Chapter 4

Political-Legal Perspective
in Gender and Sexuality

Dr. Eva N. Mendoza

Lesson 15
Gender-based Violence

Meaning

Consequences
Persons involved
Human Rights
Understand the definition of gender-based violence (GBV) and
other related terms, and its forms and consequences;

Understand GBV as a human rights issue, and the

relationship between human rights and GBV; and

Differentiate perpetrators, survivors, and victims in GBV.

 What is Gender-based Violence
(GBV)?

• Any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and

that is 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 cited in Peralta, et al., 2019).

• One of the most widespread and human rights abuses, but

least recognized in the world.
 GBV
• has devastating consequences not only for victims, but also for
society as a whole (Sigal et al., 2013 cited in Peralta, et al., 2019)

• results in physical, sexual, and psychological harm to both men

and women and includes any form of violence or abuse that
targets men or women on the basis of their sex
 GBV
• In the Philippines, GBV has clearly been placed in the realm of
women’s human rights over the past decade

• Prior to 1993, most governments regarded VAW largely as a

private matter between individuals (Loi et al., 1999 cited in Peralta,
et. al, 2019)
 GBV
• GBV experienced by women and girls refers to battering an
other forms of intimate partner violence including:

-marital rape, sexual violence

-dowry-related violence
-female infanticide
-sexual abuse of female children in the household
-honor crimes
-early marriage
 GBV
• GBV experienced by women and girls refers to battering an other
forms of intimate partner violence including:

-forced marriage
-female genital cutting and other traditional practices
-harmful to women
-sexual harassment in the workplace and educational institutions
-commercial sexual exploitation
-trafficking of girls and women
-violence perpetrated against domestic workers
(Source: USAID, 2009 cited in Peralta, et al, 2019)
 GBV
• cuts across public and private spheres, including home,
school, and work, and takes place during peacetime and
conflict

• both a human rights and a development issue, with

negative consequences for both men and women
 What are the consequences of
GBV?

• include serious, immediate, and long-term impacts

on the sexual, physical, and psychological health
survivors:

-HEALTH
-SOCIAL
-ECONOMIC
 Health consequences of GBV

• Unwanted pregnancies
• Complications from unsafe abortions
• Sexually transmitted diseases, HIV
• Injuries
• Mental health
• Psychosocial effects (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic
stress, suicide and death
• Children’s survival, development and school participation
 Social and Economic consequences of GBV

• Families can be stigmatized

• Cost of public health and social welfare systems
• Reduced ability of many survivors to participate in
social and economic life

Source: WHO, Global and Regional Estimates of VAW, 2013 cited in Peralta
et al, 2019
 Survivor…

• is the preferred term

(not a “victim”) of a
person who has lived
through an incident of
GBV
 Perpetrator…
• a person, group, or institution that inflicts,
supports, or condones violence or other abuse
against a person or group of persons.

• Characteristics include:
-persons with real or perceived power;
-persons in decision-making positions; and
-persons in authority.
 Survivor, Victim,
Perpetrator
• 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.
 Human Rights…
• are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interconnected, and
interdependent
• Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedom without
distinction of any kind, e.g. race, color, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth, or other status.
 Human Rights…
• Prevention and response to GBV is directly linked to the
protection of human rights.
• Acts of GBV violate a number of human rights principles
enshrined in international HR and in our Philippine
Constitution:
-Right to life, liberty, and property of persons;
-Right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
-Right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment; and
-Right to freedom of opinion and expression and to education.
Source: UNFPA, 2014 cited in Perlata, et al., 2019
 Up next…
Lesson 16:
Gender-based Violence: Power, Use of
Force, and Consent