| dc.description.abstract | Recent years have witnessed a resurgence of interest in
gender issues. However, gender violence has been side
stepped in most discussions yet the media and off side
talks are replete with stories on domestic and other
forms of violence. One form of gender violence recurrent
in most of such discussions is violence on women.
Violence on women
1
is increasingly now seen as acts and
threats that discriminate against
women, and processes
that are ostensibly geared towards subjugation of women.
That is all acts that negatively
affects women's
emotions, mental, physical, economic or social
conditions. Rape, murder and battery are the most common
forms of physical violence. Violence against women is not
restricted to only physical violence but also structural
violence. The latter influence psychological and societal
attitudes that view women as inferior to men.
Violence on women is rampant in most parts of the world
and yet it remains largely hidden in the hearts of those
affected. For this reason it is difficult to get data on
the types and prevalence of violence on women. This is
partly attributed to the social stigma associated with
1
Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to
result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including
threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether
occurring in public or in private life (UN, 1992).
2
some types of violence, for example rape and incest. In
both cases the question of (young) age has been serious
with young persons who can not defend themselves being
defiled. Victims of rape and incest suffer
psychologically and do not reveal the offence. What is
even more worrying in the case of Kenya is the inability
of institutions dealing with violence on women to keep
records.
During rapid appraisal of violence on women in Nairobi,
Central and
Nyanza provinces the author experienced the
lack of records, and reluctance to provide information.
An explanation to this may be the lack of importance
placed on violence on women and the inherent patriarchal
cultural values.
Cases of violence on women are evident in newspaper
reports and word of mouth. Phases such as; `man struggled
girl 9 to death', man made standard four girl pregnant,
`suspect caught defiling girl, 6', 100 year old suitor
for 10 year old girl' are common in courts and
newspapers. In the first half of 1996, 379 cases of
defilement were reported
; whereas in 1995, 1994 and 1993,
there were 572, 513, 546 cases of defilement
respectively. It is sad to note that the youngest victim
of defilement on record was a mere
eight month old baby
(Coalition on Violence Against women, 1996).
Violence is not only inflicted on women, violence on men
by women as well as violence between and among women is
3
not ruled out. It might even be more appropriate to talk
of gender violence. However, it has been observed that
women also perpetrate violence but not as they are
victims of it. In cases where women are involved in
violence against men, it is usually in
self defence.
Additionally, violence on men rarely results in injury as
does violence against women (Olawale, 1996). It has also
been noted that in homes where men are violently attacked
by women the men do not have to live in fear as women
victimised by male violence do (UN, 1993; Plecks et al
1993; Steinmety, 1978). These factors provide
a
justification for focusing on aspects of violence
relating to women.
Recognition of gender violence as a social problem
emerged within the broad context of feminist activism and
research on issues related to the social status of women
and their right to participation.
This was initially led
by European and North American feminist theorists and
activists. Knowledge and pressure generated drew the
attention of United
Nations , and consequently the UN
World Conference, and International Women's and Human
Rights Movement. This resulted in declaring violence
against women a violation of human rights. There have
also been special conferences such as United Nations 1975
Women's Decade, UN 1985 Women's Mid Decade and the 1995
Women's Conference in Beijing dedicated to gender issues.
The pioneering knowledge and pressure on violence against
women and other gender issues was largely restricted to
4
the western world. The rest of the world, especially
Africa and Asia begun attending to gender issues
(including violence against women) after the UN Women's
Decade Conference of 1975. The conference and subsequent
ones, generated research issues, debate and establishment
of institutional structures on gender and development.
Studies done indicate that the contribution of women in
development is enormous but remains unrecorded and
unrecognised. Additionally, a number of rights of women
are being violated and hence the violence inflicted to
many women across the world.
In Africa violence on women has historically been
condoned with some societies institutionalising it.
African practices and values have been viewed as
escalators of gender conflict. A number of communities
tend to socialise individuals to condone gender violence
against women, with a large majority of women accepting
the situation as given. Although many women organizations
have been calling for review and enactment of laws to
guard against gender violence, the problem seems to lie
on social, cultural, economic and legal systems. Of these
factors, the socio-cultural changes pose a major problem
and must prelude or at any rate support change of laws,
if the society is to effectively address the question of
violence on women. | en |
