Gender-Based Violence: Survivor, Victim, Perpetrator, and Human Rights

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
 any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will
 based on socially-ascribed (gender) differences between males and females (Inter-agency
Standing Committee Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence in Interventions in
Humanitarian Action 2015).

Introduction
 gender-based violence is one of the most widespread and human rights abuses, but least
recognized in the world.
 refers to any harm perpetrated against a person’s will on the basis of gender, the socially-
ascribed (gender) differences between males and females.
 has devastating consequences not only for victims, but also for society as a whole
 results in physical, sexual, and psychological harm to both men and women
 includes any form of violence or abuse that targets men or women on the basis of their sex
 in the Philippines, gender-based violence has clearly been placed in the realm of women’s
human rights over the past decade.
 prior to 1993, most governments regarded violence against women largely as a private matter
between individuals. (loi et. al 1999)
 experience by women and girls refers to battering and other forms of intimate partner violence
including
a) marital rape h) forced marriage
b) sexual violence i) female genital cutting
c) dowry-related violence j) sexual harassment in the
d) female infanticide workplace and educational
e) sexual abuse of female children in institutions
the household k) commercial sexual exploitation
f) honor crimes l) trafficking of girls and women
g) early marriage
CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

A. Health Consequences
 Unwanted pregnancies
 Complications from unsafe abortions
 Sexually transmitted infections including HIV
 Injuries
 Mental health
 Psychosocial effects (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, suicide
and death)
 Children’s survival
 Development
 School participation

B. Social Consequences
 extend to families and communities
 families can be stigmatized as a consequence of GBV
 when children are born following a rape, or if family members choose to
stand by a survivor, fellow members of their community may avoid them

C. Economic Consequences
 Cost of public health and social welfare systems
 Reduced ability of many survivors to participate in social and economic
life

SURVIVOR, VICTIM, AND PERPETRATOR

1. Survivor
 Preferred term (not a “victim”) of a person who has lived through an incident of
gender-based violence
2. Perpetrator
 a person, group, or institution that inflicts, supports, or condones violence or other
abuse against a person or group of persoCharacteristics of perpetrators include:
a. persons with real or perceived power;
b. persons in decision-making positions; and
c. persons in authority

In all incidents of GBV, there is always a survivor/victim and a perpetrator. Therefore,

all actions in the prevention and responses to GBV need to address both the survivor
and the perpetrator.

 Survivor is the preferred term for those who have lived through GBV incident.
 A perpetrator is a person who commits an act of GBV.
 There might be only one perpetrator, or there might be more.
 In any act of GBV, there is a survivor and a perpetrator.
 All actions in prevention must address potential survivors and potential
perpetrators.
 Also, all actions in response need to address both the survivor and the perpetrator.
HUMAN RIGHTS

 Human rights are:

a. universal
b. inalienable
c. indivisible
d. interconnected
e. interdependent

 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind
such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth, or other status.
 Prevention of and response to gender-based violence is directly linked to the
protection of human rights.
 Acts of gender-based violence violate a number of human rights principles
enshrined in international human rights instruments and in our Philippine
Constitution.

These include the following, amongst others:

 the right to life, liberty, and property of persons;
 the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
 the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment;
 the right to freedom of opinion and expression and to education (UNFPA, 2014).

Summary
GBV is a worldwide phenomenon which must be given attention
nationally and internationally. The consequences capture almost all spheres of
our lives (family, socially, economically, and health).
A main focus of gender-based violence is violence against women and
girls across their lifespan. VAW also covers a continuum of violence which
appeared to be unending, with an array of elements of abuse, coercion, or force.
The survivor and perpetrator are important actors in GBV and VAW
cases. GBV and VAW are clear violations of human rights.
All these points to the essence that these acts of violence are a global and
national concern.