THE EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
By Yua Miriam
It was on a Monday afternoon, when Agatha and Isaac returned from the farm. Isaac took his bath and fell on the bed to rest, Agatha was so exhausted and wanted to rest but she could not because she needed to prepare lunch. Her 7months old baby was crying seriously and in need of attention. As she was attending to her, Isaac stood up from where he was laying and started yelling at her stating that he is hungry and she is busy attending to the baby. Before Agatha could say a word Isaac grabbed one of her hands and jerked her out of their bed. It was at this point that his verbal abuse moved from her not preparing lunch at the time he wanted, to her incompetence as a wife. When Isaac started beating her with his fists, she used her arms to protect her 7months old baby from getting hurt by her husband she quickly dropped the baby on bed and ran to the sitting room where she fell and dislocated one of her arms. She experienced this violent attack by her husband in the fifth year of her eighth years in marriage. It was one of many incidences that occurred during their marriage and it is typical of violence that is referred to as Violence against Women.
According to the United Nations, Violence Against Women is any act of gender based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
Population-level surveys based on reports from victims provide the most accurate estimates of the prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. A 2013 analysis conduct by WHO with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the South Africa Medical Research Council, used existing data from over 80 countries and found that worldwide, 1 in 3, or 35% of women have experienced physical and or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence. Globally, as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners. In addition to intimate partner violence, globally 7% of women report having been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner, although data for non-partner sexual violence are more limited. Intimate partner and sexual violence are mostly perpetrated by men against women.
Violence against women occurs on a daily basis, at home, workplace, school even on the street. This violence most at times causes long term physical and mental health problems to the survivors of the abuse and it does not just affects the women involved but also their children, families and even communities. Many women are forced to leave their homes because of violence from their partners. Most women and children become homeless because of violence from their intimate partners.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, humans are forced to stay at home as a precautionary measure. It is speculated that more violence against women will be perpetrated this period. Therefore, government agencies and civil societies intervening in Violence against Women should double efforts in curbing the peril.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Government should create awareness or educate citizens on the dangers/consequences of violence against women.
Women should be educated on what to do when the need arises.
Machinery and systems should developed towards the monitoring and documentation of violence against Women
All Sub National Governments in Nigeria should domesticate and fully implement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act in their various States
Offenders of the VAPP Act at both National and Sub National should be punished to the full extent of the law to serve as deterrent to others.
Suddenly, Isaac heard a knock on the door when he opened it he saw three Police Officers. Isaac you are under arrest for violence against your wife and you are to remain silent or anything you say will be used against you in the court of law. As he is towed away by the Cops, Agatha looks with relief on her face.
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