16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Today marks the first day of the United Nations’ (UN) ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’. Today (25th November) is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. And the 16 days will end on 10th December – Human Rights Day – a reminder that violence against women is the most prevalent and pervasive breach of human rights worldwide.
Many of you might know that I am in my second year of my PhD at Deakin University within IPAN (Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition) which has been a dream / goal of mine for more years than I care to mention. My PhD seeks to explore an alternative / adjunctive approach to supporting the mental and physical health, wellbeing and recovery from intimate partner violence (IPV) – specifically by developing a trauma and gender sensitive cardio-boxing program. This program will be designed with input from victim-survivors and from people who work in a range of different spaces to support those women in their healing and recovery.
I wear a number of hats: I’m a PhD candidate, a practicing Psychotherapist with a special interest in trauma, and I’m also a victim-survivor of intimate partner violence (IPV) – one of the most common forms of gender-based violence (GBV) across the world. The statistics are shocking:
- 1 in 3 women are likely to experience some form of GBV in their lifetime (1)
- 1 in 4 women will experience a form of IPV (1)
- Every 10 minutes a woman is killed (2)
GBV is related to a range of behaviours associated with control within relationships, which disproportionately impact women, girls and populations within the LGBTIQA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexual or gender diverse) communities.
What is Gender-Based Violence?
It’s important to understand the definitions because if we aren’t clear about them, how do we know when it’s happening to us? Or when to get help? And for those of us researching in this space how best to create effective programs and interventions that support victim-survivors? IPV doesn’t have to involve physical violence / abuse. According to the World Health Organization (1), IPV refers to any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes sexual, psychological or physical harm and can include:
- Sexual coercion / rape
- Psychological / emotional abuse
- Acts of physical aggression
- Financial abuse
- Coercively controlling behaviours
It covers current and former spouses / partners and doesn’t have to occur within the home – which is why I prefer the term IPV over ‘domestic violence’. Language matters. Naming abusive behaviour matters. Calling out abusive behaviour matters.
What does ‘activism’ look like?
The word activism is defined as a policy of taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal. The history of the word can be traced back to earlier understandings of social action and collective behaviour. And activism can take many forms. I consider my PhD to be an act of activism. I also believe that being able to reclaim safety in my body, to have agency to move it when and how I choose is an empowered and embodied form of activism. Maintaining a sense of joy, wonder and hope in the face of this complex world we live in, where rates of GBV are rising, and where at least 62 (up to 81) women have been killed by violence in Australia this year, and in 16 days this last month 11 women were killed by violence in Australia. The UN is calling for people to:
- Be an Ally: Stand against VAWG by participating in local activities, advocating for survivors, and educating others about the importance of ending violence against women and girls
- Speak Out: Use your voice to challenge harmful norms and support survivors in your community
- Engage in Advocacy: Participate in campaigns and initiatives that push for stronger laws, better enforcement, and more resources to end violence against women and girls
I’m going to be sharing my thoughts, calls to action and ideas around how we can all do more to support this initiative. I will continue to be noisy about this issue and encourage you all to do the same – I am not free until you are free.
If you’d like to explore your mental health and would like a space to talk about how you’re feeling, please get in touch with us: www.theabaker.com.au / hello@theabaker.com.au / 03 9077 8194.
References:
- World Health Organization (2024) Available at: URL.(Data sourced from https://whv.org.au/)
- United Nations (2024) Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/16-days-of-activism?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuou6BhDhARIsAIfgrn7oDzYKO_FfxDJwQCvrU0U7mUOCbuIUY59yuevvc7JAxio00bSiGsgaAkQIEALw_wcB