BY ISEOLUWA DAIRO
Gender-based violence (GBV) is often spoken about in whispers; hidden and dismissed as someone else’s problem. Yet, for countless women around the world, it is a harsh and terrifying reality—one that does not discriminate by country, culture, or class. This month alone, there have been horrific incidents of rape, assault, and murder which have shaken the lives of women across the world. In Nigeria, the cries of women who have been assaulted and murdered echo across communities, yet justice remains elusive and violence thrives.
Where exactly is safe for women, their home? Oh! but this young girl asleep in her home, the very place she believed to be safe, was raped and horrifically attacked by her neighbor. Across the globe, in Canada, a woman was raped by 72 men; a horrific crime orchestrated by her own husband. Or should we talk about the Kenyan Olympic medalist who was set on fire by her ex-boyfriend; Should I keep listing? Oh yeah, let’s not forget the young man who abducted and murdered his friend, and came up with an elaborate scheme to cover it up; should I also add that he has allegedly done the same to his SISTER and ex-girlfriend?
Do we see a trend here? Women are not safe. Not in their homes, not in their communities, not anywhere. GBV is a global crisis that cannot be ignored any longer.
Society breeds a safe space for these atrocities to be committed. Victims are often slut-shammed, and victim blamed. Questions like “What was she wearing?” or “Why was she there? or “Why did she go there?” and cautions like, “Don’t go out!” or “Don’t trust friends!” shift responsibility onto the victims, while perpetrators are excused, defended, or whitewashed.
While scrolling through X (Twitter), in paraphrasing, a user in defence of one of the perpetrators, said God created men to be highly sexual beings, (which let’s state, even the Bible is strongly against violence and lewdness’). This is a very harmful view, as there is no justification for violence or abuse including, but not limited to rape and other forms of sexual abuse.
Such statements and attitudes imply that women should restrict their lives and live in fear, which perpetuates the cycle of victimization and inequality. This mindset supports an environment where perpetrators are given leniency, and victims are sometimes left unsupported or condemned.
The stories of these women are more than headlines; they are the cries of women who have endured unimaginable suffering. But still, too often, their voices are silenced, their pain goes unnoticed, and their stories are forgotten. Let us stop the cycle of victim-blaming and begin to acknowledge the brutality faced by women and call for an end to the violence that continues to plague our world.
We all have women in our lives and even if you don’t, any shred of humanity in you should be drawn towards sympathy for victims and active rejection of any form of violence or abuse whether physical, emotional or the like. So, the next time you feel the urge to blame a victim based on what they wear or simply put, based on their gender, remember, that a disease not clipped in its bud will gradually but surely poison the whole vine; so fear not, cause you or someone close to you might just be next!
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