#ENDGBVF
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CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
CHALLENGES
Through the School SAFE outreach programme, TBF has run several campaigns which have confirmed, through information and data collected, that socio-economic factors play a huge role in creating conflict within family groups. These factors, such as loss of household income, lack of education or food and proper shelter, necessitate an approach which meets the basic needs of the child before therapy could begin. Men are regarded as providers within the family, however when men do not fulfil this requirement they feel stressed, resulting in some men becoming violent towards the woman and children. Densely populated environments with shared ablution facilities tend to have a higher rate of GBV. Observations made show that many undocumented and refugee children do not attend school, therefore their vulnerability places them at greater risk for violence and abuse. The parents of these children are often unemployed and display manifestations of destructive behaviours like substance abuse.
Reports of widespread experiences of violence serve to normalise GBV to some extent and when coupled with lack of knowledge within a patriarchal culture, places women and children at increased risk in communities. Of equal concern is the community’s negative experiences with law enforcement including lack of timeous responses, judgmental response, lack of sensitivity and poor co-operation in opening cases. Victims have reported being turned away when attempting to open cases. Some of the women during GBV campaigns mentioned that they are frightened to report any form of abuse in fear for their lives. Some men threatened women by saying that even if they go and open a case, the reported cases go away without them having to face the law. Most women are unable to report cases of abuse because the abuser is the sole breadwinner. It would make them economically more vulnerable if their abusive partners were arrested therefore they do not report. Some victims state that they want to protect their marriage and respect their cultures, asserting that issues such as GBVF need to be resolved within the family and not exposed within the community where they will be exposed to criticism, humiliation and ridicule.
30 | Collective Action Magazine
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