June 4th 2012, 9: 40 PM: Thursday night the phone rings, a voice answers ‘Hello this is 990 how can I help you’ ‘Please help me I can’t do this anymore he did it again please please help me he’ll kill me if I don’t get out of this’ The voice spells desperation a cry for help ‘I can’t take it anymore he beats me every time is ask him where he slept.’
February 18th 2014, 15:12 PM A caller rings 990 with this disturbing story ‘My husband has been sleeping with my 16 year old sister now she’s pregnant when asked her who the father was she couldn’t tell as she was afraid , she told me if she mentioned this to anyone she would be killed by my husband’.
These are just some of stories of people affected by gender based violence (GBV), this is ugly vice that needs to be mitigated for Zambia to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women. No one should have to live in constant fear, shame and pain, unfortunately most women are paralyzed by this vice and have to contend with social, economic and legal factors that at times make them seek help and get justice. Most women suffer in silence as they go through this devastating ordeal, In Zambia some women have held on the belief that receiving a beating from their husbands is a ‘sign of love’ why? The culture in which men are placed highly than women leaves room for abuse of power in relationships. Unfortunately this belief is spread by traditional marriage counsellors.
Economic disadvantages leave women dependent on their spouse for financial support, who at times may not permit them to earn a living. However, this doesn’t mean economic empowerment equals automatic gender equality and zero GBV. Even women who are financially stable and successful can be victims of GBV. True empowerment happens when as collective we stand together and support one another to live fully without fear. One incident that disgusted me was the story of a teenage girl who was stripped for dressing in skimpy attire; one can only imagine how this girl must be traumatised. This is not the way to do things, particularly for a country that prides itself as a Christian nation. I very much doubt those values are being upheld in any way concerning this issue.
The following statistics show what the effects of GBV have on women as discovered by the Zambia Demographic Survey 2007 Report. GBV has adverse effects on women’s health and further endangers the development of a nation if Gender equality isn’t an agenda for development. Let’s not accept such disparities and say it doesn’t affect me this could be someone you love, a mother, sister, cousin ,brother, son ,co-worker, stranger even you this is everyone’s fight …Together We Fight GBV!!
The Effects of GBV on Women
In some regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, women are 1.5 more times likely to contract HIV as a result of GBV and there is “behavioral evidence that men who use violence against their female partners are more likely than non-violent men to have a number of HIV-risk behaviors including MCPs, frequent alcohol use, visiting sex workers, and having an STI, all of which increase the women’s risk of HIV” (WHO, 2013)
- 47 percent of Zambian women reported experiencing physical violence since the age of 15.
- Women employed and compensated in cash (54 percent) are more likely to experience violence than unemployed women (40 percent).
- Urban women (50 percent) are more likely to be victims of GBV than rural women (44 percent).
- 85 percent of women and 69 percent of men believe that a husband is justified in beating his wife for at least one reason.
– ZDHS, 2007
Statistics courtesy of Central Statistics Office Zambia, Zambia Demographic Health survey 2007.
If nothing is done to address this social vice, we could face many more challenges especially in terms of health and development of any nation. With the sustainable development goals set for 2030, goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) needs to be seriously considered for goals 1, 3 and 4 to be met; gender inequalities can hinder the progress of any nation. Addressing this issue head on and involving everyone is the way forward, so let’s not accept such disparities and say “it doesn’t affect me”. This could be someone you love: a mother, sister, cousin, brother, son, co-worker, stranger. Even you. This is everyone’s fight …Together we fight GBV!!