Gender-based violence (GBV) is widely acknowledged as a public health and human rights issue. It has its roots in gender inequality, social norms that tolerate violence, and gender stereotypes that perpetuate violent cycles with women and girls being affected the most.
Gender-based violence (GBV) is widely acknowledged as a public health and human rights issue. It has its roots in gender inequality, social norms that tolerate violence, and gender stereotypes that perpetuate violent cycles with women and girls being affected the most.
According to the United Nations (UN) one in every three women globally is subjected to physical or sexual violence, the majority being perpetrated by an intimate partner.
The Covid-19 pandemic, unfortunately, made the situation even worse. Emerging evidence suggests that all sorts of violence against women and girls, notably domestic abuse, has increased since its onset.
GBV cases recorded by the National Crime Research Center in the country within January and June 2020 were marked at an alarming rate of 92%. Many of the cases took place in people's homes, and the culprits were often close relatives or neighbors.
In the first two weeks of lockdown, a national gender-based abuse hotline received a 301 percent spike in calls from women and girls. Staying long hours at home during the lockdown led to increased psychological issues that led to the GBV cases. The fear of victimization has been the main force of suppressing reports on GBV.
GBV causes life-threatening physical injuries, an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and a higher risk of miscarriage and low birth weight for pregnant women, who are unfortunately more likely to experience intimate partner violence.
The mental health consequences are just as severe. For women in Kenya and other places who have experienced violence and abuse, mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicide ideation are usually on the rise; all these are signs of ailing mental disorders. Once the issues persist, women with severe mental illness are far more likely to be victims of GBV aggression.
Women are frequently misdiagnosed or unable to obtain the support they need and want to heal because the link between mental health and abuse is not effectively addressed. Women who have been victims of violence and have been given mental health diagnoses may be labeled "difficult to work with" and denied help.
Many services demand clients to be sober to get treatment, which is particularly difficult for those who use substances to cope with their problems.
Survivors of violence do not have access to mental health services, and when they do, they are rarely incorporated into the primary health care system. Women can regain control of their bodies, sexuality, and lives by receiving comprehensive and gender-sensitive mental health services.
Successful treatments can teach us how to combine mental health services with other vital aspects of health care. These include hospital-based help for survivors of gender-based violence, which provides social and psychological support in addition to medical care, as well as community-based initiatives that facilitate access to shelters and legal aid agencies.
Many victims claim that they are afraid of being judged by their friends, family, or authorities if they speak up about their experiences. GBV victims with mental health issues are much less likely to report being a victim of abuse. Poverty, age, race, and discrimination make some women more vulnerable to violence.
The Covid 19 pandemic worsened GBV in Kenya and other places. It diverted attention from the issue to immediate COVID-19 relief; this caused significant neglect of the associated mental health issues.
There is little doubt that violence has an impact on mental health. The World Health Organization now recognizes GBV as a significant public health issue.
Ending GBV will require much more progressive legislation, a considerable increase in financing, and strong collaborations with the national government, corporate sector, civil society, and communities.
To prevent and address violence, critical support for women and men with mental health issues should be strengthened. This includes long-term counseling, affordable housing, childcare aid, improved legal representation, and job prospects.
It is imperative to underscore that ending GBV issues will help alleviate the burden created on victims and survivors on their mental health.
Kevin Muiruri is an LLB student at Egerton University