Title your post: SLC22-W5/ Gender-Based Violence.

Introduction

pixabay

Gender base violence is one crime that has gone unnoticed in many parts of the world due to different cultural and religious beliefs. But with laws in place, it is becoming a thing of the past gradually although some countries have been resisting it but in the end, good will definitely prevail over evil.

Before going ahead with the topic of the day, I’ll love to invite @bonaventure24, @emmaboy23 and @ngoenyi.

Part 1

Does Nigeria have Laws Protecting Women’s Rights?

Yes. We do have laws in the country that protect women’s rights and promote gender equality. Few amongst them is the; “violence against persons (prohibition) act (VAPP) that was enacted in 2015 to handle challenges that concerns domestic violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse etc. We also have another law called the ”child right acts” that centers more on children especially the girl children that’s been forced to marry at tender age, child abuse and trafficking.

Unfortunately, this laws have been adopted in many state in Nigeria including the federal capital territory except for some states in the Northern Nigerian especially those ones dominated by Muslims, that has kicked against it because some of the laws go against their sharia laws and see the law as one fueled by western ideology.

Are These Laws Effective?

Well, to an extent, they are effective because it protects the girl child but due to the cracks in the system, about 12 northern states dominated by Muslims do not abide by it because it goes against their sharia laws.

For example, there was a massive outcry of about 100 ladies that were married out to different men and majority were underage. When the minister of women affairs filed a court injunction against the wedding, it was later overturned and the wedding went ahead. Guess what, after she pulled that stunt, it didn’t take long, she was sacked along with some other ministers.

Another reason ladies avoid reporting gender base violence is because they are scared of been ostracized or shamed for being raped or being blamed for going against their husband. Some women have to go through torture in hands of their husbands because they are Christians and won’t want to be called a divorcee. They will rather pray for their husbands than to report them to the authorities. They forget that a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Additionally, many ladies especially in the rural part of the country do not even know such laws exist because they are not well informed or due to lack of education. This lack of awareness hinders them from getting the required justice.

Does it violate the principle of equality before the law for both men and women?

It doesn’t violate equality before the law because the women are more of in a disadvantage situation. In the old days people won’t send there daughters to school because they see it as waste of money, women circumcision, female oppression in some cultures when they loose their husbands to death. Protective laws like the VAPP Act don’t undermine equality. They are an attempt to address the disparities caused by centuries of inequality.

What is your opinion about this law?

A lot of women have been in bondage and their voices have been silent for such a long time but with this law, women can now finally get justice if they are been abused by their spouse or been oppressed by certain cultural beliefs.

If this law is finally implemented in all states in Nigeria, underage girls getting married will be stopped and groups like Hisbah that enforce the sharia laws will not dare trespass again on the women right stated in VAPP. Institutions like police and judges should also been strengthened to enforce the law

For those women, who there husbands would stop them from working and restrict them to being house wives, thereby, making them over dependent on the husbands, this law, can empower them to get a job and also make money for themselves. If your husband assault you at home, you can file for a divorce without fear of how you are going to take care of yourself if he leaves.

Part 2

source

From the list of crimes discussed in class, identify which you think qualify as gender-based violence and which are common crimes committed against women.

Gender base violence includes

• Domestic violence: this is one of the most common one among them all. Where the guys use their strength to oppress a lady through brute force or beating mercilessly just to gain dominance over her.

• Psychological violence: trying to kill the ladies spirit by destroying her self esteem with abusive words and behavior. Making her feel irrelevant.

• Sexual harassment: when ladies is been harassed by guys finding it hard to control themselves when a lady passes because they think she looks sexy or dress in a certain way.

Other common crimes committed against women are sexual trafficking , rape, Sexual slavery, murder, forced prostitution, workplace discrimination.

Have you or someone close to you been a victim of gender-based violence? What happened? Was the victim able to assert their rights? Do you believe the law benefited the victim?

Yes , I’ve had someone who was a victim of gender base violence. Some years ago, when I and my friend in Port harcourt went to visit my younger sister at Calabar because we wanted to attend their carnival in December. I was in the other room enjoying my afternoon sleep with my friend, when we heard a big slap and my kid sister was screaming at the top of her voice.

Apparently, someone around the neighborhood must have told him that his girlfriend is with two guys in her house and out of jealousy he came with rage the next day to beat up my sister, unknown to him the two guys were still around. Even when my kid sister was trying to explain to him that the guys in question, were her brothers, this crazy guy was still beating her up because he was thinking she was lying.

When I stepped into room, I saw her crying, I couldn’t wait for the law to take his full course, I became the judge myself. The fight was an unfair match. It was a two against one match. My friend and I gave him the beating of his life. It was my sister and the neighbors from the compound that came to separate us.

After the whole drama, I was now scared for my kid sister because I heard that wasn’t the first time he is hitting her. I had to stay some extra days in calabar, just incase he showed up again but he didn’t turn up. Before leaving, I had to make an entry in the police station to report the incident that happened between him and my sister. I didn’t want a situation, where someone will attack her while she is out there.

The police invited him to the station but he didn’t come. The police now assured me that I can go back to Portharcourt and no harm will come to my sister, that was how that chapter ended and no one attacked her. So, i will say in this situation, the law benefited her even though I was a bit scared that if the guy comes to the station, the police might arrest me when they see all the bruises, me and my friend gave to him.

Part 3

source

• Case Study 1:

A thief enters a restaurant and holds the customers at gunpoint, demanding their belongings. A woman refuses to hand over her phone and money, confronting the thief instead. The thief shoots her, resulting in her death. Is this a case of femicide or homicide? Explain your reasoning.

I will say it is not a femicide case but rather a homicide case. This could have happened to anyone, either a man or woman, that would have dared to confront a thief with a gun. The purpose of the thief was not to go there for any specific gender, she got shot because she thought she had nine lives and resisted his demands. In the case of femicide, women are there targets.

• Case Study 2:

A man starts insulting his wife over time, telling her she is worthless as a woman. He humiliates her, prevents her from working or going out, claiming that a woman's place is in the home and she cannot leave without her husband's consent. During an argument, the woman tries to respond to his insults, and he beats her, leaving bruises on her face. Is this a case of gender-based violence or a common crime committed against a woman? Explain your reasoning.

In this scenario, we call this a “gender base violence”. In fact according to article 15, the gender violence in this case involves Psychological violence, harassment, physical violence and domestic violence. The insults, restrictions, and beating stem from a belief in male dominance and female subservience. Such crimes, can keep you in prison between 0-8 years, if she decides to file a law suit against the man. Like my lawyer friend will always say, “ignorance of the law is not an excuse”.

Conclusion

Though the road to stopping gender base violence in a country like Nigeria may seem bumpy, every conversations, laws and act of courage brings us a step closer to a world where no one will suffer violence. So, we just have to keep pushing till this laws are accepted and implemented everywhere in the country.