident
in some public institutions like the police,
where there is an entrenched culture of
impunity that protects perpetrators of domestic
violence and sexual offences such as rape,
while further victimizing the victim/survivor.

This has led to women’s lack of confidence
in the criminal justice system, and equally
affected their ability to be active and
productive citizens.
Tackling GBV in Nigeria, requires a multidimensional approach. This includes:
 Increased Social Advocacy: Various
sensitization/capacity building
programmes, targeting the public in
general, and specific groups such as faith –
based organizations, professional groups,
schools, traditional institutions; lawenforcement agencies, etc need to be
organized regularly. Nollywood can play an
important role in this regard and contribute
greatly in breaking the silence.


Legislative Advocacy: Various bills addressing
all forms of violence against women, and
specific forms of violence respectively have
been sponsored at both the federal and state
levels, some of which have been enacted. Some
of these include state laws on domestic
violence, widowhood practices, FGM, etc. At the
federal level, a bill on Violence Against Persons
(VAPP) is at an advanced stage at the National
Assembly; Nollywood can lend voice to this
advocacy effort.
Same with Imo State, where a similar bill was
passed and later thrown out.

Integrated Response/Setting Up of One Stop
Centres: Building a synergy of all stakeholders
in the response group has become very
pertinent, especially when dealing with the
trauma associated with rape victims, who have
to repeat their stories over and over again to
various service providers in the continuum.
This One-Stop-Centre implies that the
counsellor, medical doctor, laboratory
technologist, police etc. are brought under one
roof for easy documentation, handling and
prosecution of cases reported.


Specially Trained Law Enforcement Officers. Tackling
GBV requires specially trained and well resourced law
enforcement officers to respond to reported cases. In
Lagos Nigeria, Project Alert in collaboration with CLEEN
Foundation organized a series of training for policemen
and women in the state command on gender-based
violence between 2006 – 2008.
In the same vein, Project Alert in collaboration with the
Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, organized series of
trainings for law enforcement officers, across the six
geo-political zones in 2007. However these trainings
need to be sustained and incorporated into the
trainings the officers receive at the academy


While all law enforcement officers should have
some basic training on human rights and
gender-based violence, advanced training is
required for those who will be required to
respond to GBV cases
Gender Desks/Family Support Units. Its also
important that Gender Desks and/or Family
Support Units in some Area Commands and all
Divisional Police Stations are set up to receive,
document and respond to reported cases of
GBV in a sensitive and professional manner.



Support Services: NGOs have over the years
provided various support services to female victims
of violence, such as counselling, legal aid, shelter
and skills acquisition training.
Project Alert set up the first shelter for abused
women in May 2001; and offers counselling and
legal aid services. We also carry out skills
acquisition training
The Lagos State Government through the state
ministry of Women Affairs and poverty Alleviation,
also set up a state-owned shelter in August 2009.
They also empower abused women/young girls
economically through skills acquisition
programmes

Working with men: The active involvement of
men (male gender champions/role models) is
very critical in tackling GBV. They lead antiviolence campaign targeting professional
associations, schools and places of worship.
They speak to fellow men and boys on who is
a real man – a batterer/rapist or a nonbatterer/rapist. Nollywood men can play an
important role in this regard.


Mandatory Psychotherapy for Batterers: More attention
needs to be paid to mental health in Nigeria. There is a
need to develop a psychotherapy programme for
batterers; and train a core group of Clinical
psychologists to work with abusers.
Professional training for Counsellors and Social Welfare
Workers. Counseling of abused women and young girls
should not be left to just anybody working with any of
the organizations/ministries/institutions offering
support services. Only trained counselors with good
counseling skills, and adequate knowledge of the issue
and the position of the law should do these. That is a
rights –based approach to counselling.


Fast Track Judicial System for Gender Crimes.
Justice delayed is justice denied. There should
be a fast track judicial system for victims of
gender crimes, especially sexual crimes, if
closure is to be achieved by the victims and
their families.
Government at all levels need to urgently
address the entrenched culture of impunity,
which protects perpetrators of dastardly acts of
violence against women in Nigeria, and by so
doing secondary victimization of victims, occur.
It is time for action:





When up to 70 per cent of women in some
countries face physical and/or sexual violence in
their lifetime.
When one in three girls in developing countries is
likely to be married as a child bride.
When some 140 million girls and women have
suffered female genital mutilation;
When millions of women and girls are trafficked
in modern-day slavery;
When women’s bodies are a battleground and
rape is used as a tactic of war – IT IS TIME FOR
ACTION
‘’For every woman and girl violently attacked,
we reduce our humanity. For every woman
forced into unprotected sex because men
demand this, we destroy dignity and pride.
Every woman who has to sell her life for sex
we condemn to a lifetime in prison. For every
moment we remain silent, we conspire against
our women. For every woman infected by HIV,
we destroy a generation….” - Nelson Mandela