Redefining Norms to Break the Cycle of Violence
The field of public health is very familiar with the iceberg phenomenon: a situation in which merely a fraction of the true number of cases is visible, with the bulk lying hidden in the population. This hold true for intimate partner violence (IPV). Of the nearly half a million homicides that occur globally each year, one in seven is carried out by an intimate partner. The numbers are more troubling when we look at female homicides occurring each year, with almost 40 percent of them carried out by intimate partners. But a great proportion of the women experiencing abuse and gender-based violence remain hidden until we look deeper.
IPV is a form of gender-based violence (GBV), occurring more commonly against women, and includes not only physical but also psychological and sexual abuse. As defined by the CDC, IPV refers to any such violence carried out by a current or former partner or spouse. The WHO estimates that one in three women in the world face this problem.
While many successful downstream efforts are being made at improving the support services for victims of IPV through helplines, safe houses, and medical and legal assistance, it has been challenging to change societal norms and cultures to prevent and mitigate the problem. We need to improve our upstream approaches and address the underlying causes of gender-based discrimination and its manifestation as IPV if we hope to break the intergenerational cycle. Let us consider three measures that could help accomplish this.
First, we need to redefine the strongly rooted gender norm that women are the “weaker” or “lesser” sex. This movement is slowly gaining momentum with the focus on gender equity as part of the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals (MDGs and SDGs), as well as through the positive portrayal of stronger women in the media and literature. A vital component of improving the status and value of women in society is by encouraging their education and employment. Providing them with these opportunities empowers them and earn them respect within their families and communities. Another facet is that having female leadership has been shown to increase the interest in, and result in action on, issues of gender equality and family and child health. However, global estimates show that only 22% of all national parliamentarians and 15% of government ministers were women as of 2015.
Just as importantly, we need influential leaders and effective advocates of all genders to recognize and speak out for gender equality. When General David Morrison, a 2016 Australian of the Year awardee and the former Chief of Army, spoke out strongly for gender equality, it caused a visible ripple effect with an increased enlistment of women within Australia’s armed forces, and higher tolerance for diversity. More advocates like General Morrison, and an empowered society, are needed to challenge and dramatically change the way we perceive and address gender equality in society.
Second, people need to remain sensitive to issues of gender discrimination and GBV, especially considering the frequency of such events in daily life. While bringing issues to the attention of the media and the people is essential, it can also have counterproductive outcomes like stigmatization or desensitization. Desensitization occurs as a conditioned psychological response after repeated exposure to violent or disturbing situations or news. For instance, the Syrian conflict had been ongoing for over four years with the world, for the most part, acting as a silent spectator. The war and suffering had become commonplace to us until images of a drowned Syrian boy jolted us out of our apathy and triggered a public response. A similar dispassionateness existed about the issue of rape in India until the “Nirbhaya” incident in 2012, and is developing in the United States with the issue of mass shootings. Due to the constant exposure we have to these types of news, we have developed a tolerance towards them. A significant part of the responsibility to prevent this from occurring lies with the media. There need to be checks on sensationalizing issues for ratings and a return to responsible reporting of news for the highest societal benefit. Particularly in the case of intimate partner violence, the media has a significant role to play in setting the tone for how communities and law enforcement respond to victims. In most countries, almost 50 percent of abused women do not share their experience of intimate partner violence with anyone. These women cite fear of embarrassment or blame as one of the most common reasons for their silence. Changing the way we, as communities, respond to these incidents and to women who are brave enough to seek help could encourage more women reach out, and to lead safer lives.
And lastly, we need invest in the future by teaching children about equality, respect and compassion to prevent this problem from continuing. Children are often called the “forgotten victims of domestic violence”. A conservative figure from the 2006 United Nations Study on Violence Against Children estimated that 275 million children witness violence in their homes. This early exposure to violence within homes has been identified as a strong predictor of these individuals becoming perpetrators or victims of violence later in life, thus continuing the “cycle of violence”. To counteract the psychological effects of this trauma on children, educators and the scientific community need to work together to develop modules similar to cognitively-based compassion training and integrate them into school curricula. These modules would specifically aim to train children and young adults to be more empathetic towards others and respect all human life. Using safe spaces in schools to discuss these issues from a young age would be useful in making children aware of the ethical aspects of issues, and aid in developing their moral compasses. Personal role models, while often extremely effective, can be harder to provide and maintain in large numbers. But the vicious cycle can only be broken by consciously developing a culture of mutual respect.
Victims of IPV face the consequences of physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse, as well as the social consequences of shame and isolation. We must be dogged in our efforts to prevent this from occurring, to reduce their suffering, and to advocate for them. Involving children in these efforts is of utmost importance to break the cycle of violence. By reducing the suffering of these women, we also improve the quality of families, societies and nations and create a healthier and wealthier world.
Akhila Annamreddi is a staff writer covering gender-based violence and health for HPHR Now. Akhila is a physician from India currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the field of Global Health.
