From Abdulai Bangura from Sierra Leone gbondoab2003@yahoo.com
I see sexual violence as being a problem still occurring at an alarming rate in my country. Therefore I see the need to write something about it.
To give a brief definition about the topic, any unapproved sexual act, unwanted sexual comment or advances, attempts to obtain a sexual satisfaction against the consent of the opposite partner etc, could be referred to as sexual violence. Sexual violence can take place in different circumstances and settings. These include force sex in marriage and dating relationship, rape by foreigners, sexual abuse of children, sexual abuse of people with mental and physical disabilities, child marriage, denial of the right to use contraceptives etc.
Any sexual violation can be emotionally traumatic, whether by a stranger, acquaintances or intimate partner. Trauma can be devastating and lasts for long time. Victims of rape often suffer serious and long psychological effects. Victims of sexual trauma are often left with feeling of anxiety, overwhelmed and confused, sleeplessness, flashbacks, inability to focus or concentrate, generalized fears or panic attacks are all common manifestations of trauma.
However, the social and economic costs of violence against women are enormous. Women may suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities and limited ability to care for themselves and their children.
In my country Sierra Leone particularly, women suffer a great deal of sexual violence as compared to men. Therefore, even though it is indisputable that men can as well experience sexual violence, studies including mine have shown beyond all reasonable doubts that women suffer by far a greater percentage of sexual violence.
Victims of sexual violence in Sierra Leone face a number of challenges seeking to achieve justice. These include the absence of legal aid for women, high illiteracy rate among women, forceful marriage, forceful female genital mutilation, prevailing culture of silence, lack of temporary shelter for victims of sexual violence etc. There is no doubt that sexual violence poses many adverse effects on the victims, which include sexual and reproductive health hazard, death, mental malfunctioning, physical health abnormalities, negative psychological impacts, stigmatization among others .
Preventive measures need to be established to protect women from sexual violence. To fight against this unacceptable practice, I recommend the following as preventive mechanisms to avert the problem of sexual violence:
Ø Mass public education campaigns.
Ø Attitudinal change towards gender inequalities and the acceptability of violence.
Ø Supportive programmes for children who have witnessed intimate partner violence.
Ø Work with teenagers to reduce dating violence.
Ø Increase education and opportunities for women and girls.
Ø Improve on self-esteem advocacy for victims.
Ø Allocate adequate resources to bodies and organizations that propagate the fight against sexual violence.
Ø There should be a strong political will to design policies and enact laws that can put protective fence around women and girls.
Yours sincerely,
Abdulai Gbondo Bangura.gbondoab2003@yahoo.com
I see sexual violence as being a problem still occurring at an alarming rate in my country. Therefore I see the need to write something about it.
To give a brief definition about the topic, any unapproved sexual act, unwanted sexual comment or advances, attempts to obtain a sexual satisfaction against the consent of the opposite partner etc, could be referred to as sexual violence. Sexual violence can take place in different circumstances and settings. These include force sex in marriage and dating relationship, rape by foreigners, sexual abuse of children, sexual abuse of people with mental and physical disabilities, child marriage, denial of the right to use contraceptives etc.
Any sexual violation can be emotionally traumatic, whether by a stranger, acquaintances or intimate partner. Trauma can be devastating and lasts for long time. Victims of rape often suffer serious and long psychological effects. Victims of sexual trauma are often left with feeling of anxiety, overwhelmed and confused, sleeplessness, flashbacks, inability to focus or concentrate, generalized fears or panic attacks are all common manifestations of trauma.
However, the social and economic costs of violence against women are enormous. Women may suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities and limited ability to care for themselves and their children.
In my country Sierra Leone particularly, women suffer a great deal of sexual violence as compared to men. Therefore, even though it is indisputable that men can as well experience sexual violence, studies including mine have shown beyond all reasonable doubts that women suffer by far a greater percentage of sexual violence.
Victims of sexual violence in Sierra Leone face a number of challenges seeking to achieve justice. These include the absence of legal aid for women, high illiteracy rate among women, forceful marriage, forceful female genital mutilation, prevailing culture of silence, lack of temporary shelter for victims of sexual violence etc. There is no doubt that sexual violence poses many adverse effects on the victims, which include sexual and reproductive health hazard, death, mental malfunctioning, physical health abnormalities, negative psychological impacts, stigmatization among others .
Preventive measures need to be established to protect women from sexual violence. To fight against this unacceptable practice, I recommend the following as preventive mechanisms to avert the problem of sexual violence:
Ø Mass public education campaigns.
Ø Attitudinal change towards gender inequalities and the acceptability of violence.
Ø Supportive programmes for children who have witnessed intimate partner violence.
Ø Work with teenagers to reduce dating violence.
Ø Increase education and opportunities for women and girls.
Ø Improve on self-esteem advocacy for victims.
Ø Allocate adequate resources to bodies and organizations that propagate the fight against sexual violence.
Ø There should be a strong political will to design policies and enact laws that can put protective fence around women and girls.
Yours sincerely,
Abdulai Gbondo Bangura.gbondoab2003@yahoo.com
Comments
Post a Comment